Here's How To Navigate All The NYFW Changes

We've known that New York Fashion Week would undergo some major changes for several seasons now. We saw the CFDA's NYFW logo last month, and Thursday, The New York Times shared even more NYFW updates including new designers, new sponsors, and new alliances.

There's always been something of a dichotomy in the biannual fashion week, or, as it was becoming better known, the "circus of fashion." There was IMG's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at the Lincoln Center, and a decidedly different vibe over at MADE Fashion Week at Milk Studios, not to mention the smattering of designers who decided to go rogue and disassociate themselves with either organization. The term "NYFW" essentially acted as the umbrella moniker for all of the events.

There's since been a reshuffling, and there are several forces at play each grappling for designers, show-space, and scheduling. The Lincoln Center and Mercedes Benz are out like last season's hemlines, but MADE is still going strong. WME-IMG, the agency that includes IMG and has clients in the fashion, sports, and entertainment sectors, is also on board. Each has its own logo, venue, sponsors, and designers, and frankly, it's enough to give you fashion fatigue — and I don't mean camo cargo pants.

Luckily, I've got an NYFW cheat-sheet that breaks down the week's super-power trifecta for you. Take note of the not one, but two new, official logos, three different venues across town, and countless egos. So study up; September is coming.

New York Fashion Week, September 10-17

CFDA

The Council of Fashion Designers of America recently unveiled a newly-redesigned universal logo for New York Fashion Week, to be used by all approved and official venues and designers. Yeah, it kind of looks like a mash-up of the Fed-Ex and Knicks logos, but it's a major homage to NYC. From the CFDA's website: "The primary colors of the launch campaign — orange and blue — are taken from the flag of New York City; splits in the lettering suggest both garment stitches and City street lines."

Consider the CFDA like the industry's fairy godmother. Besides year-round endeavors such as providing funding and mentorship to up-and-coming designers and hosting the "Oscars of Fashion" that is the CFDA Awards, it also plays a major role in NYFW. The CFDA took control of the fashion week schedule last June, so the new logo is another move to help generally unify the industry by vetting events and designers.

Here's the CFDA's new logo, ICYMI:

WME-IMG

IMG has had a hand in fashion week since back when it was at Bryant Park, and then at the Lincoln Center. It was recently acquired by WME and merged, hence the (rather bulky) name. It's an agency co-owned by the guy thought to be the original inspiration for Ari Gold. I don't believe further explanation on that topic is needed.

This season, WME-IMG has it's own branded program for fashion week, and they're calling it simply (and dramatically) "NYFW: The Shows," not to be confused with "a show" at "NYFW"...or is it, as Vanessa Friedman implies?

WME-IMG owns and runs the "official" fashion week venues, which are Skylight at Moynihan Station in Midtown and Skylight Clarkson Sq in Soho. According to NYT, just around a third of the designers are presenting at IMG's official venues - not unified by any means, but still more than at any other location.

Key designers presenting their collections will be: Alice and Olivia, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Betsey Johnson, DKNY, Herve Leger by Max Azria, J Crew, Mara Hoffman, Nicole Miller, Ralph Lauren, Rebecca Minkoff, Tommy Hilfiger, and more.

The fact that two of the industry's giants, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, are being considered part of the WME-IMG umbrella is major news - both have been holding their own shows, and will continue to do so, but beginning this season both (which are also famously rivals) are giving off major "team player" vibes.

As I mentioned before, gone is Mercedes-Benz as an official sponsor, but in are newcomers like Lexus, Intel, DHL, and E! Entertainment, plus veteran mainstays Maybelline New York and TRESemmé.

Here's the new logo, unveiled Thursday:

MADE:

MADE Fashion Week has been going strong on its own as a major part of NYFW for a while now, but it was recently acquired by IMG, which will operate it going forward. It will continue to be held on its home turf, Milk Studios.

The focus is on indie and up-and-coming brands and designers rather than the more well-established names presenting at NYFW: The Shows. No change there, MADE has always been a haunt for the young downtown set.

Key designers at MADE are Chromat, Collina Strada, Cushnie et Ochs, Jeremy Scott, Jonathan Simkhai, Wes Gordon and more, and it will share some of the same sponsors as NYFW: The Shows (Intel, Lexus, and Maybelline New York) as well as American Express and Macy's (remember the MADE x Macy's collection?).

MADE Fashion Week will use the same logo as WME-IMG:

Images : Giphy (1), @CFDA, @stephenkolb, @nyfw/Instagram, nyfw.com,