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New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning seven to nine days when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general public.

Internationally, most business and sales-oriented shows and some couture shows have taken place in New York City since 2010. The emphasis, however, has perennially been financial. New York’s LGBT fashion design community contributes very significantly to promulgating fashion trends, and drag celebrities have developed a profound influence upon New York Fashion Week.

• In 2001, “7th on Sixth” was sold to IMG. The exhibition was canceled in September 2001 in light of the September 11 attacks. The 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred on what should have been the fourth day of NYFW. The exhibition they were having to feature a maternity designer was canceled as well as all remaining events .
• In 2007, Mercedes-Benz became title sponsor of the IMG-produced events, adding New York to its roster of international “Mercedes-Benz fashion weeks”,and dubbing it “MB Fashion Week New York”.
• In 2010, IMG/Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York left the Bryant Park tents, relocating to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
• In September 2011, New York designers began live-streaming runway shows, in order to reach a greater audience. The following London, who began in February 2010. Streams were originally offered on YouTube, and later on other sites.
• In 2013, IMG and its New York Fashion Week events were sold to William Morris Endeavor (WME) and Silver Lake Partners for $2.3 billion.
• In 2014, the CFDA acquired FashionCalendar.com from Ruth Finley. The company had managed it (originally in the paper, then in digital format) for more than 60 years.
• In January 2015, Mercedes-Benz announced its departure as title sponsor from WME/IMG’s events. Producer Kanye West announced he would gladly take over sponsorship of the event.
• In March 2015, WME/IMG announced that it had acquired MADE Fashion Week, which takes place during WME/IMG’s events.
• In 2015, IMG’s events were moved from Lincoln Center to Spring Studios.
The primary location for New York Fashion Week is Spring Studios at 50 Varick Street in Lower Manhattan. Locations have included a waterfront carnival, converted railway terminals and a former post office.

Other notable events
In February 2014, Dr. Danielle Sheypuk became the first wheelchair-using model to appear in a show for New York Fashion Week; she modeled for designer Carrie Hammer. In September 2014, Karen Crespo became the first quadruple-amputee to walk at New York Fashion Week, also for Carrie Hammer.

On December 12, 2014, a New York state court approved a settlement in a lawsuit by community activists over whether allowing the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week tents in Damrosch Park was a violation of the public trust doctrine. In accordance with the settlement, the City of New York, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts agreed not to renew their contract with IMG. As a result, the February 2015 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week was the last one staged in Damrosch Park.

In 2014, New York State passed legislation designating models under the age of 18 as child performers, restricting the hours they can perform and requiring additional documentation.

Actress Jamie Brewer became the first woman with Down syndrome to walk the red carpet at New York Fashion Week, which she did for designer Carrie Hammer.In December 2015, the CFDA announced that it had hired the Boston Consulting Group to study revising the format of New York Fashion Week to adapt to changes brought about by social media. One option being explored is to bifurcate the event, with private showroom appointments of next season’s designs for buyers and public fashion shows displaying in-season merchandise for consumers.The first New York Fashion Week dedicated menswear shows, called “New York Fashion Week: Men’s”, were produced.

The season ended with a number of designers either experimenting with, or planning to adopt, a “see now, buy now model”, with items available from the runway immediately after (or even during) the show, rather than six months later.