INTERVIEW
The man behind fashion's big show
Fashion Week's Stan Herman remembers the humble beginnings, and looks forward to a fabulous future.
[size=-1]BY KATHRYN WEXLER[/size]
[size=-1][email protected][/size]
Stan Herman co-founded Fashion Week in New York City in 1993 and heads up the consulting committee to 7th on Sixth Corporation, which produces the annual shows in Bryant Park. Herman is also president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and a designer in his own right, having won the esteemed Coty award three times.
Recently, he spoke to The Herald about the beginnings of Fashion Week, which kicks off Sept. 9.
Q. Let's talk about the humble beginnings of Fashion Week.
A. I was the one who came up with the idea with Fern Mallis (now executive director of IMG, which owns 7th on Sixth). We had no intention of opening this whole big Pandora's Box, but we did react to a need when Suzy Menkes (the long-time fashion editor for the International Herald Tribune) was at a Michael Kors show . . . and she used that megaphone (the newspaper) to talk about how hokey and second-rate we are in America.
My being president (of 7th on Sixth) and Fern being executive director, we thought maybe we should round up the designers and keep them all in a comfort zone. We used the Hudson Theater venue and the third and fourth floors of an unfinished hotel for one or two years.
My (design) studio looked out over Bryant Park and since I was on the board of the park, I asked if they would rent us space on the two plazas. We had to deal with the city and the parks. We were kept off that lawn because underneath are stacks to the library. They were worried about the weights. We ended up having the center of the park.
Q. Was Fashion Week the catalyst for widespread interest in American fashion?
A. After the third year, it took off in America. In the eyes of the world, it took another three or four years. You never know if American fashion was taken seriously because we were in the park or if the world was catching up with what American fashion was all about.
The most important thing about shows in the tents, is -- oh my God! -- everyone's sitting down, they're comfortable, they're not running all over town. As the daddy of the thing, I feel very good about that.
Q. Some industry watchdogs complain that the fashion coming down the runway isn't all that exciting.
A. I think that's not fair. [7th on Sixth] used to be non-profit. Now it's a professional money-making machine . . . they have to fill the tents [with designers]. I see maybe 25 to 30 shows, and the ones that I see are viable enough to walk the runway. But some are not. Some designers feel if they don't show, they're not part of the scene.
The judgment call on what American fashion is all about is tricky. We're not the fashion think tank of the world. We're the cosmopolitan force producing fashion that sells.
Q. Fashion Week is now a slick production, geared mainly to the media rather than buyers. Has fashion been compromised because of it?
A. The buyers will always go to the showroom. But if it's done for the media, people will say, [designer] ''Derek Lam -- I like that,'' and the stores will be forced to buy it.
I used to show my collection to 150 people, and 70 were buyers. It doesn't work that way anymore.
These shows, as far as I can tell, are strictly to show the world what [designers] are doing . . . and some people don't show because they don't want to put themselves on the line. Why do they need someone at The New York Times or The Miami Herald to say that's a good show?
You could show Donna Karan in a tunnel and if it's good, people will like it.
You think we are overkill? Look at Europe! But they get the press. The press is all-important. They run this business. You're the culprit!
Look at all these designers coming in from show biz. Right now, it's all hype. That bothers me more than the slickness of the shows. People just have a [famous] name and a licensing person who thinks they can make money, and they take floor space from real designers.
Q. How can regular people score tickets to Fashion Week?
A. Get down on your hands and knees and kiss the earth! It's almost impossible, but there are some artful dodgers who get into every show. I don't know how they do it. Get to know one of the sponsors, that's one way.
People walk by the front gates asking the security guards all the time, ''Can't I come in? Can't I come in?'' All guards would love to come in, too.
But this is business. This is not show biz. It's our show for people in our industry, and I guess exclusivity makes desirability.
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The man behind fashion's big show
Fashion Week's Stan Herman remembers the humble beginnings, and looks forward to a fabulous future.
[size=-1]BY KATHRYN WEXLER[/size]
[size=-1][email protected][/size]
Stan Herman co-founded Fashion Week in New York City in 1993 and heads up the consulting committee to 7th on Sixth Corporation, which produces the annual shows in Bryant Park. Herman is also president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and a designer in his own right, having won the esteemed Coty award three times.
Recently, he spoke to The Herald about the beginnings of Fashion Week, which kicks off Sept. 9.
Q. Let's talk about the humble beginnings of Fashion Week.
A. I was the one who came up with the idea with Fern Mallis (now executive director of IMG, which owns 7th on Sixth). We had no intention of opening this whole big Pandora's Box, but we did react to a need when Suzy Menkes (the long-time fashion editor for the International Herald Tribune) was at a Michael Kors show . . . and she used that megaphone (the newspaper) to talk about how hokey and second-rate we are in America.
My being president (of 7th on Sixth) and Fern being executive director, we thought maybe we should round up the designers and keep them all in a comfort zone. We used the Hudson Theater venue and the third and fourth floors of an unfinished hotel for one or two years.
My (design) studio looked out over Bryant Park and since I was on the board of the park, I asked if they would rent us space on the two plazas. We had to deal with the city and the parks. We were kept off that lawn because underneath are stacks to the library. They were worried about the weights. We ended up having the center of the park.
Q. Was Fashion Week the catalyst for widespread interest in American fashion?
A. After the third year, it took off in America. In the eyes of the world, it took another three or four years. You never know if American fashion was taken seriously because we were in the park or if the world was catching up with what American fashion was all about.
The most important thing about shows in the tents, is -- oh my God! -- everyone's sitting down, they're comfortable, they're not running all over town. As the daddy of the thing, I feel very good about that.
Q. Some industry watchdogs complain that the fashion coming down the runway isn't all that exciting.
A. I think that's not fair. [7th on Sixth] used to be non-profit. Now it's a professional money-making machine . . . they have to fill the tents [with designers]. I see maybe 25 to 30 shows, and the ones that I see are viable enough to walk the runway. But some are not. Some designers feel if they don't show, they're not part of the scene.
The judgment call on what American fashion is all about is tricky. We're not the fashion think tank of the world. We're the cosmopolitan force producing fashion that sells.
Q. Fashion Week is now a slick production, geared mainly to the media rather than buyers. Has fashion been compromised because of it?
A. The buyers will always go to the showroom. But if it's done for the media, people will say, [designer] ''Derek Lam -- I like that,'' and the stores will be forced to buy it.
I used to show my collection to 150 people, and 70 were buyers. It doesn't work that way anymore.
These shows, as far as I can tell, are strictly to show the world what [designers] are doing . . . and some people don't show because they don't want to put themselves on the line. Why do they need someone at The New York Times or The Miami Herald to say that's a good show?
You could show Donna Karan in a tunnel and if it's good, people will like it.
You think we are overkill? Look at Europe! But they get the press. The press is all-important. They run this business. You're the culprit!
Look at all these designers coming in from show biz. Right now, it's all hype. That bothers me more than the slickness of the shows. People just have a [famous] name and a licensing person who thinks they can make money, and they take floor space from real designers.
Q. How can regular people score tickets to Fashion Week?
A. Get down on your hands and knees and kiss the earth! It's almost impossible, but there are some artful dodgers who get into every show. I don't know how they do it. Get to know one of the sponsors, that's one way.
People walk by the front gates asking the security guards all the time, ''Can't I come in? Can't I come in?'' All guards would love to come in, too.
But this is business. This is not show biz. It's our show for people in our industry, and I guess exclusivity makes desirability.
