What is Fashion Week? Fashion week is the highly anticipated period when brands and designers show off their latest collections and clothing lines in a display of parties and runways. The clothes from Fashion Week influence the latest trends for the upcoming season. There are four main occurrences, all of them throughout the month of February: in Paris, London, Milan, and New York, which lasted from February 9th-14th. Aside from these renowned four, hundreds of fashion weeks take place all around the world, in places like Tokyo and Panama.
The first Fashion Week was based off of Parisian fashion shows, especially since Americans designers and buyers looked to the French capital for fashion trends and inspiration. Unfortunately, in 1943, World War II was at its peak, and travel to Paris was blocked, so Eleanor Lambert took action.. Lambert, known as the first “fashion publicist” initiated the first “Press Week” (later called Fashion Week) at the Plaza Hotel as an opportunity for American designers to showcase their creations. Lambert invited reporters from all across America to witness the event, and by the mid-20th century editors and designers from around the world were participating in New York’s Press Week. Some of the first designers to take part were Claire McCardell, Norman Norell, and Hattie Carnegie.
Fashion Week, like any other installment, is constantly in a race to keep up with recent trends. But after Alexander Wang, a designer who gained recognition for his “grunge” party outfits, was accused of sexual assault in 2019 many became unhappy with the fashion industry’s continued defense of the designer. Despite a model, Owen Mooney, coming forward to express his story alongside other victims, Wang had a Los Angeles show in 2022 and participated in NYFW that same year. Similarly, a complaint that constantly burdens the fashion industry is the lack of diversity of their models. This is why Selkie caught the public eye at NYFW, primarily for flaunting her line on models of all races, abilities, and body types. These models, dressed in pastel dresses that perfectly captured the essence of a fairytale, refuted the narrow European beauty standard that appears too often on the Fashion Week runway. According to fashion TikToker Mandy Lee, “Nobody is doing diversity and inclusion on the runway quite like Selkie.”
New York Fashion Week is where many look for ideas for their winter wardrobe, and 2024 is no exception. Luminous metallic dresses, startling reds, and eye-catching coats appear to be dominating the catwalks this year. A softened version of feminine 80s power looks has also made an appearance, from Christian Siriano’s flowing, statement dresses to Carolina Herrera’s strong-shouldered pastels. The “coquette” bow trend seems to be more than a passing fad, as Coach displayed massive bows in their collection and Dauphinette presented stunning velvet ones. Christian Cowan’s coats were the epitome of fluffy elegance, while Michael Kors showed off an oversized, monochromatic pink coat. 2024 will likely be another year featuring slick-backed hair, as Christian Siriano’s models sported tightly sculpted chignons flecked with gold. But elegance isn’t the only style at NYFW– Tommy Hilfiger’s designs included oversized sweaters and chunky scarves that exuded an air of academia. Aknvas also adorned their models in full-body ruffles and jackets that are perfect for a cozy moment by the fireplace or a confident strut down 5th Avenue. In contrast, the “Baby, The Stars Shine Bright” line featured an Alice in Wonderland collection that paired an almost childlike color scheme with Victorian petticoats. Kim Shui continued the fantastical idea with a display reflecting the lucky colors of the 2024 Lunar New Year and mythical creatures.
The purpose of Fashion Week is to show off the season’s latest designs and provide everyone from celebrities to the ordinary person with inspiration for their wardrobes–NYFW 2024 did not disappoint. From feminine bows and pastels to statement reds and rippling metallic patterns, it’s safe to say that this year’s winter clothes will be of utmost sophistication and urbanity.
