(Images: Innovation Media LENY Global)

Meet Albania Rosario of Fashion Designers of Latin America

When Albania Rosario came to the United States at 18, she didn’t even speak English. Now she owns and organizes Fashion Designers of Latin America (previously Uptown Fashion Week), bringing Latin American designers to the world stage at New York Fashion Week. In addition to a range of talent from Latin America, the platform has attracted a plethora of talent, including designers such as Michael Costello and Marc Bouwer. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Albania uprooted and moved to the New York City in December of 2000 at 17 years old to pursue her academic career. After studying at CUNY–Hunter College, she decided to follow two passions: fashion and serving the community. “I want fashion to deliver and raise awareness of a message, not just be purses and dresses,” she says.

I want fashion to deliver and raise awareness

Rosario’s background in advertising marketing and communications has helped her cultivate relationships with her local communities, bringing sponsors to her organization like Delta Air Lines, Ford Motor Company, Hispanic Federation, Moët Hennessy USA, and others. Her entrepreneurial and professional skills landed her a position as the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce of Washington Heights New York in 2014. To reach out to her uptown New York community, she also taught Event Management at CUNY in the Heights in 2015. Most currently, Albania Rosario is the CEO of Uptown Management Incorporated, an event planning firm specializing in event production and branding strategies. She is also the founder of Uptown Fashion Week and creative director at Fashion Designers of Latin America fashion platform, that recognizes the outstanding contributions made to Latin America fashion by individuals from all areas of the industry and related arts. It’s now been 17 years since Rosario came from speaking no English to running a global fashion platform that has helped develop Latin American designers to their fullest potential. We had the opportunity to speak to Albania to find out what motives her, and what she sees for the future.

Albania Rosario: The Interview

Q: What were some of the challenges in becoming a fashion show producer? The greatest was building credibility in one of the most competitive industries in the world, especially in New York, where so many incredible shows take place. Q: What strategies helped — and still help — you achieve the high levels of success you’ve enjoyed? There are many, but one of the strategies I feel has definitely helped and still helps me to achieve success not only personally, but professionally is to bring diversity and culture to our shows. Our group is very talented, diverse, and multicultural, which continues to open doors to a bigger and wider audience around the world.

it has definitely helped to bring diversity and culture to our shows

Q: What is the ultimate goal of FDLA? To create a strong fashion platform around the world that recognizes the outstanding work and contributions made to Latin American fashion by not only established designers, but up-and-coming talent from the industry and related arts. I have had the chance to bring some of our FDLA designers to international shows in countries like South Korea and Eastern Europe, and we are heading to Dubai this coming October. Sooner than later we will have Fashion Designers of Latin America everywhere around the world.

we are soon heading to Dubai

Q: What’s the best or most fulfilling aspect of what you do? The biggest and most rewarding experience for me to see our designers bring their dreams to life. Most of these designers have always dreamed of having the opportunities to come to New York, the fashion capital of the world, to expand and market their brand outside of their country. It gives me a lot of joy to say that the possibilities are endless at FDLA.

Most of these designers have always dreamed of coming to New York

Q: What makes FDLA unique? We use our platform to bring a message, a message about opportunity, about equality. We look for inspiring stories behind each designer. We put our focus on the up-and-coming, in diversity, the multicultural, the arts. Q: Where do you want to go next? What’s the ultimate dream? FDLA London, FDLA Paris, FDLA New York, FDLA Milan, FDLA Hong Kong, FDLA Japan, etc. etc.

