American Fashion: The Good, The Bad & The Bankrupt
By Jordan Wake, Junior Fashion Editor
As New York Fashion Week approaches and another season in the concrete jungle beckons, the landscape of American fashion faces most turbulence compared to any other of the fashion capitals. From Tom Ford, who usually opens the NYFW schedule, now opting to show his latest collection in Los Angeles this season, to the bankruptcy of beloved Barneys after almost a century in the retail business. One can only wonder what the future holds next for American fashion?
Back in March last year, it was announced that Tom Ford was selected to succeed Diane von Furstenberg as Chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), a position Furstenberg held for 13 years. "Coming back from Europe, what's stunning to me was the isolation I feel here. I feel that America is one of the most isolated countries in the world. We're very inward looking. What American fashion needs to become in order to be more relevant in the world is to think of itself as not just American but as international." Ford told Business of Fashion in a report last year. With an established global brand and a fashion industry career spanning 35 years, Ford was an obvious choice to take the prestigious title. He had a clear understanding of what American fashion is, and needs, whilst having the ability to bring a fresh perspective from his time spent in Europe.
Before he had even started in his new role in June last year, Ford had already put plans in place at the beginning of May to cut the NYFW schedule from eight days down to five. The NYFW schedule had come under scrutiny over the past few years, being described as ‘overcrowded’ and ‘disorganised’. From the schedule being packed with almost 600 presentations one season, to stories of editors rushing to the airport from their front row seat to make a quick turnaround to London. Yet when the NYFW schedule was released at the end of last year, Ford’s name was on the schedule yet stated that he would be showing in Los Angeles this season instead. Ford was not the only NYFW regular who had picked to show elsewhere this season. Tommy Hilfiger has chosen to show the following week during London Fashion Week and Ralph Lauren is yet to make an announcement on his plans, if any at all. Is this an ‘abandon the sinking ship’ mindset for the brands? Or have their markets simply developed elsewhere which make the other fashion weeks a more suitable alternative? However, other staple names such as Carolina Herrera and Tory Burch are all still confirmed to show in the Big Apple this season.
In Ford’s promising attempt to edit and keep NYFW relevant, it inevitably brings forward the question on opportunity for the next generation of designers. If the overall format is being shortened and only the ‘major’ names are being accommodated for, does this leave room for a new wave of talent that could potentially be the lifeblood which keeps NYFW, and American fashion, alive? Here in London, designers who are only in their first few seasons show side-by-side next to the global fashion houses on the schedule. And it works. However, there are still a select few individuals amongst the household name brands who are set to show this season. Christopher John Rogers, winner of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, an initiative launched in 2003 by Anna Wintour in response to the tragedy of 9/11, is due to showcase his latest collection on February 8th. Along with $400,000, Rogers also received a year’s mentorship from a CFDA member as part of the prize— this guidance is instrumental for a young designer to establish a brand that will survive in today’s world.
Whilst a new generation of designers are taking their spotlight from the CFDA, a generation beforehand are closing their doors. At the beginning of November last year it was announced that Zac Posen, winner of the CFDA 2004 Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Womenswear, would be closing his line after almost 20 years. When the news broke it caused quite a shock within the industry as Posen was once considered one of the ‘fashion darlings’, dressing the likes of Rihanna and Naomi Campbell in his signature red carpet looks that oozed glamour to gracing the pages of Vogue who had been following his career since its beginning. It had been reported that the label had been experiencing financial difficulties for some time and failed to secure future investment. It’s living proof that you can have all the creativity in the world, but you can’t run a business without an adaptable business model which Posen's brand hadn’t been built on.
Of course the disturbance these independent designers are experiencing is closely linked to the large hit retail has been taking. At the end of last year, at a similar time to Zac Posen’s announcement, the iconic Barneys New York sadly filed for bankruptcy. Not only was this a store that appeared on the screens in Sex & The City, it was responsible for helping to launch and introduce Americans to some of the era-defining brands. In a statement, it was announced that the large increase in rent and failure to adapt to current consumer demand were behind Barneys decline. In this new digital world retailers have struggled to adapt to the dramatic customer shift to e-commerce. The luxury customer who once upon a time just wanted a product, now wants the added luxury of experience included in the price tag which the majority of the retail sector couldn’t cater for.
All of this could not be mentioned without considering the impact of the current American political climate. Since Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States in 2016, American fashion has been loaded with political commentary. As mentioned, Tom Ford described America as feeling ‘isolated’ which is not difficult to understand why with Trump proposing to build walls (quite literally). From various labels declining to dress the current First Lady Melania Trump to designers making individual statements at their shows such as Robert Geller who took a bow after his Fall 2017 Menswear collection in a T-shirt with the word ‘immigrant’ on. In one way or another, designers are “clapping” back against the Trump administration.
Amongst all of this, there is a recurring sense of resilience through the fashion industry in America— whether that’s a designer’s personal reflection or a political statement they’ve taken to the runway. This resilience could unknowingly be the factor which propels American fashion through to its next chapter, and what appears to be a relatively unknown future.