Since Tom Ford took over from Diane von Furstenberg as chair of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in June, he’s wasted no time in making his mark by overhauling New York Fashion Week (September 6 to September 11).
For spring/summer ’20, the CFDA presented a shorter, less-crowded calendar, running over just six days—a move embraced by the fashion industry after years of navigating bloated schedules.
“The goal wasn’t just to shorten the week, but to also create a more edited and efficient platform for discovery and business,” Steven Kolb, president and CEO of the CFDA, tells Vogue. “We look at this change as a natural progression of fashion week that is more economical and expeditious for attendees, especially those coming to New York from abroad.”
There’s the expectation that a curated calendar will cultivate the sense of urgency and excitement that many felt had been missing from New York—and it’s a shift that has sparked change at every level.
Here, Vogue rounds up what to expect from New York Fashion Week spring/summer ’20:
Shaking up the schedule
Tom Ford, the show that’s long-signalled the start of NYFW, has found a new home on the calendar: 8pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), September 9. Officially opening the week at 6pm EDT on September 6 is a performance show by the winner of the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, Telfar.
Meanwhile, Ralph Lauren, which would typically present on the last day, has moved its see-now-buy-now collection to the evening slot of 9pm EDT, September 7. Rest assured, there are still some constants—namely Marc Jacobs, which is sure to close NYFW on a high note at 6pm EDT, September 11.
Fresh formats
Condensing the schedule has made it challenging for emerging brands to secure a spot on the calendar. It’s driven three brands in particular—Vaquera, CDLM/Creatures of The Wind, and Section 8—to present a joint show at 9pm EDT, September 9.
Is this an indicator of a future NYFW trend? “The group show is less about a trend and more about a strategy,” says Kolb, acknowledging the cost-saving benefits of a shared presentation. “Designers should be free to try new ways of showing their collections. When the intersection of creative ideas comes about, then perhaps a group show makes sense.”
On the collaboration front, Zero + Maria Cornejo and Hyundai Motor strike a surprising yet meaningful partnership with the debut of Re:Style (8:30pm EDT, September 6), a sustainable capsule collection made with upcycled materials produced by the car company.
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This season also marks Georgina Chapman’s first solo Marchesa collection following the June departure of co-founder, Keren Craig, and will be shown on September 11 by appointment only.
And after years of sitting front-row and collaborating with HSN, Serena Williams returns to NYFW with the runway debut of her S by Serena line at 3pm EDT, September 10. She’ll also take part in a breakfast for NYFW: The Talks, IMG’s series of conversations with power players in the fashion industry.
Familiar faces
After Tommy Hilfiger’s global success with its celebrity co-branded see-now-buy-now collections, it’s once again partnering with Euphoria actress Zendaya for NYFW spring/summer ’20. TommyNow will take place at Harlem’s landmark Apollo Theater at 8:30pm EDT, September 8.
Tokyo-based designer Tomo Koizumi is back after a spectacular debut last season: a stunning lineup of dreamy rainbow concoctions worn by a cast of top models and celebrities, photos of which flooded social media. Expectations are high for the second show, which takes place at 7pm EDT, September 6.
After skipping last season, the thought-provoking and socially conscious Kerby Jean-Raymond is back with his first Pyer Moss show since winning the 2018 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund (8pm EDT, September 7).
Unmissable milestones
Becca McCharen-Tran of Chromat and Prabal Gurung are celebrating 10 years this season. As vocal champions of diversity, both have been at the forefront of inclusivity through their thoughtful casting choices, designs, and messaging.
For their anniversary shows (9pm, September 7 for Chromat and 7pm EDT, September 8 for Prabal Gurung), expect a celebration of a decade in the business and everything that they stand for.
Vera Wang also has cause for celebration: The designer makes her return to NYFW after a two-year absence to stage a 30th-anniversary show at 11am EDT, September 10.
Elsewhere in New York City, Nordstrom is giving industry insiders a private tour of its women’s store ahead of its grand opening on October 24. The seven-story, 320,000 sq ft flagship will be the largest single-project investment in the brand’s history.
Fashion joins the political conversation
Earlier in August, New York Hudson Yards’ developer Stephen Ross became embroiled in controversy after hosting a re-election fundraiser for Donald Trump. The Shed and The Vessel, located in the development known as “the city within the city”, were tipped as possible venues for NYFW shows, but several brands have pulled out in protest.
Prabal Gurung withdrew from staging his anniversary show at The Vessel, tweeting: “I am not calling this out to be part of the cancel culture or start some tirade against people, but rather to question these individuals whose motivation seems to be nothing but money, and to also challenge our own integrity and choices that we make every day.” Meanwhile, Rag & Bone moved its NYFW show from The Shed.
Ahead of the 2020 US presidential elections in November, it’s difficult to avoid politicising fashion, but Kolb believes this season’s mood is about a unified fresh start. “The shorter [fashion] week had the buy-in of all industry leaders across design, operations, and business,” he says. “The CFDA took on this new format not as a singular authority, but on behalf of a united American fashion industry.”