New York Fashion Week Is Going To Be Very Different This September

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has given an update on what to expect during New York Fashion Week in September. Cuomo has permitted the event to continue as scheduled from September 13 to 17, but said the shows and presentations will have to abide by strict safety guidelines. This means outdoor events with no more than 50 people and indoor events with 50 percent capacity and no spectators.

"New York City is the fashion capital of the world and New York Fashion Week celebrates the ingenuity of this city, and our unmatched creative talent," Cuomo said in a press release. "When COVID-19 hit New York, so many of our cherished events were forced to cancel or be postponed. The pandemic is far from over, but we're proud to support event organizer IMG in moving forward with NYFW, in adherence with strict state public health guidance. Safety, as always, is our top priority and we commend the hosts, and all participating designers, for their innovative, New York Smart solutions to bring this event to life."

New York Fashion Week is set to have a mix of virtual and live events. While Cuomo only mentioned IMG in his statement, CFDA president Steven Kolb acknowledged the governor's message while saying that many designers are planning to move forward with their shows digitally.

"The CFDA commends Gov. Cuomo's important work to manage the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City and state," Kolb told WWD. "As the organizers of the official New York Fashion Week schedule, the CFDA has had extensive conversations with the fashion community. We found that most designers will be presenting their collections digitally, and are proud that they are choosing Runway360, CFDA's innovative, centralized NYFW hub, to do so. We look forward to releasing the official NYFW schedule…later this week."

As for the rest of fashion month, most of the major cities are planning to go on with business as usual. Following a summer of mostly digital-only debut collections for men's and couture shows, London Fashion Week will host live runway shows, as well as Milan and Paris. Though, don't expect to see any Americans sitting in front row, as Europe still continues to bar travelers from the U.S. to enter its countries.