New York fashion week is being hit by the recession as top designers including Vera Wang and Betsey Johnson opt to save money by shunning its famous runways.
Models spell out Bye bye in frilly hot pants at the end of a Betsey Johnson show in New York.
Designer Betsey Johnson poses backstage at the Betsey Johnson Spring 2009 fashion show New York City.
Their move shows how the dismal state of the luxury retail industry is taking its toll on one of the glitziest events for the world's style-watchers and celebrities.
Ms Wang, Ms Johnson and Carmen Marc Valvo, whose client lists read like a Who's Who of the showbusiness world, have all opted out of traditional catwalk shows in the celebrated white tents erected in the city's Bryant Park later this month.
Staging a full-scale "runway" production, with lighting, music, models and backstage staff - plus the guest fees, expenses and free clothing for the big name stars lured to prestigious front row seats - costs from $100,000 to $750,000, according to industry estimates.
Attracting a slew of celebrities, alongside fashion makers-and-breakers such as Vogue's legendary British editor Anna Wintour, to prime seats next to the catwalk was long considered a must for high-profile designers. But at a time of slumping sales and in anticipation of a sharp fall in attendance by retail buyers, several designers have decided that the costs are an unnecesssary extravagance.
Ms Johnson, a designer renowned for her whimsical, over-the-top style, who has dressed the likes of Courtney Love, Salma Hayek, Cyndi Lauper and Helena Bonham Carter, is a Bryant Park veteran. But she is instead planning an "intimate" presentation at her own showroom, away from the main event. A spokesman said this was a "creative decision" but added that the economy was also a consideration.
Ms Wang, best known for her wedding dresses designed for dozens of famous brides, including Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Victoria Beckham, Uma Thurman and Sharon Stone, will unveil her autumn 2009 collection in her new downtown store.
And Mr Valvo, a fixture in the tents for the last 10 years, is planning a more "cost-effective way" to show his collection to about 200 guests rather than the usual 1,000-strong audience, a spokesman said. His clients include Kate Winslett, Oprah Winfrey and Iman, David Bowie's model wife.
As shoppers shun luxury products during the current recession, there are questions about how the traditional catwalk productions will weather the downturn. Instead, many design houses are opting for so-called "presentations, featuring models and mannequins in smaller locations.
"We're all suffering - we're all taking a beating and every day when we wake up, it's a new beating and it's really kind of depressing," said New York designer Marc Bouwer, who is now conducting website fashion shows. He has experienced a 60 per cent decrease in orders for his current spring collection - "the biggest percentage drop we've ever seen".
IMG fashion, the company that produces Fashion Week, has insisted there is no catwalk crisis and said that the event - which begins on Friday Feb 13 - would attract as many shows as usual. But in the absence of some long-established names, less-known newcomers are filling the gaps.
The US fashion industry is hoping that it has a new saviour - in the form of First Lady Michelle Obama and her commitment to dressing with domestic designs. But Steven Kolb, the executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, added: "We'd be remiss not to acknowledge that we are going through tough times."
A manager with one major New York fashion house said: "It's only going to get worse. Expect a lot more designers to forego the next show in the fall. Everyone's just waiting to see how many stars turn up this month – or rather, don't."
