Designers Scrimp on a Lackluster New York Fashion Week 2023

By: Lieba Nesis

New York Fashion Week which ran from Thursday September 7th to Wednesday September 13th 2023 was a massive disappointment with few celebrities, ho-hum parties, and lackluster fashion.  The large volume of 20-per-day parties, launches and dinners resulted in all having little if any impact.  The festivities began Tuesday September 5th with Naomi Campbell’s much ballyhooed collaboration with  PrettyLittleThing held at Cipriani 25 Broadway.

Naomi can still strut as she made her way down the runway in a sequined see through dress-but the designs from her capsule collection were rehashes.  After decades of observing icons Versace, Gaultier and Alaia for whom she modeled her predictable collection was a massive disappointment.  Speaking of not living up to the hype, Peter Do’s much awaited Friday debut for Helmut Lang was a massive yawn-the Vietnamese designer revealed too early he has nothing up his sleeve.  Christian Siriano, another Friday letdown, held his 15th anniversary at the Pierre with Sia performing for the likes of Janet Jackson-his costumey looks have never held my attention.

And so began an uneventful week where you couldn’t help but run into ubiquitous celebrities Lori Harvey, Emily Ratajkowski and Julia Fox- three ladies with few known skills other than wearing sleazy attire.  Sidewalk stars Julia Fox and Emily Ratajkowski have made a career out of ditching clothing; Emily is the clear winner as she has fronted ads for Loewe, Viktor & Rolf and Versace and has an upcoming collaboration with AG Jeans.

The omnipresent Ratajkowski has eclipsed the Kardashian and Hadid sisters appearing this past week at the Naomi Campbell show, Victoria’s Secret party, Lacoste party, Daily Front Row Media Awards, and Tory Burch runway-and the list goes on.  Whereas, most actresses and celebrities shun New York fashion week like the plague, Emily has catapulted herself by using the streets and parties of New York as her runway.  While Julia Fox emerged as a style star in January 2022 after briefly dating Kanye-she has devolved into a freak show with one unwearable naked ensemble after another-where is Kanye the one time he is needed.

Nepo baby Lori Harvey, whose famous friends Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner were MIA, became a staple in this years front row at Proenza Schouler, Prabal Gurung, PrettyLittleThing, and Victoria’s Secret- showcasing her enhanced breasts in sheer plunging attire at every opportunity possible.  Her star is definitely rising: whether she is bankable has yet to be determined.  The only A-list actress to frequent fashion week 2023 was Academy Award winner Charlize Theron who has cheapened her exclusive brand with appearances at: Breitling’s store opening September 6th and a subsequent collaboration party at the Classic Car Club, Dior’s Botanic Garden Thursday September 7th soirée and the US Open finals September 10th-diluting her brand as she seeks lucrative endorsements with Dior and Breitling instead of meaningful acting work.

Last year September 2022 peaked with Italian design houses Fendi and Marni debuting major extravaganzas in New York along with a celebrity packed and rain drenched Tommy Hilfiger show-this year all three skiddadled.  Akin to the listless party scene where staples such as Saks opening Thursday night shindig and Harpers Bazaar’s collaboration with Bloomingdale’s eviscerated for the first time in nearly a decade (excluding Covid).  I still remember the 2019 fete where hundreds of gown clad supermodels walked up the Plaza Hotel steps for the Harper’s Bazaar Party Icon party.

Pervasively frugal fashion companies are steering away from large expensive parties and shows in favor of small dinners and sponsorships with the ability to reach the right clientele in more intimate quarters at a lower cost.  This season Fiji Water sponsored the runway shows of Altuzarra, Jason Wu, Proenza Schouler, Prabal Gurung, the Daily Front Row Media Awards and Patbo-give me a break.  Fashion brands like Frame and Haider Ackermann realized they could get more bang for their buck with a tiny dinner Gisele hosts or Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet attend then investing heavily in an all out multimillion dollar bash.

With no central hub for shows like the prior years Bryant Park and Lincoln Center the excitement is gone.  After a four year absence, Ralph Lauren dragged attendees on Friday September 8th to the Brooklyn Navy Yard where a lackluster collection, which looked like Calypso rejects, was followed by a 250 person dinner in a barn setting.  Much ado was made about the celebrity guest list but it was nothing more than the typical Jennifer Lopez, who undoubtedly got paid, Diane Keaton, Nicole Richie and Julianne Moore-I’m bored already.

Many were excited for the reemergence of Victoria’s Secret from the ashes with a Thursday evening party at 34th Street’s Manhattan Center.  Despite spending oodles of money renting the venue there was no food, terribly loud music, no live fashion show and nowhere to sit despite the 100 degree weather.  I witnessed a pregnant women nearly faint in the dark, dank space where old Victoria’s Secret schmattas were displayed like sartorial masterpieces.  Food the entire week was unceasingly sparse-even at Wednesday’s Chanel Lucky Chance Diner party in Williamsburg-doesn’t a diner imply food or are all the newly skinny fashionistas starving on Ozempic.

Even Adidas which spared no expense by renting out the entire Rockefeller Center Rink for an all night party on Monday September 11th with rap stars Saweetie, Meek Mill and Fivio Foreign, served nothing but Mac and Cheese and sliders in a lavish party that was reminiscent of old New York.  Tuesday September 12th, the most jam-packed day, concludes the lackluster week with a GQ and Laboutin party, a Francois Nars Documentary and a Forever 21-Barney’s launch.  Whether New York can ever reclaim its glory as its party loving Mayor, Eric Adams, hops from hosting a CFDA party at Gracie Mansion to attending the Ralph Lauren show, remains to be seen: it would necessitate a major influx of enthusiasm and a large wad of cash wouldn’t hurt either.