Last week, a fashion week deck from IMG, the management company that oversees NYFW: The Shows, revealed its plans for September’s shows, including new health and safety precautions for attendees and employees and livestream capabilities. Now, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) is releasing some plans of their own.
On Friday, the CFDA unveiled a new platform called RUNWAY360, which was developed by NY-based design studio DE-YAN to offer American fashion designers a “one-stop-shop” option for showcasing their collections as the pandemic continues to sweep the globe.
“This transformational time in fashion requires innovative business tools,” Steven Kolb, President and CEO of the CFDA, said in a press release. The portal is set to launch in line with September’s shortened show schedule — NYFW will take place from September 14 to September 16, pending an additional day on September 17 — but will be available for designers, retailers, and press to use throughout the year to help with market week (for which the CFDA has partnered with a wholesale e-commerce platform NuOrder), as well as virtual press appointments. NuOrder’s partnership will also include services designed to support “rising talents and designers of color,” according to the press release.
“RUNWAY360 is more than a response to social distancing and restricted travel,” Kolb explained. “The digital platform will help designers faced with short-term needs caused by COVID-19 and support future market weeks including live fashion shows.” Of the portal’s many capabilities are AR/VR, e-commerce shopping features, 360-degree views of collections, and live streaming. It will also allow for easy social media integration and make press kits easier to share and more interactive.