Alberto Felix
Professor Penaz
English 2150
6 April 2009
In New York City, there is always an abundance of fashion. Wherever you go, walking down the streets can often feel as if you are strutting down a runway. Or maybe it might make you feel like a spectator in the front row of a fashion show; one that’s vibrant and dark, over-the-top and subtle.
Fashion in New York City should not be confused by the threads that adorn the mannequins of your favorite boutique, nor the garments that hang on endless racks at your favorite department store. Instead, it should be defined by the eccentric individuals who frequent our streets and thereby proclaim fashion as a quintessential aspect of the city through events, districts, and media.
Twice a year New York City’s Bryant Park, at the center of the garment district, is occupied by the leaders in design and the dictators of fashion who collaboratively map out the future of the industry. Fashion Week in New York City is an event that captures the attention of the entire world for it not only reveals innovations in American style but, it is when the city must continue to justify it’s stance in the fashion industry. Although, several other cities throughout the world have a similar kind of event, New York City’s Fashion Week has remained unparalleled due to its ability to set forth the future of fashion. As expressed by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, “It’s here that fashion ideas take root and trends are defined.”
It is evident that New York City has become synonymous with fashion. Individual’s seeking to differentiate themselves among the multitude of New Yorkers has allowed for the growth of an industry that has spun worldwide appeal. Designer Diane von Furstenberg could not have said it any better, “There’s a buzz, a creative energy in New York City that can’t be found anywhere else in the world” (NYCEDC).This reality has helped create a permanent market that has attracted buyers from all over the world. Just take a trip to Macy’s during the holiday season. Tourists from all over the world and New Yorkers alike become like threads in a knit sweater who tightly cross paths as they both indulge in the city’s most important industry; fashion. Not to mention Macy’s is also the world’s biggest store and is conveniently located in our garment district. Not only are fashionable items easily accessible throughout the city you will also find a culture that considers appearance important has aided fashion’s growth as a quintessential aspect of our society.
From the Wall Street executive in the slim-fitting tailored designer suit, to the hipster in brightly crisp sneakers and sagging raw denim, New York City has, unlike any other city, been able to encompass all aspects of fashion. Surely, Paris, Italy, even Japan are also known for impeccable style. New York City has, however, transcended as the only city that has been able to converge all these styles with its very own.
Our distinctive seasons and different kinds of people are among the few aspects that other city’s lack, which have in turn aided our stance as the world’s fashion capital. Designers draw inspiration from the limitless boundaries when designing seasonal clothing. From wool coats to lightweight blazers, New York City’s climate is accommodating of virtually all kinds of clothing. Someone in San Francisco will unfortunately not be able to wear the wool peacoat with the cashmere scarf, unless they intend to suffer from hypothermia. Moreover, unlike most other fashionable cities, New York is able to cater to all sorts of people due to its dramatic diversity. Whether you are a designer who likes to address adolescent urbanites or maybe you like to address a more mature and classier crowd, in New York City you will find your audience.
Five thousand fashion showrooms can be found in New York City, ousting every other city in the world (NYCEDC). It is no wonder why New York City has become the destination of choice for shopping as well as the home for aspiring designers. Shoppers feel an assurance that they will find something they like, whereas in Paris for example, buyers are constrained by high end and often costlier designs. Also, designers have visibly chosen New York as their enclave for inspiration because it as well is very accommodating. Unlike the exorbitant leases and narrow markets that a designer in Paris might be forced to endure, in New York City fashion design is simply more accessible.
Given it’s stance as the leader in fashion, New York City has also set a standard in the production of the media channels that report on trends and designs. Someone in San Francisco and someone in Paris are both as likely to be reading the latest publication of Vogue or Gentleman’s Quarterly (GQ); both of whose offices are located in New York City. In addition, New York City is the leader in business and therefore the best marketing firms in the world reside here, giving designers more options for branding and advertising. Because New York City presents fashion across all spectrums of style and taste, it has helped create a broader and more profitable client base.
In terms of world impact, eccentricity, and accessibility, New York City is on the forefront of fashion. A city that has often been proclaimed the capital of many things can for sure claim that it is the leading innovator when it comes to design. Fashion entails individuality and creativity, both of which New Yorkers often encompass and therefore have become quintessential both locally and with respect to the rest of the world.
Source Cited:
www.nycedc.com/Fashion
