CFDA Says New York Fashion Week will go on in person in spite of Covid Surge

On Thursday, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), in partnership with IMG, released the official New York Fashion Week Fall 2022 schedule, which — despite a rise in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks — is expected to take place Friday, Feb. 11 through Wednesday, Feb. 16.

The ongoing global pandemic and its Omicron variant have been a hot topic as fashion gears up for its biannual global marathon, a.k.a. Fashion Month. The British Fashion Council postponed its standalone men’s line-up in January over concerns relating to the virus; Giorgio Armani called off his men’s shows and his women’s couture show, and Brunello Cucinelli pulled out of Pitti Uomo. In Paris, however, it’s business as usual, with Men’s Fashion Week and Couture scheduled to go on at the end of the month.

Despite the Omicron surge stateside, it looks like American designers are hoping to forge ahead. As it stands, the schedule is packed with stacked days of presentations and runway shows. On the calendar: Anna Sui, Christian Siriano, Dion Lee, Gabriela Hearst, Jason Wu, Altuzarra, LaQuan Smith, Michael Kors, Khaite, Naeem Khan, Peter Do, Prabal Gurung, Proenza Schouler, Coach, Tom Ford, Tory Burch, Ulla Johnson, Victor Glemaud, Elena Velez, Sergio Hudson, Puppets & Puppets and Maisie Wilen, as well as an anniversary collection from Eckhaus Latta.

Earlier this month, the CFDA and IMG issued a Covid-19 Health and Safety Memo for the February 2022 shows, assuring that the groups were “closely monitoring the current surge and working with local and state officials to ensure the health and safety of all individuals participating in New York Fashion Week.” (In light of Omicron, the CFDA said it would “support each brand’s individual decision as it relates to their February shows.”) The guidelines remain the same as they were in September: requiring full course of vaccinations for all people entering venues, wearing masks inside except in designated  areas and reducing guest lists.

The full calendar is available on the CFDA’s website here, and will continue to be updated as additional shows and presentations are scheduled.

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