New York Fashion Week 2012 Live Stream, NY Runway Schedule, Online Webcast

New York Fashion Week 2012 Live Stream, NY Runway Schedule, Online Webcast

Celebrity packed, invitation only event!

The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, branded Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in 2009, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world (along with those in Paris, London, and Milan)

The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first organized fashion week. Held in 1943, the event was designed to attract attention away from French fashion during World War II, when fashion industry insiders were unable to travel to Paris to see French fashion shows. Fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert organized an event she called "Press Week" to showcase American designers for fashion journalists, who had previously neglected their innovations. Press Week was a success, and fashion magazines like Vogue, which were normally filled with French designs, increasingly featured American fashion.

In 1994, the event was moved to its former site in Bryant Park by Fern Mallis, where it was held inside a series of large white tents in the almost-block-long park. Admission is by invitation only, to the fashion industry, fashion press, assorted celebrities, and internet based Fashion press (e.g. District L, Fashionista, FWD). Beginning in February 2009 (showing Fall 2009), many designers opted out of their usual Bryant Park tent fashion shows because of the poor economy and held smaller presentations.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is perhaps the most well-known event held during New York Fashion Week, but not the only one. Many top-name designers show their collections at other venues, including Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs. Dozens of other fashion shows and related events are held around the city during New York Fashion Week, including Couture Fashion Week NY at the Waldorf-Astoria and iFashion Week by iFashion Network and iConcept Media Group focusing on emerging and independent designers.