What to Look for This Season

This season’s Fashion Designers of America will take place September 13 – 15, 2017. Look for designers including: Agatha Ruiz de La Prada (Spain) Angie Polanco (Dominican Republic) Carlos Sierra (Venezuela) Carmen Camacho (Bolivia) Chacabanas Republic brand Francisco Saez (Spain) Isabel López (Colombia) Jorge Diep (Republica Dominicana) Jose Cristian Lagares (Dominican Republic) Jose Zafra ( Peru) Melina Nmili Lalla bee (Dominican Republic) Miriam Rodriguez (Venezuela) Nidal Noaihed (Venezuela) Robert Flores (Dominican Republic) Rosita Hurtado (Bolivia) Wendy Luzon (Dominican Republic) Sponsored by: Delta Air Lines Ford Motor Company Hispanic Federation Moët Hennessy USA With the support of: The New York City Council – Ydanis A. Rodriguez New York State Assembly | Carmen N. De La Rosa In collaboration with: Cosmeticos – Xanterîa Cosmêtica illy® Official Kettle Brand Milbon USA Marco Vogt ## Learn More uptownfashionweek.com NYFW schedule With love, FWO

Ones to Watch at NYFW

There are way too many amazing designers showing on the NYFW schedule to cover in the course of a single article. But thanks to our friends at Riviere Agency, we present a selection to keep your eyes on beginning September 7. Many of these, such as Leanne Marshall and Dan Liu, will be familiar faces. But thanks to NYFW: First Stage and a fresh influx of talent, there are plenty of designers worth seeing who may be making a debut appearance on your radar.

Leanne Marshall

At 18, Leanne won the Levi’s Dockers Scholarship, and in 2008 was selected as a contestant for Season 5 of Project Runway. Her ready-to-wear collection has been offered, by custom order, to both private clients and celebrities for the last 7 years, and the Leanne Marshall signature bridal line has been available since 2011. Her sophisticated designs are known for their light, flowing lines, feminine details and timeless elegance. Theme/Quote: “Green Wall Diamond Portal” A transportation to the Other Side of the Green Diamond Wall

Indonesian Diversity

This group show will bring together a number of amazing designers from Indonesia to Dream Downtown as part of NYFW: First Stage. 1. Dian Pelangi Theme: “Allurrealist” Inspiration: Dian Pelangi’s collection for New York Fashion Week is inspired by the diversity of the people of New York and the traffic in the city which is dynamic, dense, and active. 2. Vivi Zubedi Theme: “Makkah Madina Jannah” Inspiration: This collection tells a story of self-understanding as an individual who has balanced thinking about the journey of life now and later. 3. Melia Wijaya Theme: “Sawunggaling” Inspiration: As an effort to preserve one of the famous folklore (Sawunggaling) in Surabaya, Indonesia. Sawunggaling meaning Sawung (Rooster) and Galing (Peacock). The moral of this story is about the character of assertiveness, diverse forms; Creatures that are creative, full of energy, faithful, and spiritual. 4. Barli Asmara Theme: “Canities Subita” Inspiration: This collection utilizes a lot of white, the symbol of purity, and royalty. Also is heavily inspired by Middle Eastern architecture. 5. Catherine Njoo Theme: Legong Inspiration: Legong is a refined dance form characterized by intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and expressive gestures and facial expressions. Legong originated in the 19th century as royal entertainment. Legend has it that a prince of Sukawati fell ill and had a vivid dream in which two maidens danced to gamelan music. When he recovered, he arranged for such dances to be performed in reality. Girls from the age of five aspire to be selected to represent the community as Legong dancers. 6. Doris Dorothea Inspiration: The brand prides itself in the use of exotic skins and leather. Vibrant color will collide with exotic skin in beautifully crafted bags.

Galtiscopio

Ying Lau studied fashion design at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, and established the fashion label, INITIAL in 2000. The total revenue of the brand hit USD 100 million. In 2014, she joined GALTISCOPIO as a director and the creative director. Theme: “Time To Shine” Inspiration: Stylish new apparel fusing elements of bezel design with fashion. Independence, conviction, gentility, and sophistication are the main qualities. TIME TO SHINE!

Jarel Zhang

Born in Zhejiang and educated in London, Jarel Zhang received a master’s degree from Northumbria University. Jarel Zhang not only creates the brand, but has also developed a construction technique unique to the atelier.

Theme: Beauty in the chaos Inspiration: Jarel Zhang drew inspiration from the chaos, construction, and movement of the New York Streets. He found beauty in chaos and in structure.

