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The History of Fashion Week |  |
April 12, 2007
by Alayna Buckner
Design Programs Columnist
New York City's Fashion Week may already be an institution, but it's actually quite new in the world of fashion design. Have you got the fashion bug yourself? Read on for a bit of history.
The First Fashion Shows
Fashion parades were popular in the couture salons of Paris around the turn of the century, but this trend didn't spread to the States until 1903, when an upscale retailer in New York City held the first American fashion show. The Ehrich Brothers were hoping to lure middle-class women into their store, so they sponsored a show of their latest fashion designs. By 1910, large department stores were also showcasing new clothing designs with shows of their own.
Press Week
When France was occupied during the Second World War, the fashion world was left without a capital. Eleanor Lambert, an American fashion publicist, organized "Press Week" in New York, to encourage American fashion editors to engage with homegrown clothing designers. The American fashion industry was actually bursting with innovation, and after Press Week, top fashion design magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar started to recognize this talent and feature American work.
Fashion Week
In the 1970s and 1980s, American fashion designers started to showcase their personal clothing design collections in lofts, clubs, and restaurants. Unfortunately, the small spaces of their locations limited the size of these shows. As these shows grew in popularity, designers saw the need for a bigger venue. Fashion Week as we know it began when Fern Mallis, a fashion executive, sought out a single time and place for top designers to showcase their work.
With the current success of Olympus Fashion Week, American designers can reach an international audience, as well as the top editors, writers, and clothing design merchandisers of the fashion industry.
Sources
About the Author
Alayna Buckner graduated from Stanford University in June 2006, with a degree in Public Policy. She now lives and works in Washington, DC.
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