Top 100 Events in the United States 2018 - Fashion Industry Events
September 18, 2018
1. New York Fashion Week
New York #1 Fashion Industry Event With more designers foregoing traditional runway shows in favor of see-now, buy-now presentations—and with more designers showing in other countries—fashion industry experts continue to question the relevance of New York Fashion Week. However, the biannual IMG-produced affair still made a splash in the city for its September 2018 edition: Visa activated for the first time with a designer vending machine and lounge, while Nike and LeBron James presented Harlem’s Fashion Row’s awards and show. Rihanna closed out the week with an event showcasing her new Savage x Fenty collection. Next: February 2019
Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for IMG
2. Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala
New York #2 Fashion Industry Event The Met Gala has turned into one of the year’s must-watch events for pop culture fiends—especially those eager to see how A-list celebrities take on the theme. Famously held the first Monday in May and overseen by Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour, this year’s event was inspired by the museum’s exhibition “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” Event co-chair Rihanna donned a glammed-out papal outfit, while attendees including Cardi B, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande, and Chadwick Boseman were among the 550 guests who wore outfits interpreting Catholicism by top fashion designers. The event’s design inside the museum was helmed by Raul Avila, and included a 30-foot-high floral replica of a papal tiara. The benefit, which raised more than $13 million, featured a performance by Madonna. The event also served as a pivotal plot point for the female-led, summer blockbuster heist film Ocean’s 8. Next: May 6, 2019
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
3. Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards
New York #3 Fashion Industry Event For the first time in its 37-year history, the C.F.D.A.’s award gala left Manhattan for Brooklyn. Insecure creator and star Issa Rae hosted the black-tie event at the Brooklyn Museum, which had 550 guests and honorees including Cate Blanchett, Naomi Campbell, Kim Kardashian, Michael Kors, and Ralph Lauren, who received the council’s first Members Salute. Swarovski sponsored the event for the 17th year, and Stefan Beckman served as creative director. An official after-party took place at Dumbo House in Brooklyn. Next: June 2019
Photo: Courtesy of Council of Fashion Designs of America