Fashion Palette

This Australian Designer Group Show will be held at Pier 59, featuring several designers 1. Sabo Luxe The SS18 SABO LUXE collection has been inspired by the essence of a summer vacation; sultry dresses and sets under the stars with a cocktail in hand. The collection embodies dusky sunset hues and a flirty style that brings a summery aesthetic to the range. Ultra-feminine vibes are seen throughout the collection with the use of exclusive prints, ruffles and the details. Attention to detail makes all the different in the SS18 collection. 2. TORANNCE Our SS18 Collection was inspired by the bustling streets of Marrakesh, which is a favorite of Hemingway. The range celebrates opulence with gold embellishments and stunning blue and white hand painted prints,which are inspired by the French painter Jaceques Marjorelle and his beautiful use of Marjorelle Blue. 3. Haus of Song The collection is inspired by the clash of movement. Were masculine meets feminine, minimalism meets maximums. 4. Elliatt Elliatt’s New York Fashion Week collection Reign “strikes the perfect balance between wearability and innovative, fashion-forward detailing and fabrications.” The collection incorporates luxury fabrications such as structured multi colored and monochrome laces, delicate embroidered mesh, classic suiting, scattered lurex embroideries and textured drape fabrics. The pieces are focused on innovative detailing, such as specialty trims and hardware, clean lines and finishes. Volume and scale is explored in the collection through micro ruffles, full spliced tiers, and sleeve shapes. Wrap-over elements, updated cutouts and sleeve detailing also features throughout the range. A strong feminine undercurrent ties the capsule together and is an exploration of strong female archetypes through history with a special focus on queens. 5. Flare Street This collection was heavily influenced by pop art icon Peter Max, and The Cosmic 60s artwork he produced, particularly references to the Universe in his psychedelic artwork. Using cosmic and lunar motifs to create a celestial narrative, two distinctive colour palettes express contrasting ideas; a story of the light, playful cosmic heavens, and the rich, brooding midnight. Australian artists Harley and J and Shell Shimmin contributed specially commissioned pieces for this collection exploring the contrasting moods and magical possibilities of the universe. 6. Ashlee Lauren The SS17 Zenith Collection represents the concrete jungle in its enormity and vibrance. Taking meaning from “the time at which something is most powerful,” it aims to embrace the strength and femininity of women, turn heads and release the creative and untamed version of herself. While being fearless and bold, the designs will still have an underlying softness and provoke excitement, power and a spark that we all have inside us.

Dan Liu

Award-winning Canadian designer Dan Liu is no stranger to New York Fashion Week, regularly showcasing his groundbreaking designs on the February and September runways. He draws his inspirations from his Chinese and Japanese heritage. His debut knitwear collection was so unique that numerous Hollywood celebrities frequented his first Yorkville store in Toronto. This year, his show will be at Skylight Clarkson Square. Theme: The Lonely Beach Feeling Inspiration: “People say, ‘Smell the Sea, Feel the Breeze, Hear the Ocean, Be at Ease.’ Which is true, and I love the way how people feel about beaches and sea breeze, but to me, it’s a lot more than that. To me, it is okay to be sad in life, it’s okay to be hurt in love, and it’s fine only the ocean is there to be with me … because to me, ‘feeling’ is much more important than other senses that we have. “Yes, our eyes can see and ears can hear, but I’d rather ‘feel’ because by feeling, even though I’m all alone and sad in the beach, I know the sun will eventually warm me up, the sand will comfortably soap my feet, and certainly, see breeze will give me a hug inside out. No one wants to be sad and lonely … and no one loves failure … but this is the only way we can live our lives completely and feel alive when we search our feelings with our soul.” – Dan Liu ## Learn More To find out when these shows are happening, see the official NYFW schedule. With love, FWO

The Shop @ NYFW: The Shows

What’s fashion — much less fashion week — without shopping? Now you can shop for a good cause, thanks to IMG’s NYFW: The Shows. Yes, The Shop @ NYFW: The Shows is back! This retail pop-up shop is open to the public from 12 – 5PM Friday until Sunday. NYFW: The Shows has partnered with WME|IMG’s philanthropic partner UNICEF USA to integrate a socially conscious t-shirt bar featuring designs from eight prominent designers, including: Prabal Gurung Alice + Olivia Adam Selman Naeem Khan Bibhu Mohapatra Cynthia Rowley Marchesa Anna Sui   NYFW: The Shirts [portfolio_slideshow id=35541 align=center width=699 click=advance thumbnailsize=40 showtitles=true]   T-shirts are exclusively for sale at The Shop, selling for $48 each. 50% of purchase price will be donated to UNICEF USA, in support of the organization’s global education work.

