Yesterday, we learned Fashion Week would move to Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center come September 2010. The space offers almost a 25 percent increase in square footage from Bryant Park and is right next to the ballet. It’s classy, centrally located, bigger, excites the mayor, and Anna Wintour approves. “We had obviously worn out our welcome at Bryant Park, so it’s very exciting to be going to someplace where they want us,” she told WWD. Bergdorf senior V.P. Linda Fargo agreed, noting, “Lincoln Center may actually prove to be easier to traverse between shows, as Chelsea and the West Side are on the same axis” — for those of us without black cars who embarrassingly sprint after cabs, especially. Also, the name is fun. Say it: Damrosch. You can even abbreviate: The Dam.
But not everyone sees it our way.
“I hate the idea,” said Anna Sui, a stalwart of the Bryant Park tents. “One of the things that works with Bryant Park is that we can walk the clothes over there, and finish the clothes as we’re setting up. That’s the only way you can have everything finished. All of a sudden, a zipper broke, a button didn’t come in, and all the last-minute details are still doable. Somebody can walk in with the last dress before the first exit. I don’t think we will have that luxury at Lincoln Center.”
Nicole Miller also lamented that she can’t walk to Damrosch Park and postulates designers might opt for presentations in their showrooms instead. Bloomingdale’s women’s fashion director Stephanie Solomon is also anti-Damrosch because it’s “not as accessible.” Zac Posen, on the other hand, shares our excitement about the Dam’s proximity to a great cultural center. “I’m so excited for my collections to be shown in the same place as some of the world’s greatest theater, ballet, and opera,” he said. After all Fashion Week is basically theater, not to mention chock full of divas.
