New York: Fashion Design Capital of the U.S.
New York and fashion design go hand in hand.
Roughly 30 city blocks in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, New York City's famed fashion district busily plies its trade.
When you contemplate the far-reaching effects of decisions made there, it's remarkable that so much creativity could be concentrated in this one small area.
With its emphasis on fine arts and cultural diversity, New York offers much to inspire current and future fashion icons. This epicenter of American (and global) fashion is home to some of the biggest players in the fashion industry.
From Marc Jacobs to Tom Ford to Vera Wang, many of fashion design's household names have offices in New York City. If you plan on attending Fashion Week, here's where to see and be seen.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
February and September are pivotal times in the New York fashion design calendar. Designers from around the world gather to show their collections for the upcoming season at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
Fashion merchandisers and buyers, writers, photographers, celebrities and socialites attend these shows. Their opinions greatly influence which new designs will become available to the general public and what styles will become popular.
MADE Fashion Week
MADE Fashion Week highlights new and seasoned faces from New York's fashion scene. For example, Gareth Pugh, a cutting-edge London-based designer who integrates immersive live performance into his shows, is making his debut at September's NYFW.
The City Gets Involved
Designers aren't the only resident runway inhabitants during fashion week. The city gets involved as well, holding cultural events, museum and art gallery exhibitions, performance art and live music shows. From Lincoln Center to The Museum at FIT to Broadway, New York's fashion and cultural scene shines bright.
If you can't attend but still want to watch, Twitter, Google Lightbox, FashionWeek Online and other websites and social media apps are available to transport you to the Big Apple's big week.