New York fashion week is almost over, and it has definitely been the most accessible fashion week of all. For those of us who couldn’t make it to New York (and wouldn’t get seats for shows if we tried anyway), designers livestreamed the shows. Most houses used Twitter to get the word out about the streams, and some included comment functions on the streaming sites, so viewers could get in on the action. Other content has been doing this for a long time and some fashion designers have done similar things in the past, but this is the first time it’s been done so widely by the fashion world.
Besides the live videos, most shows were live tweeted from the front row by fashion editors and bloggers alike. When the lights went down at the Marc by Marc Jacobs show, the glow of cell phones could be seen, ready to capture photos and send out messages of delight at the runway attire.
The front row is no longer solely for celebs, socialites, and editors at glossy magazines. Famous fashion bloggers, who hold almost as much power as some of the editors, sat V.I.P. at shows. Tumblr got involved in fashion week, and sent 20 fashion bloggers to New York to cover shows. Fashion has been democratized, like everything else, through technology.
As someone who is an aspiring fashion writer, it was a thrill to get to be so close to the action via technology. The tools have been available, but they haven’t been as widely used as they were this year. Everyone can get in on fashion week if they want to now. While there’s no substitute for seeing the clothes in person, this is a pretty good alternative.
Jonesing for Fashion 
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