Throughout the years, we have seen the dismemberment of “mysteriousness” that used to be the basis of Fashion Week,” a time where celebrities and people of riches at that of which we knew nothing about, could walk in rooms we would never see until the events of primp and spectacle were over. Now, we, as viewers, are in a new position where we get to see every waking moment of these illustrious events on a stage with every waking, working part on social media.
The popularity that once surrounded Fashion Week is long gone and has disappeared, given the fact that we see many new faces on the scene. New York Fashion Week (NYFW) was a time for our favorite celebrities to congregate and see alias designers whom we only saw through their elaborate designs, showcased as a tale of artistic endeavors that would later go on to shock the world. The story, however, has been rewritten, with viewers being able to get a virtual front seat to these past phenomenons.
Fashion week was once a place we outsiders were never able to set our eyes upon; a fairytale, a world some of us would never be able to step our feet into. Mainly because we lacked the “status” to do so. Now we can see constant glances into these rooms, from every possible angle simply because we have a bombarding amount of POVs. There is no longer a time for us to wonder what we’re missing out on when we can see every step that it took to get into this world
With influencers being a new introduction to this society, specifically at illustrious events such as the MET Gala and newly NYFW, there is a thinning line between ‘influencers’ and ‘celebrities.’ This is a time in the media where you don’t have to reach such heights to establish yourself in a world that was previously deemed unreachable. Influencers were seen at almost every major Fashion Week event that happened over the course of the week, however, we now must pose the question of whether they deserved to be there in the first place.
The question isn’t of talent or lack thereof, but rather do they understand the rooms that they’re in? Do they understand the designers? The pieces? Do their passions align with these events? Unfortunately, the answer is usually no. Brands who go out of their way to invite influencers into these spaces should be more focused on getting young and innovative creators into these rooms so it is, at the very least, worthwhile.
Combined with the newest craze of designers and companies alike would be pop-ups, where there is still some hope for people who don’t hold certain positions and have connections to that world to be given a peek inside.
As we look at the world of fashion, specifically on the outside, Fashion Week in other countries is where celebrities and socialites seem to be flocking now. Where couture and innovation seem to be the way of life. There is an astounding difference in the presentation than here in New York, for example, the latest collection of the always otherworldly designer Thom Browne where he took onlookers to the opera of glitz and glam.
These shows are also often less photographed, leaving room for the mystique, something that is missing from our own Fashion Week. Thus, there is a lack of exclusivity that used to be housed when NYFW came knocking.
