Who Will Sponsor First Ever NYFW: Men's?

An American icon is going from cars to couture. For its inaugural year, New York Fashion Week: Men's will be sponsored by Cadillac and it's a perfect fit not only for the fashion industry, but also for the luxury car company. As one of the oldest automobile brands in the world, the partnership gives Cadillac an opportunity to reach out to a younger demographic, as part of its re-branding strategy that rolled out earlier this year with the "Dare Greatly" ad campaign.

"I am very much interested in taking Cadillac into the world of fashion," company President Johan de Nysschen told Bloomberg. "The whole idea of beginning to strengthen Cadillac's position as a lifestyle brand is very much central to our mission. This is a good start... It should be interpreted as a clear statement of intent that we will walk with a heavy footstep in the fashion world."

The news of Cadillac's NYFW: Men's sponsorship came after rival automotive brand Mercedes-Benz ended its partnership with New York Fashion Week back in January. While IMG is still searching for a new sponsor, Cadillac made its presence known in the fashion community when it hosted Public School's Fall/Winter 2015 runway show in its New York offices during Men's Fashion Day.

"Cadillac needs that cool, fashionable, 'gets it' association to appeal to all consumers, especially Gen Xers and Millennials, who still have a perception of an older brand," Milton Pedraza, chief executive officer of the New York City-based Luxury Institute, told Bloomberg. With collections ranging from Thom Browne, to Tim Coppens, to Ralph Lauren showing at the first ever Men's New York Fashion Week, it seems Cadillac won't have a hard time creating buzz among a diverse fashion crowd.

Watch a video that Cadillac made for New York Men's Day earlier this year: