11 years later, today fashion week in New York is in full
swing; and eleven years ago it was the same story. 11
years ago fashion week was still held at Bryant Park rather than this year’s
location at Lincoln Center. On September
11, 2001 we all woke up thinking it would be an ordinary day, a day like any
other that we would probably not remember, but that was not the case. We all remember where we were and what we
were doing, and for some, they were preparing for fashion week. On September 11, 2001 fashion week was on their
fourth day. There had only been 53 shows
and 73 shows had to be cancelled. Liz
Lange’s fashion show was the last one that year. She was a maternity designer and her show was
the first maternity show at fashion week.
She was excited and it was an anticipated show that “‘Good Morning
America’ and the ‘Today’ show were both so anxious to cover it live that they
almost battled it out.” Just like the rest of us Americans Liz Lange said “we
were in our own little bubble.” On that day we were all prepared to do our own
thing. Children were ready for school, designers
and the fashion world was ready to continue fashion week, employees ready for
work, and everyone else was simply just ready to do whatever they do. Somehow, people who had nothing to do with
what was going on, people who had their own things to worry about were united
by the same incident. I look back to
that day and feel sadness and anger, but I also feel happiness. I feel happiness because our county was so united
those few days, we were all New Yorker’s. Our country has been able to prove that
we can get up, that we will be alright, and nothing is bringing us down. 11 years later Fashion week is running smoothly,
Fashion is doing just fine. And for the rest of us, I think we are okay too. We will never forget but at least we know
that we got up and we will get up every time we are pushed down.
73 shows were cancelled.
Designers like Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Calvin
Klein and Donna Karan were some designers who were able to arrange simple
presentations in their show rooms. Other
designer although weren’t able to do so.
Anna Wintour encouraged designers to continue but she did not know that
many designers would not be able to carry on.
New and young designers had lost their deposits and had no more money. From this Anna Wintour saw an opportunity to
help. On Septmber 21st Vogue
and Style.com presented a group show called An American View at the Carolina
Herrera Showroom for 11 labels who otherwise would not have been able to
showcase anything.
Ms. Wintour said “It was adorable. It was about the industry
helping each other. It was a very small thing, but it felt good. We’re not
going to be defeated”
Dedicated to NYPD, NYFD, and anyone who helped at Ground Zero,
and to all our brothers and sisters who went down that day.
We Will Never Forget.
~Diana
