So You Want To Be a Fashion Designer?

Posted on September 9, 2008 
Filed Under fashion news

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If you’re a watcher of “Project Runway,” you know that it’s a long road for the designers who make it to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, which begins Friday. They have to win the nutty challenges, overcome stiff competition, and woo the lovable yet tough judges.

But plenty of designers don’t want to give up months of their lives for television - even with the possibility of a runway show at the end. What, then, does it take to have your work shown in America’s fashion capital?

First, a designer has to pass the criteria established by the group that organizes fashion week, IMG Fashion. “We have to make sure they have proper reps in the country. It is a waste to have people show and not have proper buyers,” the senior vice president of IMG Fashion, Fern Mallis, said.

Second, there’s the fee. And it isn’t cheap. The large white tent at Bryant Park includes three separate spaces that increase in price - $25,000, $35,000, and $45,000 - and size. But those fees don’t include the many additional costs, such as hair, makeup, and models, which “can cost someone dearly,” Ms. Mallis said.

But the benefits of showing at Bryant Park can be well worth the costs. The centrally located tents are the headquarters of the week, and the schedule is designed for exclusivity: There are 85 shows on the roster and no two designers show their collections simultaneously. More…

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