A settlement reached between the city of New York and park advocates will force New York Fashion Week to find a new location after four years of hosting the biannual event at Lincoln Center, reports Business of Fashion.
The settlement will prevent the event from renewing its contract with Lincoln Center, which would have allowed Fashion Week to be held there until 2020. New York City Parks Advocates filed claims that the event is damaging the environment in a neighboring public park because of the extensive set up required. “Almost 5 years ago I woke up to the sound of power saws and watched helplessly as our beautiful neighborhood Park was destroyed by the monstrous Fashion Week,” said Cleo Dana, Chair of Friends of Damrosch Park, a plaintiff in the suit. “We are thrilled at the current settlement and that the Park will be rebuilt."
New York Fashion Week is a citywide series of twice-annually occurring fashion events, held in February and September of each year. The event lasts for a week or more, and gives international fashion houses the opportunity to show upcoming collections to buyers, the press, and the general public. It is one of four major fashion weeks in the world, collectively known as the "Big 4," along with those in Paris, London, and Milan.
This isn't the first time one of the Big 4 have faced controversy about environmental impacts. Earlier this year, Greenpeace protested at Milan Fashion Week, calling out Versace in particular for having high levels of hazardous chemicals in its products and make use of harmful substances throughout production.
[via Business of Fashion]
