Skylight at Moynihan Station is one of the new venues for NYFW
Another step in its evolution, New York Fashion Week is moving to two new Downtown Manhattan locations.
Starting with the spring/summer 2016 shows in September, the events will be held at Skylight at Moynihan Station in west Midtown and Skylight Clarkson Square in west SoHo. NYFW, produced by IMG, is going through changes focused on better serving the needs of the fashion industry and creating more of a cultural experience surrounding the runway shows.
Moving downtown
IMG consulted industry insiders, including designers, show producers, journalists and partners, before coming to its decision. The mayor’s office was instrumental in helping to secure the spaces.
Both of the new venues offer a high level of versatility, enabling designers to play with the way their shows are staged. Skylight at Moynihan Station is a converted post office, lending a historic touch to the occasions, and Skylight Clarkson Square features studios that are blank spaces.
Tweet from NYFW
The locations are also closer to other venues hosting runway shows during New York Fashion Week, allowing for easier transportation between shows.
In a statement, Mark Shapiro, chief content officer at IMG, said, “As IMG prepares to evolve New York Fashion Week, we are focused on creating the best possible experiences that extend beyond a physical location and moment in time. We’re looking forward to reintroducing the industry to a showcase of creative talent, style and innovation that made the New York runways famous.
“Part of this showcase involves staying close to inspirational hubs for fashion, art and music, and we’ve found great new homes for that in Skylight at Moynihan Station and Skylight Clarkson Square.”
New York Fashion Week is undergoing a lot of changes as it will no longer be hosted by Lincoln Center and Mercedes-Benz made an announcement that it will no longer be the title sponsor of the event.
Following the February shows, Mercedes-Benz will step down from its title sponsorship, but will remain a sponsor of the event and in September 2015, the shows will be moved out of Lincoln Center. Mercedes-Benz’s decisions to leave the lead sponsorship will likely affect the brand’s interaction with fashion and have some effects on fashion week (see story).
New social media accounts and a Web site have been created for the event's new identity without Mercedes-Benz, rebranding NYFW.