50% of purchase price will be donated to UNICEF USA

As part of the partnership, they will be introducing the #ModelCitizen campaign encouraging everyone to help make the world a better place for children this Fashion Week. Prabal Gurung’s t-shirt is the official “UNICEF” t-shirt, bearing the campaign name (Model Citizen) across the front. Where: 859 Washington St. New York, NY 10014 Hours of Operation: Friday, September 8 – Sunday, September 10 12PM – 5PM ## Learn More NYFW Schedule With love, FWO

Kia STYLE360 Expands NYFW Influence

Led by fashion icons such as Anna Wintour, celebrity and fashion culture have become a merged commodity in recent years. The union has brought a new level of visibility to fashion, but it’s also proven a powerful marketplace for entertainment icons to spread their brands, engage with followers, and create a business that’s stable and sustainable.

Led by David Manning, A-List Communications has been at the forefront of how these celebrities present their collections to the general public for some time. After all, this marks the thirteenth consecutive year A-List has participated in New York Fashion Week events, and the third year of the company’s partnership with Kia Motors, the title sponsor of the Kia STYLE360 experience. This year’s schedule will be held September 11 – 13, and will include a veritable who’s who among the fashion, design, and entertainment industries, from Eva Longoria and Kristin Cavallari to Andy Hilfiger, to name just a few. We spoke to David Manning about their upcoming NYFW season.

Interview with David Manning

Q: How has Kia STYLE360 grown over the years?

Each year we continue to build our credibility and expertise in the fashion community, which allows us to attract a growing audience of fashion influencers and fans wanting to attend Kia STYLE360 — and, more importantly, designers who want to show with Kia STYLE360. Early on, our show sizes were about 200 guests and we did about 4 or 5 shows. We’re now doing over 9 shows, each with attendance double that number.

We’re now doing over 9 shows with attendance double that number.

We also could easily extend the number of days we show, which likely will be the plan in 2018. Q: Why has STYLE360 chosen to partner with the celebrity names it has so far? We’re finding more and more celebrity brands growing in influence, and the more easy path for them is push their sales and messaging online and across social media.

more and more celebrity brands are growing in influence

At Kia STYLE360, we’re pushing to find ones who want to take an extra leap and put the clothes and brand on the actual runway and big stage of NYFW, and explore this dynamic. Brands this year like Eva Longoria collection and Bad Butterfly with Vanessa Simmons and Candice Cuoco are debuting on the runway, so we’re thrilled … as we have been for debuting runway shows from many other celeb designers like Serena Williams, Avril Lavigne, Daisy Fuentes, etc. Q: What can people expect from Kia STYLE360’s shows this year? Kia is showcasing their new 2018 Kia Stinger sports car which is their fastest production car to date, and I think that echoes the spirit of what Kia STYLE360 is doing this year.

Kia is showcasing their new 2018 Kia Stinger sports car, which is their fastest production car to date

We have a more aggressive schedule of fashion shows, presentations, and cocktail parties. That’s really going to lift the tempo of fashion week and it really creates more of a party atmosphere for September, including a few live performances by some cool musical acts. As always, we’re going to have a bold mix of celebrity guests, fashion industry elite, and access for fashion fans. Sponsors like Chapstick, Deep Eddy Vodka, Essentia Water, and Day Owl Rosé are going to have fun activations for guests arriving to the shows.

