As the semiannual New York Fashion Week opens Friday, some big-name designers have pulled back, buyers are increasingly wary, and fashionistas have turned into recessionistas.An industry notorious for excess is confronting an unprecedented shrinking market, in which the number of people willing to drop big bucks on clothing is dwindling. Even those not among the millions of Americans losing their jobs feel guilty chasing after the latest $5,000 "it" bag.
Designer Loris Diran, who is staging his sixth Fashion Week show off-site from the tents at Bryant Park, says designers don't want to be seen as "Marie Antoinettes" who are indifferent to economic struggles. "They are trying not to seem pompous and arrogant in the face of adversity," he says. "They're feeling it's almost politically incorrect to have a big $250,000 show. "

Vera Wang, Betsey Johnson, Donna Karan, Monique Lhuillier, Naeem Khan and Alice Temperley are among those who canceled runway shows under the tents.Instead, they're downsizing to more informal, less expensive presentations in stores, salons, studios or showrooms. "The intimacy of a smaller show feels much more appropriate for these times," Wang told Women's Wear Daily.Designer Carmen Marc Valvo found a free space, the restaurant Citrine, to stage his show. Temperley, designer Marc Bouwer and Rock & Republic are among those staging virtual fashion shows online.

Marc Jacobs, whose over-the-top shows typically feature 2,000 guests jam-packed in an off-site armory, will invite only 700 this year. He's also forgoing his usual elaborate sets and the post-show party.IMG/Fashion, the producer of Fashion Week, says the number of shows has remained almost the same as last year because other lines, such as Justin Timberlake's William Rast, jumped to replace the no-shows. Press registrations are about the same, too. And some designers aren't cutting back: Calvin Klein and Oscar de la Renta are staging two shows each.

"These times force designers to be more focused and to just be more in tune with everything," says Fern Mallis, senior vice president of IMG Fashion. "But they should not sacrifice their creativity and vision, as we all need that more than ever."Still, the industry is nervous. "We're trying to be smarter. We'll be editing very tightly," says Ginger Reeder, spokeswoman for Neiman Marcus Group. "But there's higher pressure on everybody."Michael Ball, founder and creative director of Rock & Republic, the sportswear and premium-denim label, says the industry has been hit by "an economic asteroid."R&R canceled its runway show and ruled out its usual extravagance. Instead, it produced a story-driven fashion video that it will premiere online. "We've pretty much done the biggest things you can do in the tents; now it's time to do somethindifferent."

Article Credit:Maria Puente, USA TODAY