New York Fashion Week starts with millennials in mind

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New York City becomes the world's fashion hub for a week starting Thursday, as top designers do battle for the hearts and minds of millennials in a whirlwind of social media, models and celebrities.

US designer Tom Ford – returning from a stint in Paris – will open the New York Spring/Summer Fashion Week extravaganza on Wednesday evening.

Among the most hotly anticipated collections is Raf Simons' second line for Calvin Klein, which follows an avant-garde show designed along with American artist Sterling Ruby last February.

Considered one of the most talented designers of his generation, the 49-year-old Belgian joined Calvin Klein from Dior in 2016, embarking on a mission to overhaul the iconic New York brand, redesigning its logo and transforming its Madison Avenue flagship store.

Interior view of the recently refurbished Calvin Klein Store, complete with a floor-to-ceiling installation by Sterling Ruby and the debut of Raf Simons Fall 2017 collection on Madison Avenue in New York, taken on September 1, 2017. /AFP Photo

Simons will be rubbing shoulders with some of the big names of American fashion, from Ralph Lauren to Marc Jacobs, as well as newcomers Matthew Adams Dolan and Snow Xue Ga.

But New York Fashion Week is still smarting from the loss of a string of designers who have taken their collections to Paris or Los Angeles. Among the departures are Proenza Schouler and Joseph Altuzarra, who joined the likes of Tommy Hilfiger and Rodarte in leaving New York.

"When a big name like Altuzarra announces he is leaving, it weakens New York as a creative hub a little more each time," said Rene Celestin, founder of fashion show production group Obo.

He believes that while the fraught US political climate "does not help," there are many reasons behind New York's waning popularity - none of which can be easily solved.

'Natural cycle'

Imran Amed, founder and editor-in-chief of London-based website Business of Fashion, has watched fellow fashion capitals London and Milan bounce back from their own low spells as part of what he calls a natural cycle.

"I don't necessarily see it as part of a negative trend in New York. I just think it is a time of change," Amed said. The fashion sector is being shaken up by new technology, changing customer behavior and an ever evolving fashion cycle.

"All of the executives are focused on something we are calling the generation gap, which is the millennial and new consumers which are going to account for about 45 percent of the luxury goods industry by 2025."

These younger generations, he says, expect a different kind of relationship with the brands they engage with, he added - a trend evident in the recent collaboration between Coach and singer Selena Gomez, or Burberry's campaign featuring Chinese pop star Kris Wu.

Chinese actor and singer Kris Wu arrives for the Burberry catwalk show at London Fashion Week in London, Britain, February 20, 2017. /Photo via Chinadaily.com.cn

In another trend to watch in New York is how more and more designers are embracing plus-size models, perhaps the most famous of whom – size 16 Ashley Graham – hit the catwalk for Michael Kors in February.

Graham, a star in her own right with five million Instagram followers, will be in the New York spotlight both on the podiums and as a guest at several galas, including the Fashion Media Awards, where reality star turned model Kendall Jenner is to be named "fashion icon of the decade".

This file photo taken on July 05, 2017 shows US model Kendall Jenner presenting a creation for Fendi during the 2017-2018 fall/winter Haute Couture collection in Paris on July 5, 2017. /AFP Photo

Critics have suggested the 21-year-old half-sister of Kim Kardashian is undeserving of the accolade, but there is little doubt that she can generate that all-important social media buzz.

Also expected to cause a stir is Rihanna, whose Fenty collection, in collaboration with Puma, will be showcased on Sunday.

And Jenner's brother-in-law Kanye West will no doubt spark a reaction with his sixth collection for his fashion brand Yeezy, a show which has so far been shrouded in mystery.

11000km

Source(s): AFP