More About the Events

In addition to hosting the event space, this year Kia will showcase their own design prowess through an up-close look at the all-new 2018 Kia Stinger, a head-turning fastback sports sedan penned by automotive industry icon Peter Schreyer. As a modern interpretation of a Gran Turismo, the Kia Stinger was honed on Germany’s legendary Nürburgring circuit, and promises to be the highest-performing production vehicle in company history. The Kia Stinger will be offered with multiple engine and drivetrain configurations when it goes on sale in the U.S. later this year. “Much like the designer collections debuting next month on the Kia STYLE360 runway, the Kia Stinger is all about passion, style, craftsmanship and attention to detail,” said Saad Chehab, vice president of marketing communications, Kia Motors America. “New York Fashion Week is the nultimate design event and with the worlds of automotive and fashion being so closely linked, it is the perfect place for Kia to showcase our most inspired design yet.”

the Kia Stinger is all about passion, style, craftsmanship and attention to detail

Kia’s passion for design and obsession with craftsmanship is also embodied in this September’s line-up of fashion shows and festivities for Kia STYLE360. In addition to Kia, ChapStick®, the experts in lip care, has also renewed sponsorship to present the expansion of the ChapStick® Total Hydration Moisture + Tint Collection, which now features four new shades – Hello Bordeaux, House Red, Pink Nude and Flaunt It Fuchsia. In celebration of the expanding Moisture + Tint collection, ChapStick® will step in as the official cosmetics partner and utilize Fashion Week lead makeup stylist, James Vincent, to prep the models’ lips for the runway throughout the week. Fashion show guests will also be invited to stop by the ChapStick® lounge where they’ll be able to try out new ChapStick® Total Hydration Moisture + Tint shades, create a custom GIF and charge their mobile devices. Other renewing sponsors generously supporting the September 2017 season include Not Your Mother’s® hair care, who will style all fashion shows by lead hair stylist Michele Carrillo and her NYM branded professional-stylist team. California award-winning wine producer, Line 39 Wines by O’Neill Vintners and Distillers returns as well and will pour its fine selections of varietal wines and new Day Owl Rosé across all Kia STYLE360 fashion events and parties. Pressed with minimal skin contact, Day Owl is a light and bright Barbera Rosé, featuring juicy fruit flavor thanks to cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Fruit is sourced from select vineyards in Madera County, the Central Coast, and Paso Robles. The official hotel partner for the third consecutive year is Row NYC, conveniently located near the Kia STYLE360 fashion pavilion at 700 Eighth Avenue. The art-driven, New York-centric hotel will provide its elegant brand of hospitality and accommodations to celebrity and VIP guests. New York City hotspot and fashion model sanctuary Bagatelle NYC, one of New York’s trendiest restaurants, will again serve as official restaurant partner hosting Kia STYLE360’s evening fashion parties. Welcomed new sponsors to the program this September include Essentia Water who will keep guests hydrated and refreshed at all events. Essentia’s proprietary ionization process creates a supercharged ionized alkaline water that has scientifically shown to be more effective at rehydrating and its beautifully designed PET bottle that is BPA (bisphenol A) and phthalate free will be collected for recycling after each event. Also a new sponsor this year, Deep Eddy Vodka will be hosting its delicious handcrafted spirits across all Kia STYLE360 age 21+ events. Born in Austin, Deep Eddy Vodkas are column-distilled 10 times using corn, the finest Texas water and real, all natural fruit juices and essential oils. Nothing but smooth, clean vodka reaches the bottle to deliver an award winning taste. “Each year, I have the daunting task of trying to outdo last year’s fashion events and this year, I think we’ve done it with an exciting lineup of high profile designers and bold corporate brand partners coming together to make this season one of our best ever,” states Executive Producer & Owner, David Manning, A-List Communications. All fashion shows will again be staged at the two-level Metropolitan West located at 639 West 46th Street with special integrations including live streaming of shows, 360 degree virtual reality broadcasts, and Facebook live streams along with its usual parade of celebrity guests and musical performances to be announced closer to fashion week. For more information on this season’s designers, to get inside access, view runway trends, special promotional offers, and watch behind the scenes celebrity interviews as well as live streaming from the runway, please visit /. ## Learn More style360nyfw.com KIA Motors NYFW schedule With love, FWO

Art of the In-Between Closes Sept. 4

If you’ve ever wanted the rare opportunity to see some of Rei Kawakubo’s sartorial works of art up close you’ve been formally reminded: Labor Day Weekend is your last chance. If you’re anything like us, we know you’re busy prepping for New York Fashion Week, but few people can argue the importance of Rei Kawakubo in the international fashion landscape (or indeed, in fashion history). Her way of looking at things is decidedly deconstructionist, looking at the space between forms: rather like the Buddhistic concept of śūnyatā, or the emptiness at the center of being; or the Humean idea that identity, itself, is not codified or certain.

