New York City is, by its nature, cosmopolitan. For decades its reputation has developed through monikers that emphasize its magnitude: The Capitol of the World, the Big Apple, The Capitol of Capital. Among these well-known nicknames you have probably also heard NYC called “The City that Never Sleeps” or “The City of Dreams.” These names in particular hint at an ethos and spirit that are more than skyscrapers and stocks. The city and its people have a reflective quality to them, which are particular to New York City and New York City alone. There are drive and ambition rooted in the lived internal reality of its citizens and the external perception of the city and its population. What makes NYC special is that it has a distinct identity of balancing its cosmopolitan nature with a deep civic sense of community. While the city may be built on and known for its ambition, the people of New York City carry a sense of communal pride in their home that continues to help that spirit thrive, especially now in the face of COVID-19.

This pride in the cosmopolitan nature and the unique locale of New York manifests itself in established artistic ventures each year, the most recent being New York Fashion Week. Banners for the event still flew on their light poles, but the streets below them were far less busy than usual. Amidst the pandemic and the long recovery period for New York City, there were many necessary changes that the fashion industry had to face in planning for this year’s bout of runways and shows. In true NYC fashion, the program of NYFW told a story of adaptability, a sense of intentional change fueled by creators and storytellers that is beyond what is “on-trend.” Piece by piece and show by show, NYFW of September 2020 demonstrated the fashion industry’s potential to tell a powerful story through the collective modes of words, visuals, and action. What happened in this year’s digital programming is a reflection of several aspects of the beloved “City of Dreams” and how both individuals and communities are dreaming and enacting a better future through pertinent conversations and inspiring messages.

In a sense, the fashion industry is a direct reflection of the socio-politics of New York City. The industry is reckoning with similar issues that were around long before the pandemic, especially concerning race and sustainability. On September 10th, before the runways (and what I imagine to be socially distanced after-parties) New York Fashion Week came over the horizon with the “3rd Fashinnovation World Wide Talks.” Boasting the tagline, “Virtual Unity, Real Action, One Heart,” the Talks unfolded over a 12-hour digital live stream.

Streaming Fashinnovation’s panels, it became very clear that the perception of the pandemic as a vitriolic handbrake for creativity and production is not as present in the fashion industry as one may think. Each talk brought a virtual breath of inspiration and lucid outlooks on the opportunity set before all players in the fashion industry. Much like the challenge of recollecting catalogs of runway looks after fashion week, it is also near impossible to recap the entire breadth of conversations at Fashinnovation’s World Wide Talks. Discussions of the intersectionality of race, sustainability, and the economy of fashion came to the forefront, as creators and brands discussed avenues for change through transparent practices and continuing education. Similar dialogues were had in the NYFW program in the “Talks” series which included sessions such as “The Talks: Black in Fashion Town Hall” and “The Talks: Culture, Style, and Politics.” The NYFW “Talks” are still available for free public streaming.

The message of New York’s future was on the mind of many designers, and the theme of survival and a love for the city rang through in several of their collections. There was a fantastical element to several shows and short-films; however, many designers did not give audiences a fantasy of sense of escapism. Instead, they translated a love for NYC into materiality. Ulla Johnson’s Spring 2021 collection debuted in Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, a small slice of tranquility located on an island in the East River. With the cityscape of Manhattan serving as a backdrop, Ulla Johnson’s ready-to-wear apparel was accompanied by a live music performance by Staten Island singer song-writer Shamiqua. The placid melody paired with the light pastel ruffles and acid-wash denim of the collection brought a sense of peace and vitality and offered a beautiful union of fashion and the spirit of the NYC flaneur.

Cynthia Rowley took a different approach with an upbeat digital film entitled “The Show Must Go On.” The film is a celebration of the vibrancy of New York City Streets. It embodied a tangible vitality that rang true in the brand’s iconic use of lively prints. Dancing across West Village, Cynthia Rowley’s collection shares the stage with several small businesses and restaurants with expanded street patios, a testament to the strength of New Yorkers to adapt in any circumstances.

Carmelo Anthony, the ten-time NBA All-Star, debuted a new collection at Fashion Week as well. His brand STAYME7O launched its. Propel Program collection. It is a collaboration with seven New York and New Jersey independent designers, who worked together to create a capsule line of clothing. The theme of STAYME7O’s NYFW launch, “A Black Future,” sends a powerful message: the inherent value of Black creativity and culture in the past, present, and future. The runway show was entirely 3-D, with avatars modelling an array of hoodies, graphic tees, and sweatshirts. You can expect more from STAYME7O Propel Program, which is also an initiative started with the design collection to support the creativity of young, creative, and Black designers.

So, in the annals of New York Fashion Week history, New York Fashion Week in September of 2020 will perhaps be an anomaly, different by necessity. It is a reflection of the City’s ambition, its love, and a notable response from the fashion industry in how to adapt. Sure, NYFW was different this year; but the spirit of New York is still just as strong. Altogether, it became a small, microcosmic demonstration of New York City’s ethos of globalized productivity and the celebration of community.

Important Conversations And Love Letters To NYC At NYFW 2020