NYFW: Iconic or Irrelevant

By Sheza Qasim, Senior Writer Edited by Eleanor Unsworth

In the 90s and 2000s, journalists, designers, and fashion connoisseurs waited for the reveal of new, original fashion ideas at New York Fashion Week. Top tier designers would unveil their fall or spring lines at these highly anticipated fashion shows. But, only a specific audience of handpicked industry insiders were invited to attend, causing a kind of elitist environment within fashion weeks. Today, a different form of that elitism exists in NYFW, which is built upon only the wealthy being able to present their designs. But with the creation of social media, fashion week may not be a necessity to get visibility on designs. So, although some argue that NYFW is on the decline, its recent changes actually reflect a shift in the overall fashion culture. 

NYFW has undergone a transformation, even within its main audience. Until the 1984 Thierry Mugler show, which marked the first show that the public was allowed to attend, audiences largely consisted of fashion journalists and insiders. As a result, the shows were very much exclusionary to any person not directly associated with the fashion industry, including wealthy people and celebrities. 

Before the creation and rise of social media, coverage of NYFW was relatively limited, so the general public had little space to engage in conversation about the shows. In recent years, NYFW is widely regarded as an important semiannual event, attended not just by editors and industry insiders but also by celebrities, influencers, and even TikTok personalities whose real-time posts shape the narrative of Fashion Week. People used to rely on magazines like Vogue or Elle to publish reviews weeks after a collection’s debut, but today a single viral Instagram reel or Twitter thread can dictate which designers dominate conversation. Fashion Week has become less about unveiling groundbreaking ideas to an exclusive circle and more about creating viral, buzzworthy moments that resonate with a global audience.

Although the accessibility of today's fashion week could be understood as a decline in its prestige, increased accessibility has its positive effects, notably the visibility of designers of color. In past decades, Fashion Week was often criticized for being overwhelmingly white and elitist. This season, Harlem Fashion Row held an opening event where attendees left feeling inspired and excited about future possibilities within the Black community in fashion. Designer LaQuan Smith closed NYFW, utilizing bright colors, beads, and different silhouettes to create a unique collection. Indian designer Rahul Mishra also had a stunning collection employing plaid print, pleats, and woven fabrics. Today, New York Fashion Week is a major platform for designers of color. 

Elitism still exists within the fashion community and fashion weeks, but in a different way than in the past. Decades ago, exclusivity was defined by access; only a carefully curated circle of editors, journalists, and industry insiders were granted invitations to shows, while the public remained firmly on the outside. Today, the exclusivity of NYFW is less about who gets to sit in the front row and more about who can actually afford to present on the runway. Presenting a line has always been expensive, but rising inflation, global tariffs, and the already-steep cost of operating in New York City has driven prices even higher. 

Increased global tariffs caused budget issues for young designers, meaning newer designers were excluded. While NYFW may seem more diverse on the surface, there are still many barriers contributing to the elitist effect of the runway. The cost for one brand could be upwards of $200,000 to rent the space and hire models, makeup, hair and production. This deters many designers from presenting their designs during fashion week. 

Additionally, many big designers such as The Row and Thom Browne, have left New York for markets in Europe. Designers have done this for many different reasons, including the issue of finding venues, rising costs of NYFW, and an attempt to expand their brand. 

With a strong presence on social media, it's easier to get brand visibility without having to present for fashion week. This phenomenon somewhat devalues fashion weeks in general, because one viral moment on TikTok or Instagram can get the same attention a brand would get at fashion week. For smaller or emerging designers, this shift is particularly significant. Without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a show, they can still build brand recognition, sell directly to consumers, and cultivate loyal communities through digital platforms. Still, a slot on the NYFW calendar can signal that a designer has “made it,” giving them prestige that a viral TikTok can’t replicate.

Ultimately, New York Fashion Week isn’t dead, it’s evolving. While the exclusivity of past decades may feel lost, the event now reflects the broader shifts in fashion culture: the rise of social media, the influence of celebrity and digital visibility, and a push for greater inclusivity on the runway. Rather than being the end of an era, these changes suggest that fashion week is in the midst of redefining its purpose in a globalized, digital-first industry.

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