Her way of looking at things is decidedly deconstructionist

The exhibition, which features around 140 examples of Kawakubo’s womenswear designs, is an exciting chance to learn more about her destruction of the binary, as she unravels our ideas of both fashion and identity.

she deconstructs our ideas of both fashion and identity

But hurry, Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between, closes on Monday, September 4. More from The Met: The exhibition examines Kawakubo’s fascination with interstitiality, or the space between boundaries. In Kawakubo’s work, this in-between space is revealed as an aesthetic sensibility, establishing an unsettling zone of visual ambiguity that challenges conventional notions of beauty, good taste, and fashionability. A thematic exhibition, rather than a traditional retrospective, this is The Costume Institute’s first monographic show on a living designer since the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition in 1983.

The exhibition examines Kawakubo’s fascination with the space between boundaries

On Friday, September 1, MetFridays: In-Between Fashion will feature a fashion design contest showcasing the work of graduate and undergraduate student designers directly inspired by the exhibition. A panel discussion with Greg Foley, Shelley Fox, and Phil Oh, moderated by Andrew Bevan, will focus on street style as a global phenomenon. Visitors can also participate in drop-in art-making activities, and the popular fashion illustrator Holly Nichols will be drawing on-site. There will also be a dance party with music by DJ Reborn in the American Wing Café. This MetFridays event takes place at The Met Fifth Avenue from 5 to 9 p.m. and is free with Museum admission. The Costume Institute gives thanks to Apple, Condé Nast, Farfetch, H&M, Maison Valentino, and Warner Bros. for their support of the exhibition and benefit. The exhibition is featured on the Museum’s website, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter via #MetKawakubo and #CostumeInstitute. ## Learn More Learn more NYFW Schedule With love, FWO

Live Streams for September 2017 NYFW

Here at FWO, we like to think of ourselves as just a small player in a grand tradition of speculation as to which NYFW shows will live stream. Indeed, that was FWO’s primary mission back when we started in 2012. So we know finding out which shows will live stream can be a daunting prospect, at best. But every season we do our best to comb through web pages for NYFW, London, Milan, and Paris, looking for live stream information. (Other streams, such as for Milan and London, thankfully, are sent to us.)

that was FWO’s primary mission when we started in 2012

When we can’t find information, we triangulate from past data, plus use a divination rod in conjunction with some solstice-tracking work, creating an astrological-type chart that looks something like this: See? No big deal. Based on this handy-dandy chart, co-created with Druids, we speculate that most IMG shows held at Skylight Clarkson will stream. So we’ve marked these shows in green on the NYFW schedule. However, we’ll continue to update as we get closer to New York Fashion Week. Until then, enjoy, and we’ll see you at NYFW! ## (Main photo: @themamaland) Learn More NYFW Live Stream Schedule With love, FWO

NYFW: First Stage Brings International Talent to NYFW

NYFW is a funny thing. Unlike the other Big 4 fashion capitals, New York attracts plenty of young and international talent. (This is true of London, as well, but to a smaller scale.) No matter how you look at it, NYFW is filled with what is often referred to as “emerging talent.” (Even if they’ve already “emerged” back home.) NYFW: First Stage is a new creation from IMG, the creator of NYFW: The Shows and the force behind MADE. According to the website, New York Fashion Week: First Stage was created as a platform to give global designers the opportunity to show at New York Fashion Week, “whether they are debuting in the U.S. for the first time or looking to make new global connections and further their presence in this market.

