New York fashion week, the epitome of glitz and glamour, is a semi-annual event where designers show their clothing lines for the upcoming season. They present their lines through innovative and elaborate fashion shows that span throughout the entire week to allow as many different shows to as possible be viewed.
While there are many different venues for fashion week across the world, New York’s rank at the top of the list; due to its huge number of shows and its position as a fashion capital in its own right. These reasons also explain why New York is a prime location to start a new trend that is slowly but surely sweeping fashion weeks around the globe.
In years past, fashion week seemed dominated by exclusivity. Only the famous and elite were allowed to watch these shows, making it nearly impossible for the general public to ever see most of the looks on display. The masses relied mostly on print media for reviews and maybe a few pictures. The only problem was that with the multitude of shows, many were not given the coverage the designers would have liked. After a many seasons of obscurity, some of these designers took it upon themselves to change the way their shows were portrayed to the populace.
Like most industries, the fashion world is also expanding to the worldwide web.
Several designers decided to remove the shroud of secrecy and exclusivity around fashion week and broadcast their new 2010 spring collections to the world. Designers such as Vivienne Tam, who are not in the forefront of the public view, were among the first to live stream their lines using small fashion Web sites such as Stylecaster.com.
The more popular American designer, Michael Kors, who is commonly known as a judge on the hit series Project Runway, allowed the public into his star studded show via his own web site. This site allows the video to be shown after the live airing continues.
Not to be outdone by her fellow designers the ever over the top and self proclaimed “Queen of Fabulosity,” Kimora Lee Simons decided to stream her show on an even larger scale. She had her Radio City Music Hall Baby Phat show streamed live on Time Square screens. After this phenomenon of live streaming runways shows, other head honchos of the fashion world are also taking heed of this new found medium.
World renowned clothing designer, Alexander McQueen recently shocked many of his fans when he “tweeted” that he will live stream his show during Paris fashion week this October.
One may ask why designers want to broadcast these once guarded events, but the answer is quite clear. In our ever evolving society, the way people receive their media is completely different than in years before. In the thirties and forties, President Franklin D. Roosevelt communicated through radio with his “fireside chats” and today one can go on YouTube to hear any of President Obama’s speeches. The fashion world is also evolving and making steps to push itself into modern media. Style is no longer only on the cover of magazines and on the backs of celebrities, now the true essence of fashion can be seen on a local computer.
