History was made, according to the CFDA, when the first ever fashion week, dubbed “Press Week” at the time, was organized by publicist Eleanor Lambert in 1943 to showcase the latest collections during World War II. Just to give you an idea, the fashion week photos from this event are in black and white – nothing to do with the sharp imagery we see today. Fifty years later, in 1993, the event we now know as New York Fashion Week was launched by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (spearheaded by Fern Mallis).
In this article you’ll learn…
New York Fashion Week Today
In 2015, Steven Kolb, along with the CFDA and several partners (including Amazon, East Dane, Cadillac and Launchmetrics created the inaugural men’s edition and as of July 17th, over 50 emerging and established American designers showcased their Spring/Summer 2016 designs.
To learn more about the history of fashion week, click here.
Killer Street Style & Fashion Week Photos
Launchmetrics partnered with Details Magazine to host street style shots on the Fashion GPS Radar community. From pastel Stan Smith sneakers, leopard prints, and wide-leg trousers, the men (and women) who attended the shows at Skylight Studios at Clarkson Square all came out in style. From fashion heavy-hitters like Nick Wooster, Jon Moy, Brian Trunzo, to the models off-duty, Details photographers captured plenty of memorable moments during the inaugural event.
Check out the fashion week photos here.
Recharging Devices
More than 1,500 people used ChargeItSpot to refuel their mobile devices in between shows and presentations during the 4-day event. Style editor, Stuart Emmrich, from The New York Times called the recharging stations, “The single best innovation of NYFWM!”
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat were abuzz with news of the latest designs and this was partly due to ChargeItSpot keeping the momentum alive via battery power.
Elegant Parties
From our very own shindig at the Bowery Hotel in collaboration with NYCult, (attended by the likes of Atlantic Pacific’s Blair Eadie and model Ajak Deng) to the kickoff Amazon Fashion party, celebration was in full swing during #NYFWM. When asked about Amazon Fashion’s event (held at their studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn) Launchmetrics associate Liam McLaughlin declared that the soiree was “a perfect representation of the industry’s renowned culture. The event as a whole personified the excitement of the events that were to come.”
Emerging Leaders in the Fashion industry
To add another layer of excitement, the CFDA asked celebrated influencers to capture the scene at NYFWM’s from the front row to backstage. The Washington Post notes that celebrities like Tyson Beckford, Joe Jonas, and athletes Victor Cruz and Dwayne Wade, who all have a strong interest in fashion, were invited to share their favorite photos of fashion week menswear on their social channels.
New Silhouettes
Siki Im, who was awarded the U.S. Woolmark Prize earlier this week, can rest easy as his Spring/Summer 2016 collection was welcomed with warm reviews. His latest designs, which featured an array of denim, coattails, rope belts, and capelets, exemplified the idea that there are no rules when it comes to defying style. His NYFWM debut and the Woolmark Prize solidified his status as an important designer-to-watch.
Production
Steering away from the traditional runway shows, many designers opted to display their Spring/Summer 2016 collections in presentation spaces. Thom Browne wowed surveyors as he filled an entire room floor to ceiling with mirrors. Timo Weiland toppled his space with stagnant televisions, while Orley laid out persian rugs, mid-century furniture, and groovy greenery–proving that fashion, especially men’s, has no mold.
To see full Spring/Summer 2016 fashion week photos, visit or join Fashion GPS Radar now.
By Launchmetrics Content Team
The Launchmetrics content team is always on the lookout for new trends in the fashion and technology sector. We are geeks with style and lovers of good stories!
