What should fashion week be? It’s a rhetorical question at this point, since no one has the answer. Until the industry finds one, we can dream — and have a sense of humor. WWD asked the pros who attend show upon show upon show and have been doing so for years, “What’s your fantasy fashion week?” Answers varied.
Olivia Kim, Director of creative projects, Nordstrom
Every city had a kickoff show that would feature one dog breed! So Paris Fashion Week had a French bulldog dog show; London Fashion Week had a corgi dog show; New York Fashion Week had a basset hound dog show, etc. And then the dogs would be available to spend the day with you as “therapy” dogs just to make you happy while you’re sitting in traffic.
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Ugh, the traffic. And all the cars. And the pollution. It would be amazing if designers would give front-row or priority seats to people who showed up either by foot or bicycle or some form of non-carbon-inducing method. You could get a second or third row seat if you at least carpooled to the show. And if you showed up in an SUV, alone, well, there’s always standing.
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Cathy Horyn, New York magazine
Monotony is the sting in fashion week. Too many shows, too many long shows, too many long shows in blank spaces. The mere news that another show will take place in Moynihan Station, Spring Street Studios or the tent in the Paris Tuileries qualifies as a Groundhog Day moment. And this happens several times a day — all, apparently, in the name of efficiency and speed. So in my dream fashion week, the majority of designers will strive for show spaces that are both unusual and intimate. Guest lists will not exceed 250. And I will come and go on a motorcycle with a driver.
Neil Rasmus, Cofounder, BFA
In the fashion week of my dreams, I’m 25 again. Crystal Castles is back at Don Hills and Nur Khan is throwing the after party. I’m immune to hangovers. I can shoot all night and edit through the morning with the BFA team then head back to the tents. No one expects photos until 8 a.m. Heatherette has a comeback. Richie Rich roller-skates down the runway and Traver tips his hat while Amanda Lepore sips Champagne backstage with Miranda Kerr, who is doing runway again.
Michael Carl, Fashion market director, Vanity Fair
Welcome to the fashion industry, the only industry where they line you up in order of importance twice a year. In my ideal world, everyone would sit first row, everyone is happy and accessories editors get to see the shoes. If we must continue with the rows, I suggest reviewers and accessories editors sit first row, market directors sit second, fashion directors third and EICs in balconies, where they are served low-calorie wine and Tic Tacs.
For New York, why can’t uptown shows be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and downtown shows be from 2:30 to 8 p.m.? You see what I did there? I saved everyone a lot of sitting-in-traffic time, allowed models some breathing room so they’re not dead by the end of the month, and I built in a lunch time. Remember lunch?
Presentations should all be in one space. Spring Studios are lovely. I think designers could be given a discounted rate and I’ll bet more top-tier people would attend. Take the money you spend on Champagne and use it to make your space unique because the only people drinking Champagne are either friends and family or people you don’t actually need at your event.
Eva Chen, Instagram
Considering I’ll be nine-plus months pregnant when the fashion week circuit kicks off, my dream would be to watch the shows on Instagram Live, while firmly situated on a deliciously squashy couch with my newborn/non-squalling baby. That said, based on the adoption of Instagram Live during couture and men’s by houses such as Hermès and Dior, my dream could very well be a reality.
Helen David, Chief merchant, Harrods
It would be really nice to travel to two cities, which would mean only having to pack a couple of times. I also cover watches and jewelry, and go to SIHH in Geneva in January and Baselworld in March, so there is a lot of packing and unpacking.
It would be nice if clothes didn’t wrinkle (I wouldn’t have to carry a garment bag in addition to my suitcase), if my suitcase didn’t get lost, and if nothing — like toner or shampoo — leaked.
It would be nice if I could get eight hours of sleep every night, if shows could run from midday until 6 p.m., and if they were a 10 to 15 minute drive from one another.
It would be really nice if I could be in a room where the people next door weren’t partying all night. When staying at the Principe in Milan, it would be great if they didn’t regularly ring the doorbell 15 minutes before you actually ordered breakfast.
Stella Bugbee, Editorial director, The Cut
In my fantasy, Kanye [West] finally presents a show so good that he decides he’s done with music and trying to become president, and just focuses on his collection. He shows at the Red Hook Ikea, where models dress themselves from Malm dressers and feed each other lingonberry jam with stainless steel flatware. At the end of the show he gives each model a blue Ikea bag full of thousand dollar bills. The fashion editors in attendance are so lost in deep Brooklyn that we all move into Ikea and skip the rest of the season.
Keith Baptista, Partner, Prodject
If we set aside practicality and efficiency (you did say fantasy), we would spread out the shows over a longer period, allowing designers a little space to present their creative visions. Presenting several hundred shows in a short period of time is the equivalent of asking the movie and music businesses to release all of their major projects at one time. It’s either that or move all the shows to the Maldives and do them one a day for several months.
Mandi Lennard, Mandi’s Basement
My Airstream Interstate trailer’s pulled up on Calvert Avenue and the driver has messaged to say he’s picked me up a brie and grilled pear toastie from Hive, and a Collision juice (Cayenne pepper and ginger).
No, I’m not Tupac, it’s a Louis Vuitton x Supreme bandana that Kim [Jones] gave me backstage, and I’m not masquerading as Batman; it’s an Undercover backpack — with wings. Hopefully Steph [McGovern] from BBC Breakfast won’t obscure my Balenciaga earrings with her microphone again, while I tell her how it’s all about Matty Bovan and anything Fashion East.
