New York Fashion Week Trends Invade Iowa City Previously, New York Fashion Week would have taken years to hit the midwest, but this year, fashion is spreading faster than ever and the runway styles are already trending in Iowa City. New York Fashion Week took over mid-September and introduced styles that showed off 1960’s and 1970’s practicality. While Iowa City is certainly not known as the fashion capital of the world, these accessible looks might lead to a reflection of NYFW on the Iowa City streets. Revival owner and founder Sheila Davisson believes, “Iowa City has always been a fashionable place.” However, she also acknowledges that fashion statements are more simplistic due to midwestern practicality that resonates with Iowa City citizens. University of Iowa Fashion Management Club president Mariah Jones describes Iowa fashion as much more comfortable and conservative than other parts of the country. Students that fill the college campus also grasp on to the practicality of fashion. University of Iowa student and fashion blogger Christina Greiner states: “If I could wear heels every day, I would. But that’s just not practical when I have to walk miles to class and sit in classrooms for hours.” These wants and needs are responsible for the midwest’s take on fashion: it must be coredriven, comfortable, and practical. However, Iowa City puts a twist on midwest fashion by being a liberal and artistic college town with varying age groups and international influences. “The community is very open minded,” says Sheila Davisson. Will Iowa City accept this year’s New York Fashion Week looks? “People will definitely pick up on it. It is easy and wearable,” says Sicily Store Manager and Assistant to the Owner Lindsie Mairet. “I think that anyone that owns a pair of sneakers can essentially look like Fashion Week,” states Christina Greiner. She goes on to say the looks presented at New York Fashion Week are “so easy to recreate!” Fashion Week presented the world with trends that incorporate practicality and accessibility, much to Iowa’s liking. Military jackets, jean skirts, turtlenecks, sneakers, denim, and color were set for this fall’s trends, and they are something much more simple than New York Fashion Week has presented before. The looks presented at New York Fashion Week also included pieces that are much more timeless. Lindsey Mairet says, “There is a big difference between something thats going to be trendy for just a season versus what we try to bring in, which is something that is trendy but is always going to be in your closet.” Local fashionistas believe this timelessness will inept more people to take part in the trend. While fashion starts on the runway, the trends either storm the fashion industry or disappear based of the area’s acceptance of the look. “I feel like the environment you are in really shapes your personal fashion,” says College Fashionista Style Guru Hannah Frey. Iowa City’s collective approval or disapproval will play a big factor in New York Fashion Week’s success.

Local boutique owners share that they need to consider how national trends are perceived when buying merchandise for their store. “We look for something completely different. The owner has her own style she brings to the store, but she also looks for very wearable items for Iowa City,” explains Lindsie Mairet of Sicily. Lindsie goes on to say, “You have your target market that you need to provide to, but we have European designers available so we want to bring in new styles and different items.” Not all fashion styles work with every person, describes Revival owner Sheila Davisson. Different body shapes and sizes play into what trends are flattering, and often times, what becomes most popular. This year, the runway made serious changes in model casting. Fashion Week welcomed more diversity in regards to race, size and ability. “I think this will really open up people’s minds more to fashion and the runway,” Mariah Jones responds to the new era of models. Autistic teenage girls were given the ability to storm the runway, along with handicapped women, women with skin pigmentations, and women with other characteristics that are not often seen in models. Plus size models are also gaining popularity in runways. “This really makes fashion more open to the general public. It takes away the ‘oh I could never wear that because I am not a size 0’ mindset,” says Hannah Frey. She continues, “If everyone looks the same, it only shows that your clothes work on one type of person.” New York Fashion Week presented vital differences in this year’s runway from the wearability of the designs to the diversity in models presenting the looks. These key differences make fashion much more accommodating, especially for the midwest region. Will Iowa City grab on to these looks? The consensus from Iowa City fashionistas is yes— be ready!