The "American Collections Calendar" Is Here, and We Can Expect to See NYFW Runway Shows

As the official chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Tom Ford has announced the "American Collections Calendar," which allows for a more flexible show schedule, so designers can reveal their new lines at any time — specifically, on the CFDA's virtual platform Runway360. The "American Collections Calendar" will be released twice a year, and you'll see brands on the list under release dates that do not fall within February's pre-determined New York Fashion Week (February 14 to 17). Christian Siriano, LaQuan Smith, Prabal Gurung, Coach 1941, and Oscar de la Renta are among the fashion houses showing before or after the official NYFW dates.

Many fashion forces such as Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch, and Ralph Lauren have already chosen to show later in the season, without confirming exact dates, although a spokesperson for Tory Burch did suggest Burch will show after Paris Fashion Week in March in a statement given to WWD. NYFW: The Shows, which is run by entertainment brand IMG separately, is still supporting designers through lookbook shoots, live-to-tape runway shows, and more, with a centralized location of Spring Studios, for in-person events.

"The 'American Collections Calendar' is really going to bring all the American shows and presentations together in that calendar. The heart of the 'American Collections Calendar' will always be New York Fashion Week. This is not about dismissing or abandoning NYFW. NYFW is the heart, it's the soul, it's the foundation of this new modern way of thinking which is really reflective of how the business is operating today," Steven Kolb, chief executive officer of the CFDA, told WWD of the newly formatted schedule, which was officially released to the public on Feb. 4, 2021.

Kolb confirmed the CFDA conducted a study several years ago on the future of Fashion Week, in which it was determined that fashion designers should debut collections whenever is best for the brand, from a business perspective. While the designers showing Feb. 14-17 are listed below, there are also some shows you'll see on the outskirts of those four days, and plenty new, on-the-rise brands to check out if you're looking for emerging talent. Get the full rundown ahead, and click over to the CFDA's site to read more.