NYFW: The Shows Will No Longer Provide a Centralized Venue, Instead Shifting to Focus on Brand Partnerships and Collaborations
IMG has revealed significant adjustments to its management of New York Fashion Week. The production company announced a shift away from solely producing a centralized venue for NYFW: The Shows, opting instead to focus on fostering brand partnerships and creative collaborations between brands and designers. This strategic move aims to provide tailored support that meets the individual needs of designers throughout the year.
Through its in-house creative and production agency, Focus, IMG will continue to conceptualize and produce fashion shows, consumer experiences, tastemaker dinners, and events globally. While plans for hosting talks with designers and brands are still in development, IMG remains committed to delivering innovative solutions to meet the evolving demands of the fashion industry.
In December, IMG disclosed its departure from Spring Studios as the official hub of NYFW: The Shows and established a new central location at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea for the fall 2024 season in February. Additionally, IMG utilized NYFW Backstage at 21 Greene Street and NYFW: The Showrooms at High Line Nine, both produced by Focus.
Despite Spring Studios and, more recently, Starrett-Lehigh serving as the official venues, many designers, particularly major ones, continued to host shows across various locations in New York City. This decentralized approach, with shows held in Brooklyn, Chelsea, the Upper West Side, Roosevelt Island, Midtown, and the Upper East Side, posed logistical challenges for attendees attempting to navigate multiple events.
During the most recent February shows, Starrett-Lehigh accommodated 15 designers over five days, while other NYFW events took place in diverse venues throughout the city.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America manages the official New York Fashion Week schedule, featuring over 70 confirmed designers last February, alongside digital presentations and appointments.
Over the years, New York fashion shows have relocated multiple times, from Bryant Park tents to Lincoln Center, Skylight at Moynihan Station, Skylight Clarkson Square, Spring Studios, and now Starrett-Lehigh.
Traditionally, centralized locations served as hubs for runway shows, presentations, retail pop-ups, digital activations, and designer partnerships. Various spaces were available for women’s fashion shows and presentations.
IMG reiterated its commitment to supporting designers in realizing their creative visions and adapting to new ways of showcasing their collections. Since February 2020, IMG has invested over $20 million in American designers through initiatives such as the WME Fashion Alliance, NYFW’s Small Business Grant in collaboration with Empire State Development, and the Black in Fashion Council Showrooms, championing designers like Theophilio, Diotima, and House of Aama.
