New York’s new Governor Kathy Hochul sat front row at New York Fashion Week last night, and used the opportunity to announce a partnership between New York State and NYFW aimed at bolstering the fashion industry after the economic upset of the pandemic.
The 36-year-old politician, who last month replaced her old boss Andrew Cuomo in the state’s top job, snagged a seat of honor at Prabal Gurung’s show in Battery Park — which the state offered up for his use, free of charge.
Speaking to Vogue at the event, Hochul said she appreciates how Gurung creates clothes for women who are powerful but still feminine — something that resonates with her.
‘We can dress up and celebrate what makes us unique but also have our proper place in the worlds of power, whether it’s in politics, whether it’s in the private sector, non-profits — wherever,’ she said. ‘Women need to step into the space that is rightfully theirs that has been denied them far too long.’
New York’s new Governor Kathy Hochul sat front row at New York Fashion Week last night, wearing a dress by designer Prabal Gurung
She announced a partnership between New York State and NYFW aimed at bolstering the fashion industry after the economic upset of the pandemic
This is Hochul’s first New York Fashion Week as governor, a position she ascended to on August 24 after Cuomo’s resignation amid sexual harassments allegations
This is Hochul’s first New York Fashion Week as governor, a position she ascended to on August 24 after Cuomo’s resignation amid sexual harassments allegations.
Hochul embraced the ongoing event by going to one of the week’s top shows — and announcing how the state is teaming up with NYFW to help the fashion industry get back on its feet by offering the use of state-owned properties for fashion shows.
New York has over 200,000 fashion industry jobs, which make up six per cent of the state’s workforce. But with nonessential business closures and COVID fears in the past year and a half, the $11 billion industry has faced lost revenue, layoffs, and store closures.
‘We all know that New York State and New York City were the epicenter of this pandemic, and usually the independently strong and powerful fashion industry doesn’t need any help from the state because they just blossomed,’ she told Vogue.
‘They are world renowned, everyone knows them and just looks to New York City for inspiration in fashion, the newest, most innovative ideas. This is where all the eyes of the world are when it comes to fashion. But the pandemic knocked us back on our heels.’
Gurung held his show at Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park, which was offered up for use by the state for free
The outdoor venue, which has incredible views, is part of the state’s effort to help boost the fashion industry
Hochul said this will ‘let the rest of the world see’ that this is New York’s way of saying: ‘We are back. Watch out world, we are back.’
But even as the industry suffered, she said, they chipped in to help fill the PPE shortages in hospitals at the beginning of the pandemic.
Gurung was one of those designers, joining the ranks of Louis Vuitton, Christian Siriano, and Brandon Maxwell. He also partnered with The COVID Foundation to donate and deliver 2,000 N95 respirator masks to New York hospitals.
‘They were really on the front lines of saving people during the pandemic because hospitals were desperately in need of these products,’ said Hochul. ‘They could retool instantly and were so passionate about the ways they could give back’
The Governor said it is important to her both as both a leader and a woman to celebrate the fashion industry by helping it rebound and showing it appreciation for how so many helped during the pandemic.
Hochul said she appreciates how Gurung creates clothes for women who are powerful but still feminine — something that resonates with her
‘We can dress up and celebrate what makes us unique but also have our proper place in the worlds of power, whether it’s in politics, whether it’s in the private sector, non-profits — wherever,’ she said.
‘Women need to step into the space that is rightfully theirs that has been denied them far too long,’ she added
To that end, New York has partnered with NYFW: The Shows to provide the use of Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park downtown and Moynihan Train Hall in midtown for designers to stage their fashion shows for free.
Gurung’s show was the first to use one of the locations, while Cynthia Rowley will use it later this week.
Hochul says both spots offer beautiful, iconic New York City backdrops to ‘showcase the magnificent talents of New York fashion designers and let the rest of the world see it and let them know that this is our sign, our way of saying: “We are back. Watch out world, we are back.”‘
‘Fashion is part of our identity as New Yorkers,’ she said. ‘As the Governor of New York, I can’t let anything happen to our reputation on my watch! I want to make sure that we continue to allow this fascinating, one-of-a-kind industry to flourish. ‘