As we learned late in 2014, February’s New York Fashion Week will be the last to take place at Lincoln Center — the event’s home since it left Bryant Park in 2010 — and now we know a little more about where it’s going, as well as what other changes we can expect.
According to a source who declined to comment on the record, IMG, which owns Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, plans to move the event downtown. But the second, and perhaps bigger piece of news is that the media company plans to acquire Made Fashion Week, which stages shows in and around Milk Studios and is considered something of a competitor to the Mercedes-Benz event — which, in another bit of huge news, will no longer be a Mercedes-Benz event come February. The luxury car company has pulled out as title sponsor, meaning Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will no longer go by that name, which is almost difficult to fathom. A rep tells WWD it does not plan to end its relationship with fashion altogether, and will continue to support a number of other international fashion weeks. Going forward, IMG doesn’t plan to work with any sole sponsor.
Following the Made acquisition, which is expected to go into effect before Fashion Week in September, Made owners Jenné Lombardo, Mazdack Rassi and Keith Baptista will stay on as consultants.