Fashion weeks gets underway here in New York today but, even before one model could place a stiletto on a crisp white catwalk, the mood was bittersweet. That's because this week will be the final time the collections will be unveiled in the Bryant Park Tents. Bryant Park management had long been locking horns with fashion week producers, complaining that American fashion's biggest spectacle was growing too large and restricted public access to the park. In September, the shows will move to Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park, a venue that can better accommodate the twice-annual event. The shows have been held at Bryant Park since 1993 catapulting more than a few designers' and models' careers and fostering many more memories. Several fashion insiders took the time to reflect recently and the Tents will be adorned with their quotes. Here, a preview: "I began modeling in 1965 when there were only shows in Paris. When Bryant Park started, fashion became a world event. It was exhilarating." -Lauren Hutton "Bryant Park became the beacon of what New York fashion stands for-an industry that's fearless, tireless, and always moving forward." -Anna Wintour, Vogue "Bryant Park became the heartbeat of fashion twice a year... we will miss it!" -Diane von Furstenberg "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is when all of New York comes together to shine a light on its family of designers. We share a runway, a calendar, an audience-and of course, the spotlight. As a result, it has given us a world presence. There's no better way to support our industry than when we stand together as one." -Donna Karan "I'll always have fond memories of the Tents in Bryant Park, it was one of the earlier highlights of my career." -Gisele Bündchen "I propose that a plaque be mounted in the park as a legacy: 'The Bryant Park Tents 1993-2010 branded New York as the indisputable Fashion Capital of the World.'" -Tim Gunn
"We just rolled our racks over from our office like a big caravan... the simplicity of it will be missed."-Anna Sui "The first real show I ever had was here in Bryant Park. Now, there's nothing that makes me more excited/nervous than seeing the Tents rise twice a year." -Cynthia Rowley "I've spent hours in the Tents working as a model with some of the icons of American fashion. Showing my collection on the same runway was surreal-humbling and honored are the words that come to mind." -Erin Wasson "Style, fashion, and the Tents, now part of the folklore history of New York City." -Norma Kamali And, finally, this from the woman who organized it all.... "The Tents at Bryant Park succeeded and triumphed beyond my wildest expectations. I am so proud of how they became the lightening rod for fashion in America." -Fern Mallis, IMG Fashion