My cache of show invites look like “Fraggle Rock” — bad calligraphy and tricksy interactive functions such as having to blow up an attached balloon so I can read the details — thanks, I don’t really have a chest infection. If I’d known it would take 40 seconds to spot my seat number scrawled in miniature amongst the DayGlo graphic of a pull out poster, I’d have ordered varifocals.
As we head into town, having stopped off at the dry cleaners and picked up several editors en route — we’re car pooling — someone’s complaining their iPhone’s already eaten 20 percent battery power, and I’m thinking “I’m alright Jack,” as I’ve got a Mophie wireless charge force powerstation in my pocket, rather than a packet of kosher Love Hearts, the ones that say “Shabbat Shalom,” just when you’re feeling guilty about going to shows on Yom Kippur again.
Hopefully, the show credit sheet will have everyone’s Instagram next to their name, and when I go backstage to hug the designer, the publicist won’t look at me like she’s going to stamp “TRESPASS” on my back.
Ken Downing, Neiman Marcus
My fantasy fashion week would be that all designers come together and start showing their collections in season, in real time so that when the customers are excited, there are clothes for them to buy in the store.
But ultimately, what would make me happy is all the emerging talent shows over the weekend in galleries in Chelsea in a four-to-six block radius….I would love a fashion week with collections that start no later than 15 minutes after the hour and every location was within a few blocks of another so I wasn’t spending all my time in the back of a car. And what would really make it the ultimate is if Starbucks would be one of the major sponsors and there was a barista on every corner to keep us caffeinated and buzzing along with high energy so we can keep smiling front row.
Beth Buccini, Kirna Zabête
The fashion week of my dreams would take place in February, when New York, Milan and Paris were experiencing perfect weather (60 degrees and sunny), so that my team and I could wear the new pre-spring merchandise that just hit Kirna Zabête. We would have Sweet Greens automatically delivered to wherever we were located at lunchtime (without having to place orders, etc.) and our Ubers would be stocked with our morning Starbucks orders. The seats at shows would be equipped with portable cell-phone chargers and mints, and at the end of the day, I would be whisked home (no traffic at all) and a personal masseuse would be waiting to massage my feet. *winky-face emoji*
Regarding the actual schedule, buying appointments would only happen once the week of actual shows was over. This would make schedules a lot less hectic. Venues where everyone is front row would be ideal and presentations should be required until you have been in business for more than three years. Shows should be organized in New York by neighborhood so that there are no traffic issues and it is easier to get from one show to another, so Monday is TriBeCa, Tuesday is SoHo and West Village, Thursday is Midtown and Friday is uptown!
Julian Vogel, Creative director and owner, Modus Publicity
Guests who RSVP and are allocated seats then show up.
A show where there is no seating plan just all front row seats — where everyone arrives on time and sits where they like.
Blanket coverage across all media platforms of the show and collection. Glowing show reports from the reviewers, posts on social media from editors, celebrities and influencers.
Everyone coming away with a feeling of euphoria at having witnessed something truly extraordinary. That they will remember for years to come and smile that they were there.
Effortless travel between the cities with no lost luggage, delays or problems at immigration. Private Jet would help.
Shows and presentations that communicate a clear message about the collection. That inspire and surprise the audience, challenging them to think, feel, dream, wear, photograph, write and buy.
A schedule that allows all the guests to get to see everything. Without crisscrossing the city in a random, senseless way.
Venues that show the spirit of the city from palaces to warehouse building. Fading grandeur to modern space age.
Holly Rogers, Ceo, Browns of London
One major city could host all designers for a block of time and this would not necessarily be a fashion capital that we always travel to. Shows must be extravaganzas, otherwise they should be relegated to a presentation format that last a minimum of three hours so that people have time to filter through the pieces and minimize the potential for gridlock….
The alternative would be to have designers film their shows in advance and we could base ourselves in a big venue where we could watch shows back-to-back. We would be able to condense an entire day of shows into just a few hours and do appointments simultaneously. You could also register online so brands knew who attended in addition to those who wanted to go to the event in the theater. Imagine the data you could capture.
Finally, water and delicious snacks would always be provided and everyday would end with margaritas and dancing. It’s fashion, after all, so let’s have fun!
Bridget Foley, Executive editor, WWD
To cover shows from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily while shod in major heels that I work as gracefully as a blogger, influencer or Carine Roitfeld.
To do so with the body weight of a blogger, influencer or Carine Roitfeld.
To look back at week’s end and know that the biggest news of NYFW was made on the runways, with fabulous fashion.
Natalie Kingham, Buying director, Matchesfashion.com
I love it when a brand really goes to town on the details — from the venue to the invite, if everything feels more thought-out you know it is going to be good. Vetements is a brand that always delights with its shows — with venues ranging from a Chinese restaurant to the Pompidou Centre, it’s always a show that you await with eager anticipation. I am also excited to see Raf’s first show at Calvin Klein. Moments like that can be incredible and really make your week. I think the ideal would be to have fewer shows and make it a mix of show-stopping extravaganzas, alongside smaller scale presentations where you can really connect with the designer and the clothes. I would also love to see shows becoming more intimate again, inviting half as many people and creating a more relaxed, less stressful atmosphere.