New York Fashion Week: What Does it Cost?

From the clothes, to the lights, to the celebrities, New York Fashion week grabs your full attention, but what many do not think about is what it takes to put the production together.  The cost of putting New York Fashion Week together is not set in stone, and there is a lot of variation in expense. Designers and brands have to pay for things like the venue, styling, production, hair and makeup, models, livestreaming, and sometimes even celebrities.  The cost of each of these elements varies greatly, and it can depend on many factors such as how much the venue owner, producer, or model wants to work with a designer or brand.

The Theater at Lincoln Center is New York Fashion Week's largest venue.  This venue can cost $15,000 for the hub and upwards of $60,000 for the stage.  Other venues that are less central can cost less, and custom spaces can cost even more.  The cost of a venue at New York Fashion Week simply depends on location.

 

 Lincoln Center

The stylist a designer chooses to use depends on preference.  A designer may use a stylist they have known and worked with, some may use an in-house stylist, and others may style a show themselves.  Each of these options will cost significantly less than if a designer uses a top-tier stylist, which can run them $8,000 a day for ten to fourteen days.  A stylist less in demand will run around $10,000 for the whole job.  

Production costs are usually around $10,000 to $20,000, depending if the designer is on retainer with the firm.

Typically, 10 to 20 models are required for a show at New York Fashion Week, depending on if models wear more than one look.  The cost per model can vary quite a bit from $150 from smaller companies, to $200 to $500 for larger companies.  The cost can rise even more for international brands with a range of $800 to $1,000.  Designers will spend a very big chunk of money on models for their show, especially as the number of models increases.

Designers paying celebrities to sit front row has become a much less common expense since it is not a necessity.  That being said, if a designer did want to pay a celebrity to sit "FROW", the cost could range from $15,000 to $100,000 depending on the celebrity, how famous, how well he/she represents the brand, and if he/she is attending other shows, among other things.

Livestreaming is a newer concept that allows many more people to watch from home.  Sometimes it is included in show packages, but if not, designers can expect to pay anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000. 

An interesting point is that, even with all of these expenses, designers catch a break when it comes to hair and makeup.  Hair and makeup services often do not need to be paid for.  Sometimes, beauty companies will actually pay designers for the honor of being chosen to be the hair and makeup sponsor for a show.  Designers can make $5,000 to $15,000 in this case.

All of these elements for a fashion show at New York Fashion Week add up quickly, and an average price is around $200,000!  However, the cost for the whole production, everything included, can vary greatly, as mentioned.  Each element of the show has a range in price, and the expenses are dependent on so many factors.  To give you an idea of how much the cost can differ, Marc Jacobs' fall 2011 show cost at least $1,000,000! 

 

 Two pieces from Marc Jacobs' Fall 2011 collection

To reflect on this, I believe that the cost of running a show at New York fashion week is outrageous.  However, fashion is an institution, and it requires constantly new and innovative ideas.  Fashion is always changing, and what better way to present fresh ideas than with an expensive production that millions of people can see (thanks to livestreaming).  While expensive and maybe excessive, Fashion Week is an excellent platform for designers to show us what they've got!  I certainly enjoy seeing the clothes that come down the runway.  Fashion week serves as a platform for designers and buyers, employment for many stylists and models, material for fashion bloggers, and a destination for all things fashion.