Despite recent cutbacks in runway shows due to the economic recession — fashion designers such as Vera Wang and Betsy Johnson have decided against costly catwalk shows to showcase their fall 2009 collections — Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren will be showing twice at New York’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week next month.
According to a spokesperson for Oscar de la Renta, the back-to-back shows will allows one to be exclusively for the press, while the other will present the new collection to retailers.
“We are expanding to two shows this season because of simple necessity,” added company’s CEO Alex Bolen. “Our current show space at 583 Park Avenue works well, but we need more seats. In the last six years, we have expanded our international wholesale and retail businesses, and we need to accommodate buyers and editors from new markets. Two more intimate shows – one for media, one for wholesale – was the logical conclusion.”
Calvin Klein will be showing both his Men’s Collection (on February 15th) and his Women’s Collection (on February 19th), the later in two back-to-back shows.
Ralph Lauren will be hosting two back-to-back shows on February 20th at 275 Hudson Street.
Sources: San Francisco Chronicle
- Fashion Week Daily
- New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2009 Schedule
