New York Fashion Week is going virtual for the second time during the coronavirus pandemic, which gives the public more opportunity than ever to participate in the week’s events.
The fall 2021 season will be similar to last fashion week, as most designers and brands will showcase their collections in digital formats such as livestreams, look books, videos or presentations that will be available to view through the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s digital platform, Runway360, or IMG’s NYFW.com.
Jason Wu and Rebecca Minkoff are again hosting live shows for their fall 2021 collections, with Wu putting on a socially distanced runway show and Minkoff hosting a presentation at the Spring Studios Terrace. Both events will be livestreamed.
Read More: Everything to Know About New York Fashion Week Fall 2021
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Other than fashion shows, IMG is returning with its NYFW:BTS series of virtual talks and panels running from Feb. 14 to 18.
Here, WWD breaks down all the virtual fashion shows and panels to check out during New York Fashion Week fall 2021.
Fashion Shows
Most fashion designers and brands are showing their fall 2021 collections in digital formats, like livestreams, look books or other presentations. Each designer will present during their 30-minute time slot on the CFDA’s American Collections Calendar, which will be showcased on the CFDA’s digital platform, Runway360. The shows and presentations will also be available to view on NYFW.com.
Runway360 debuted last fashion week as a way for brands and designers to show their collections in different digital formats. The platform supports AR/VR, 360-degree capabilities, livestreams, e-commerce extensions, shopping features and social media integration.
The fashion designers and brands who will be presenting their fall 2021 collections digitally are Veronica Beard, Alice + Olivia, Markarian, Tadashi Shoji, Badgley Mischka, Anna Sui, Monse, Adeam, Victor Glemaud, Rodarte, Tanya Taylor, Anne Klein, Dennis Basso, Cinq à Sept, Jonathan Simkhai, Bibhu Mohapatra, Nicole Miller, Rebecca Minkoff and Christian Cowan, among others.
Jason Wu
Jason Wu will be kicking off New York Fashion Week on Feb. 14 at 5 p.m. with an in-person, socially distanced fashion show. For his fall 2021 show, Wu is creating Mr. Wu’s General Store in an empty storefront at 666 Broadway based on a 1950s-era utopian farmer’s market general store. The fashion show will be presented to a socially distanced audience of 20 to 25 people. The show will be livestreamed exclusively on NYFW.com.
Rebecca Minkoff
Rebecca Minkoff will also be showing her upcoming collection in-person at a socially distanced presentation held at the Spring Studios Terrace on Feb. 16 from 12:30 to 2:30. Minkoff is furthering her brand’s presence in digital innovations by using XR — or extended reality — technology in partnership with Verizon Media’s 5G content studio, Yahoo Ryot Lab.
Viewers can access the 360-degree fashion show through their mobile phones on Feb. 17 on yahoo.com. Minkoff will also be livestreaming the show on the brand’s Instagram and TikTok accounts, and a video will be posted on NYFW.com on Feb. 18.
Black Design Collective
The Black Design Collective is teaming with the CFDA to showcase the work of U.S.-based Black designers on Runway360. Designers participating include Byron Lars, TJ Walker, Carl Jones, Epperson, Kevan Hall, Marrisa Wilson NY, Okera Banks of OTG Essentials, Asia Hall of Neon Cowboys, Geoffrey D. Starks Jr. of Geoff Duran, Aaron Potts of Apotts Collection and Datari Austin.
IMG NYFW:BTS
IMG is hosting its NYFW:BTS series this fashion week, offering virtual panels and discussions throughout the week.
The series is starting on Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. with a panel discussion with fashion designers Alexandra O’Neill of Markarian and Sergio Hudson, who both created custom looks for last month’s presidential inauguration. O’Neill created a blue, Swarovski crystal detailed look for First Lady Jill Biden and Hudson outfitted former First Lady Michelle Obama during the day’s ceremony and Vice President Kamala Harris for the night’s celebration.
Later in the day, the first of three beauty panels will be hosted at 11 a.m. with Jason Wu and makeup artist Karan Franjola for Jason Wu Beauty. The other sessions will take place on Feb. 17 at 4:30 p.m. with makeup artist Jezz Hill for Tood Beauty Cosmetics and Feb. 18 with Ulla Johnson and makeup artist Romy Soleimani for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics.
The series will also include discussions with several fashion designers, including Radarte x Virgil Normal on Feb. 16 at 12 p.m., Prabal Gurung on Feb. 17 at 11:30 a.m., Proenza Schouler on Feb. 18 at 11:30 a.m. and LaQuan Smith on Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.
On Feb. 16 at 5 p.m., the series will host its “Art and Style on the World Stage” discussion with artist Kehinde Wiley and on Feb. 18 at 5 p.m. IMG will host it’s “The Beauty of Inclusivity” discussion with Allure fashion director Rajni Jacques, Oui the People founder Karen Young and design, model and activist Mariama Diallo. The Black in Fashion Council will also be hosting a town hall on Feb. 17 at 5 p.m.
The series introduces the “Well Suited” podcast hosted by Harper’s Bazaar digital director Nikki Ogunnaike and her sister, journalist Lola Ogunnaike. The podcast includes interviews with playwright Jeremy O’Harris, author and Phenomenal Woman founder Meena Harris, actor Cynthia Erivo and chess champion and comedian Elsa Majimbo.
Harlem’s Fashion Row Digital Fashion Summit
Harlem’s Fashion Row will be hosting its third Digital Summit on Feb. 18. The summit will honor Black History Month with the theme “Moving Beyond the Black Box, A New Conversation About Race.”
The summit will include a keynote address by CFDA chairman Tom Ford and include panelists such as Tommy Hilfiger, Harper’s Bazaar editor in chief Samira Nasr, fashion designer Sergio Hudson, The Cut editor in chief Lindsay Peoples Wagner and author Teri Agins, among others.
Registration for the day-long summit is available on the Harlem’s Fashion Row web site.
TikTok Fashion Month
TikTok is hosting its second TikTok Fashion Month this season. The social media platform is teaming with IMG Fashion, which will provide editorial content to the TikTok community through the accounts @FashionWeek, @NYFW and @MADE. TikTok users will be able to see live fashion shows and previously recorded videos through the accounts.
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