What happens when, in the middle of Fashion Week, the world as New York City knows it ceases to exist? Eleven years ago today, designers like Calvin Klein and Donna Karan were faced with this question when the preparation for their shows were interrupted by the attacks of September 11. Suddenly, the work of the last six months takes second place to the loss of human lives and the irreversible change of the landscape — literally and figuratively — of New York.
What they did, apparently, was abbreviate shows and run showroom appointments later in the season. In a FashionVideo dated from 2001, Cynthia Rowley reflects, "I live right near there, and I left my apartment to come here for fittings, and by the time I got here, it had all happened, and I just dropped everything and raced out of here to grab my baby who was down there with my nanny...and we just left time." Oscar de la Renta had his show at noon. Donna Karan felt the world change. Fashion and the reality of terrorism very much intersected.
The FashionVideo piece feels fascinating and jarring: Donatella Versace's pre-show message to New York is interspersed with show reviews. Anna Wintour talks about how she wants to help, while the video also showcases young designers (including a Maria Cornejo and her new line, Zero). The video is a capsule of '00s fashion and sentiment, aiming to both review collections and reflect on a tragedy, which feels complicated, oddly inappropriate, but worth a watch. Head over to Stylelist for more. (Stylelist)