Thursday, December 17, 2015

All Change At NYFW

CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg is re-evaluating the way that New York Fashion Week works. She, along with her fellow board members, has brought in external consultation company Boston Consulting Group to examine the effects that turning the showcase into a consumer event would have on the industry as a whole.


"We have designers, retailers and everybody complaining about the shows. Something's not right anymore because of social media, people are confused," Von Furstenberg (who described the current system as "broken") told WWD, adding that making the clothes seen on the catwalk immediately available in store would capitalise on the hype that platforms such as Twitter and Instagram create. "We have some ideas. Everyone seems to feel that the shows being consumer driven is a very good idea."

BCG's findings won't be relayed in time for the February shows, but possible formats include holding small showroom appointments for key press and buyers six months in advance of the show in order to plan coverage and take orders, followed by a big show to which only consumers would be invited.


Another possibility, WWD reports, would be to switch the seasons, so that spring/summer would show in February and March, and autumn/winter would be presented in September and October. BCG will apparently also be looking into whether or not it would be more effective to fall in line with the menswear shows that take place in January and June therefore giving more time for orders to land in store.

"It's very confusing," continued Von Furstenberg. "Everything needs to be rebooted. We're making this proposal and people can do whatever they want. I have a feeling people will be showing what's available closer to what's in store. I don't have all the answers, otherwise we wouldn't be hiring BCG."

The announcement by the CFDA comes in the same week that NYFW designer Rebecca Minkoff pre-empted its investigation by revealing that she would be showing her spring/summer 2016 collection at the bi-annual showcase in February so that consumers could purchase items they liked straight after the show. Meanwhile, Thakoon announced last week that it was coming off the schedule next season to adopy a "real-time fashion model". All eyes will now be on the outcomes to see if it proves profitable.

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