New York Fashion Week to go ahead but with limited or no spectators, says Governor Cuomo

'Safety, as always, is our top priority' states Andrew Cuomo

New York Fashion Week will go ahead this September but it is going to look very different to previous seasons.

On Tuesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the biannual event is permitted to go on as planned from 13 to 17 September.

However, he added that it will take place in strict compliance with New York State health and safety guidelines due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“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 statement.

“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 organiser IMG in moving forward with NYFW, in adherence with strict state public health guidance.”

So, what does that mean for the fashion shows? According to a press release, this season see any shows taking place outdoor capped at 50 people, while indoor events will have 50 per cent capacity. With models, designers, backstage staff and more, this leaves little to no room for spectators to be present at the shows.

In addition, attendees will also have to comply with social distancing rules at all times and follow the provisions of the state’s travel advisory, including health screening procedures such as temperature checks prior to admittance and wearing face coverings.

“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,” Cuomo said.

This season, New York Fashion Week will feature a mix of live and virtual fashion shows, presentations, and programming including live-streamed runway shows, exclusive designer-related content and cultural programming.

“We are grateful to Governor Cuomo and his leadership for their swift, successful response in fighting the spread of the coronavirus, which has now set the standard of excellence for our nation,” said Leslie Russo, executive vice president of IMG’s Fashion Events Group.

“The past six months have been exceedingly difficult for the fashion industry, and we are proud to offer an avenue for designers, models, stylists, hair and makeup artists, photographers, production teams — and the innumerable other professionals who work in, or adjacent to, the fashion industry during New York Fashion Week — to safely get back to work this September.”

While the full schedule for the event is yet to be announced, Jason Wu recently told WWD that he will be hosting a live show with models and an audience of 25 to 30 people on the roof of Spring Studios, which will also be livestreamed.

Last month, the British Fashion Council (BFC) confirmed that London Fashion Week will also be going ahead this September.

The event, which is scheduled to take place from 17 to 22 September, will consist of both digital shows and traditional physical formats that will follow government advice on social-distancing guidelines.

The digital LFW platform – which launched earlier this month during what would have been London Fashion Week Men's – will also be available and continue to host exclusive multimedia content that will be available to both a consumer and trade audiences.