New York Fashion Week is just a few days away and aside from the usual anticipation for the shows and the new venue at Lincoln Park, there’s more to look forward to this year – NYFW has gone hi-tech! When you think of fashion week, you think of trends being made but fashion has long been a bit of a lagger when it comes to technological developments. Following the lead of other industry trade events (and even some fashion tradeshows) NYFW is using an electronic check-in service.
If you’ve been to NYFW then you know the chaos that is the scene inside the tents. Before each shoe a mass of people crowds a small table while young publicists with giant stacks of paper and post its go through the manual, tedious process of checking people in. The women at the shows may be dressed like ladies, but be warned, don’t try to get in the way of someone trying to get her seating assignment. Hell hath no fury like a woman cut off inside the tents!
This year, attendees will have 3 ways of checking in: (1) press credential; (2) seating assignment and bar code; or (3) bar code. Ideally, the process should be seamless but since it’s the first time the electronic system is being used to check in, there will doubtless be delays as users get accustomed to the new system.
Though it hasn’t started yet, NYFW has been much easier to manage already with electronic RSVP. Of all the designers showing at Lincoln Park, over 80% are using the electronic rsvp system. (Wall Street Journal, Sequins Fur & Barcodes, Ray A. Smith). This means fewer invites to have to lug around and fewer emails to send out. I won’t be attending this year and have other writers attending in my stead so I won’t know first hand how the check in progress goes, but I’m eager to speak to people who attend this season to see how it all pans out. It’s good to see progress and I’m glad that the fashion industry is playing catch up with the rest of the world!
