What NYFW Can Teach Us About Creativity
NYFW not only kicks off fashion month but it also has perfect timing. When the fall shows come around it’s right at that point where the new year motivation starts to wane. When you might need that extra burst of inspiration to push your ideas back on track.
As the year closes and the spring shows come to town it functions as a breath of fresh air. The last few summer weather days set in, the holiday season is a stone’s throw away and it’s also my birthday month! Shout out to my fellow Virgos! Hah.
This season as I attended a few shows it hit me that fashion week, and NYFW in particular, is not just about fashion. Of course, there are the street style photographers, the runway playlists, the after parties, the launch parties, the celeb sightings etc. Those things will always be there.
What I mean is that I started to see the clothes and the craftsmanship in a new light. Before I admired the work, appreciated it and at times loved it. This time my mind kept connecting the dots to other creative projects I have swirling through my mind at the moment.
Attending NYFW this year felt like a complete experience for me. Which is odd since I didn’t make it to each event I planned to. Still, I wanted to share a few of the lightbulb moments I had then with you now.
Same Idea Different Outcomes
Fashion week is built around the same idea. Each season the concept of either fall or spring takes over the city and designers create looks for their “girl of the moment.” It’s the same idea it’s just interpreted in different ways. The way Jill Stuart envisions Fall 2017 will not be the same as Christopher Esber or Michael Kors or Alexander Wang.
The same goes for creativity. Three people can get the same prompt but come up with a different end result. Next time you think that your market is over saturated remember your perspective is important. You’re the only one who can show the world your style, your way, and your view. (Click to Tweet)
Showmanship is Valued
Ever take a moment to think about exactly how you wanted to introduce your work? Not every fashion show goes off with a bunch of fireworks, revolving doors, trains or some other grand statement. For your creative project, it might be as simple as your graphic design choices or the playlist you settle on.
The point is you’ve worked hard. Don’t waste the opportunity to show what you’ve made in a way that enhances your product. It’s easy to shove an idea out there and then just call it a day. Press publish on a post and then fail to promote it. Write a poem but never share it. Take pictures but leave them in a digital holding cell . . . never to see a frame, a wall or a gallery.
Take the time to not only make something but to then effectively present it to your audience. When you share freely you share purely. (Click to Tweet) That’s the only way for people to connect with your work.
Highlights from Jill Stuart & Christopher Esber Fall 2017
Fantasy is welcome
Creativity is imagination in practice. (Click to Tweet) Your fantasies can come to life when you take the time to bring your ideas to fruition. For the 10 minutes your looks walk down the runway or the 20 minutes your presentation lasts the world is as you see it. Your models are styled, positioned, and adorned exactly the way you want them to be.
If your vision for Fall 2017 is a whimsical woman with colorful clothes and grown up pigtails then that’s exactly the sort of world your audience will live in for the duration of your show. The same goes for your creative vision.
When you gaze at a 30 ft painting you’re seeing what the artist wants you to see. You may interpret it’s meaning however you like, but the physical manifestation of it will not change.
A Little Buzz Never Hurt Anyone
At NYFW, big and small designers show off their hard work to editors, bloggers, celebs, socialites and the media at large. The excitement surrounding fashion month is palpable and although attending the shows can get a little tiresome for some it’s worth it! Now that social media is a huge player in the marketing landscape a brand can earn buzz fast.
You don’t even have to be on Tommy Hilfiger/ Gigi Hadid levels of grandeur to get a solid amount of buzz going around your clothes. A little press never hurt anyone. No matter how new you are on the scene if you have a creative idea to share with the world – share it.
The first time you might get crickets but you may also start a firestorm. (Click to Tweet). The only way to know is to try.
What do you think about NYFW?