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Although New Yorkers have a love-and-hate relationship with New York Fashion Week (NYFW), the official return of in-person shows after almost two years of virtual ones is a welcome one, a signal pointing towards the comeback of semi-normalcy.
The spring 2022 shows will kick off on September 8, culminating in the already-announced Met gala celebration on September 13 (this year's theme will be "In America: A lexicon of Fashion"), hosted by Timothée Chamalet, Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman and Naomi Osaka.
"This season’s shows are an opportunity to reaffirm the resilience and independence of American fashion and New York City as a global fashion force," writes Council of Fashion Designers of America chairman Tom Ford in an official letter announcing the news. "I started my career on Seventh Avenue and while I spent most of my working life in Europe, I am incredibly proud to be an American designer and a part of our community and New York Fashion Week."
This year, the programming, dubbed NYFW: The Shows, is organized by IMG and sponsored by Afterpay. Although a slew of brands will be showcasing their designs throughout the week, a total of 11 fashion houses have formed the Fashion Alliance, pledging to present their collection for three consecutive seasons, starting from this one. The brands include Altuzarra, Brandon Maxwell, Jason Wu, LaQuan Smith, Markarian, Monse, Prabal Gurung, Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, Sergio Hudson and Telfar.
Other style icons scheduled to show their collections include Thom Browne and Peter Dundas, among others.
According to Vogue, although usual downtown location Spring Studios will "remain a hub," most brands will showcase their designs in more creative locations. "You might expect Rodarte's Kate and Laura Mulleavy to set up in an elaborate church, Proenza Schouler to take over an art gallery or Telfar to organize a dinner or party," reports the magazine.
Ready or not, New York's most renowned fashion-related event is coming back.