The Mercedes Benz Fashion Week—New York
(Reprint from Uomo Moda 2010 Summer)
A favorite pastime from ancient times has been the parade of costumes and dress. Now, in modern times, most major cities around the world feature some sort of fashion event. Simple, one-night fashion shows have been sprouting everywhere, even on college campuses where students parade down the catwalk to the beat of their favorite tunes.
Larger cities host events called fashion weeks—eight days of runway presentations from morning to night, showcasing the world’s most talented designers and models. One of the most notable fashion weeks is the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, which is held semi-annually in New York City.
Although New York retailers had attracted clients to their stores for decades with fashion parades, the first most recognizable fashion week in the Big Apple was “Press Week.” Fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert launched the event in 1943 to detract attention from Parisian parades during WWII by spotlighting US designers—to journalists only!
The event was an immediate success, drawing the attention of popular magazines like Vogue. In the aftermath, numerous fashion events mushroomed throughout the city in a wide variety of locations; but it was not until 1994 that New York Fashion Week, organized by IMG Fashion, was kicked off in the big “white tents” of Bryant Park at 42nd and Sixth Streets.
Although the tents have come down once and for all at Bryant Park, Uomo Moda enjoyed the honor to receive a VIP pass to the last edition in February. Starting in September, the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week will take place at the Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center. Long-term sponsor of the event, Mercedes Benz has confirmed sponsorship for another 3 years.
Photo 2010 Summer Edition Uomo Moda.