New York Fashion Week: First Stage was created as an opportunity to show at New York Fashion Week

As of this article’s writing, designers slated to showcase at NYFW: First Stage include Bella Ivory, Charlotte Seen, Cindy Monteiro, David Ferreira, Galtiscopio, Indonesian Fashion Hub, Irina Vitjaz, Just In Case, Kur Collection, Nina Tiari, Sechs Element, Talisha White, and Vaishali S. You can see bios for all of these designers, as well as when they will be showing, here. (We’ve also listed them on the NYFW schedule, where the PR companies or designers have sent them to us.) Most shows will be held at the Dream Downtown. But check the full schedule at IMG to be sure. ## (Main image: design by Dian Pelangi, who will be showing as part of the Indonesian Group Show on Sept. 7 at noon.) Learn More nyfwfirststage.com NYFW schedule With love, FWO

And So Does Fashion Month

It’s coming in less than four weeks (whzuh??), beginning with New York Fashion Week: yep, it’s fashion month. We’ve got some special stuff in store this season: the usual live streams, but also some live reporting from New York and Paris on our Instagram, @fashionweekonline. Don’t have a press pass for New York? Have no fear. There are a number of open-to-the-public opportunities. And have you checked out NYFW: The Experience, yet? (And no, they aren’t paying us to say that. We just think it’s cool.) Either way, you may consider the live streams your personal press pass: and best of all, you can watch them at work. (Hey, we don’t judge.) (Now we’re just waiting for this whole VR thing to take off, so we can bring it to you virtual.) But one thing at a time. Take a look at the NYFW schedule, then get set for London, Milan, and Paris. See you soon. ## With love, FWO

Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez in Conversation at the Next Atelier with Alina Cho

The Atelier with Alina Cho has featured fashion visionaries such as Alber Elbaz, Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Kors, Olivier Rousteing, Donatella Versace, Alexander Wang, and Anna Wintour in conversations that explore the intersection of fashion and art along with a range of personal topics. The next Atelier with Alina Cho will feature designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, on Thursday, October 12, at 7:00 p.m. at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Jack and Lazaro rocked the fashion boat in July with their journey across the Atlantic to show their Spring/Summer 2018 ready-to-wear collection during the Fall/Winter 2017 haute couture shows in Paris. Pioneers of style and craft since they launched their brand 15 years ago, the fathers of the 10-year-old perennial “It Bag” known as PS1, will chat with journalist Alina Cho about why they showed in Paris, how they manage their personal and professional relationship, and what inspires their collections.

the fathers of the 10-year-old perennial “It Bag” known as PS1

This series is made possible by the Doris & Stanley Tananbaum Foundation in memory of Doris Tananbaum. Proenza Schouler is a New York-based womenswear and accessories brand founded in 2002 by designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez while they were students at Parsons School of Design. Known for drawing inspiration from contemporary art and youth culture, Proenza Schouler has played an important role in reinvigorating American fashion.

Proenza Schouler has played an important role in reinvigorating American fashion

Named after the designers’ mothers, using their maiden names, Proenza Schouler won the inaugural CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Award and has won five CFDA awards including Womenswear Designer of the Year and Accessory Designer of the Year. The brand has six freestanding stores, the first of which opened in New York City in 2012, and is sold in more than 350 stores worldwide. Alina Cho is currently Editor-at-Large at Ballantine Bantam Dell, responsible for acquiring and co-editing books in the fashion and lifestyle categories. She was previously National Correspondent at CNN and host of Fashion: Backstage Pass. Tickets start at $40. Premium seating is available. For tickets and information, go here or call 212-570-3949. ## Learn More Buy Tickets With love, FWO

New York Fashion Week Spring 2018

Well, here we are again: another August. And in the fashion continuum, that can mean only one thing: New York Fashion Week is right around the corner. And hot on its heels, the rest of fashion month. Our NYFW schedule (which we’ve been compiling since 2011 or so), is full of the usual suspects: from salon-presentation favorites like Novis and Carmen Marc Valvo (who was also a reader favorite six seasons back), to big-name designers like Tom Ford and Oscar de la Renta. As usual, we’re looking forward to previewing a bunch (to use the technical term) of designers’ new collections, from PH5 to Lela Rose to Sies Marjan to Taoray Wang: really just way too many to include here. Although IMG hasn’t yet released their schedule, one of the more interesting offerings from them this season is NYFW: The Experience: an opportunity to attend a show, go behind-the-scenes, and learn about fashion week.

