Brooklyn: BK Fashion Week May 5-7

BK Fashion Week(end) kicks off this week on May 5-7. The shows will take place in the Tobacca Warehouse in DUMBO. Big giant kudos to Rick Davy and Cybele Sandy (see image at left), who co-organized this event, which will feature 19 Brooklyn designers. Davy is quoted in The Park Slope Paper as saying that he hopes the show will produce the new Anna Sui or Ralph Lauren.

Well, from what I've seen on the Web site, there are a couple of designers doing cute things, though even still, I'll admit, my feelings on this event are mixed. While I admire the organizers' initiative and bravery in putting together the show, I don't know if this is the best way for a young designer to get attention. Especially if the label is more mainstream or, worse yet, not quite there yet in terms of a collection, then a show like this can be a drain on resources that would have been better used elsewhere or could result in a lot of discouraging poor reviews.

The reason I say this is because I remember an alternative fashion show for up-and-coming designers that used to run during New York fashion week in the mid-nineties. After the second annual show, I interviewed the East Village design team Kanae & Onyx for a story and they complained bitterly about what a waste of time and money the show was. Sure there were people and press there, and it was fun to watch, but it was badly disorganized and didn't lead to any orders. (Wow! Blast from the past! Here are some archived images of one of the Kanae & Onyx shows, which was held at Webster Hall.)

So yeah, while I'm sure the press will be there (it's invite only and not open to the public--who, after all, doesn't enjoy a fashion show, they're a total blast), but will it lead to more than a write-up or two? Will it lead to more orders than one could amass at a hot trade show at a much lower cost? I'm crossing my fingers for all the young designers that are pouring their hearts and souls into this effort.