Photo: Courtesy of Flickr.com
To many regulars in the fashion industry it feels as if it was only yesterday that the Michael Kors 1991 show took place in an empty loft space. When Kors and his team turned down the lights and turned up the music, pieces of the ceiling began to crack leaving many global fashion A-listers picking clumps of plaster off their hair and clothing. However, nobody left the loft. Despite the odds against them, Kors’ production turned down the music and the show went on; proving dedication to the art, magic and hard work that goes into producing these brief but impactful shows.
This specific show went down in history as the impetus for Fern Mallis and the CFDA to provide one centralized location for all American designers to showcase their runway collections. But with the cultural impact these bi-yearly events create for New York City, it has been a perpetual challenge for show producers, teams and designers to have enough space for their teams as well as the many esteemed guests that make appearances.
To solve the problems that the tents at Lincoln Center have created for the past several years, the CFDA has been attempting venue shifts to places such as Moynihan Station and Clarkson Square just to name two of the several venues utilized by Skylight Group– an event venue development and management firm.
Although the tents have always allowed creativity and customization for the designers, they have always had a characterless and temporary simplicity that many within the industry began to resent. After all, New York City has always been known for its skyscrapers and magnificent architecture, as well as the many who live within these incredible buildings.
Fortunately these aforementioned New York City landmarks not only provide the appropriate space and location for designers to showcase their individuality, they also express what it truly means to honor a New York state of mind.
-by Meghan Fazio
