New York Fashion Week was an invitation-only event for industry insiders for decades now. Buyers and editors would see clothes on models and runways and collection would hit stores only the following season. CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America)was curating the event for years, until it was taken over by IMG in 2001. During that time only the top brands like Givenchy and Ralph Lauren would walk runways.
Then Jenne Lombardo, Keith Baptista and Mazdack Rassi created MADE. MADE is a fashion incubator which allows young and emerging designers like The Blonds and Jeremy Scott to show the collection. With their own fashion lineup MADE gives creatives space and resource to host the show during NYFW.
“We felt like we needed to build a program that provided resources for young designers to survive the economic crash,” says Rassi to BofF. “We put together a roster of 24 to 25 designers and opened our doors to them and allowed them to show, free of charge.”
In March 2015, WME-IMG, the entertainment and production powerhouse behind the traditional New York Fashion Week at Lincoln Center, purchased MADE--its downtown rival--for an undisclosed amount. Rassi and his cofounders remain creative advisors. MADE's current goal is to make their fashion lines more accessible to shoppers. MADE is now open for consumers. They sell tickets and you too can be part of it. In addition you can now see the shows and you can buy it now.
Jonathan Anderson is the latest designer to collaborate with the Japanese apparel giant, following in the footsteps of Jil Sander and Carine Roitfeld.