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One of the must-see events this September is New York Fashion Week (NYFW), officially starting on September 7, 2019. There's much to look forward to this season, with Tom Ford taking over from Diane von Furstenberg as President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and a new schedule condensing into six days, instead of the previous eight, having been announced.
From seasoned designers and rising stars to political protests... these are considered some of the most anticipated aspects of New York Fashion Week 2019.
Rihanna and the lingerie brand Savage X Fenty
One of the hottest shows at this year's NYFW is the second annual Savage X Fenty show by fashion designer and pop star Rihanna, taking place on September 10th in Brooklyn.
Viewers were hoping to see a lineup of famous models on the catwalk. Both Bella and Gigi Hadid walked last year, and Slick Woods – a model who was pregnant and went into labor shortly after the show – also made a strong impression on the audience.
Rumors suggest this year's show will feature many surprise musical performances, however, it remains to be seen whether Rihanna will take the stage herself.
In addition to the live show, this year, Savage X Fenty's performance will be streamed online on Amazon Prime on September 20th, along with behind-the-scenes footage of the show's production.
Political protests
Fashion is often influenced by and created to meet political demands. Therefore, with a host of noteworthy issues such as climate change, immigration, abortion, and the US presidential election, audiences are expecting to see designers express their views through their collections in the show.
Reporters specializing in NYFW coverage are ready. So it's quite possible that the events will become "protests" on the runway in a very unique way.
Last year, Prabal Gurung brought the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault to the runway by having models carry white roses, a symbol of the movement.
That same week, on the final night of his SS19 show, Jeremy Scott wore a T-shirt that read, "Tell your senators not to vote for Kavanaugh," in protest against Donald Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. (Brett Kavanaugh is accused of sexually assaulting Dr. Christine Blasey Ford).
The return of Hilfiger x Zendaya
Tommy Hilfiger will be bringing his TommyNow fashion show back to NYFW this season after the successful event in Paris last March.
The show marks Hilfiger's second collaboration with "Spider-Man" star Zendaya and will take place at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem on September 8th.
At the event, Hilfiger introduced a new online virtual reality shopping experience to give audiences worldwide access to the show. Through the VR (Virtual Reality) experience, viewers can visit a virtual pop-up store (a store open for a short time to cater to high-demand holiday shopping) and see the clothing samples worn by models.
The collection will also be displayed on a bus parked outside the event venue so customers can pre-purchase items before the show. This bus will then travel to a location in New York City the following week for customers to continue shopping.
Top models who will be featured in Hilfiger's show include Halima Aden, Winnie Harlow, and Jourdan Dunn.
Yes and no at NYFW
Besides the fact that this season's schedule is shorter and more rushed than ever, quite a few well-known names have announced their absence, such as Calvin Klein (which held its final show last year) and Derek Lam (whose flagship store closed this past July).
Several other designers also decided to forgo shows and instead opt for appointments or other events. Diane Von Furstenberg hosted an intimate luncheon; meanwhile, Telfar organized a film screening, and Rodarte launched a lookbook showcasing the latest designs worn by Hollywood superstars.
Calvin Klein's final show at NYFS 2018.
While the absence of familiar brands was somewhat disappointing for the audience, the appearance of new brands was also highly anticipated. This season, NYFW was full of new things such as 85 Eldridge, a new project by artist Doug Abraham (who owned the legendary Bess store in the 2000s) and Christopher John Rogers (who often wears outfits by designers like Tracee Ellis Ross, Tessa Thompson, and Michelle Obama).
Another name worth noting is Caroline Hu, a Chinese designer who won the Business of Fashion China award this spring, which came with a prize of $100,000.