one of the more interesting offerings from them this season is NYFW: The Experience

When we started this whole Fashion Week Online thing (some of our die-hard readers may remember us as Live Runway, or Fashion Week Dates, or New York Fashion Week Live), it was because we saw something that probably only a fashion outsider could: namely, that fashion week was exciting. In the beginning, we’d never been to a fashion show, and we had a lot of questions about New York Fashion Week.

we saw that fashion week was exciting

Burning questions such as: “When is it?” “What is it?” “Why are shows in February called ‘Fall / Winter,’ and in September called ‘Spring / Summer?'” How did people even know when fashion week was happening to begin with, who was showing, and (of course) how did one get to attend? There was no centralized place to find out exactly what this fashion week stuff was all about. We thought it might be nifty to find the answers to these questions, and put them all in one place. And then there were the live streams: those fabled digital catwalks first begun by London Fashion Week, then New York Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, and some scattered Paris Fashion Week designers and houses. We thought it might be nice to track these down, make a list, and even host these for everyone (whenever we could actually find the embeds, that is). Back then the landscape included sites like CatwalkLive.tv, who had similar ideas, but gave up after becoming (understandably) disillusioned by the sheer exhaustion of tracking it all down.

We thought it might be nice to track the live streams down

Well, that was six years ago now. In that time, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has become NYFW: The Shows, the CFDA bought a business from Ruth Finley, and we’ve seen designers come, go, and remain. And we’ve continued to help regular, non-industry people (many of whom will become the industry of tomorrow) find out what fashion week is, let them watch it live, see replays, and generally feel like they’re a part of the excitement. Fashion is always changing, and fashion week is always changing, too. Perhaps the only constant is the usual sensationalistic headlines saying that fashion week is dead, almost dead, dying, in trouble, will soon explode in a ball of fire, be eaten by piranhas, etc. Some notables throughout the years have included: • “Have catwalk shows reached the end of the runway?” (2010) (apparently they hadn’t) • “Is New York Fashion Week Near the End of the Runway?” (2013) (we guess not) • “IS THIS THE END OF FASHION WEEK AS WE KNOW IT?” (2016) (maybe) • “Why Can’t New York Fashion Week Find Another Automotive Sponsor?” (2015) (IMG did) • “Big-name designers are ditching New York Fashion Week” (2017) (they aren’t) • “The Glamorous Past, Troubled Present, and Uncertain Future of NYFW” (2015) (if you say so) … you get the idea. Just as good news can’t be counted on for clicks, or good behavior for fame, fear is a powerful motivator for those willing to exploit it for gain. (For proof of that, look no further than the latest presidential election.)

fear is a powerful motivator for those willing to exploit it for attention

The funny thing is, in spite of all the headlines, from where we sit, interest in fashion week has never been greater. Anna Wintour once said — maybe it was in The Editor’s Eye (and here paraphrasing), if people aren’t canceling their subscriptions, you’re doing something wrong. In every industry, it’s a bad time for snobs, autocrats, and control freaks, and a good one for anyone willing to include and empower others, or rethink the way things have been done. Especially given the realization that the more eyes there are on an industry (especially one like fashion), the better it is for that industry. Would we rather have 10,000 pairs of eyes on designers, or 1 million? It seems like simple math.

the more eyes are on fashion, the better it is for fashion

Fashion is built on change. It’s the “out with the old, in with the new.” And as we’ve seen in the Instagram generation’s veneration of ageless style icons such as Iris Apfel (or Diana Vreeland in her Studio 54 years), “out” is never about chronological age: it’s about stubborn resistance to new ideas. As H.G. Wells said: “Adapt or perish is nature’s inexorable imperative.” Or as another writer once said: “The times they are a-changin’.” See you on September 6. ## Learn More NYFW schedule With love, FWO