PROJECT NEW YORK TO PREVIEW MEN’S CONTEMPORARY AND GENDER-FLUID BRANDS

by John Russel Jones

Informa Markets Fashion’s PROJECT New York will offer retailers, buyers, and, for the first time ever, consumers the opportunity to connect fashion and culture, discover new trends, and access opportunities to network and exchange ideas. Set in New York City next Monday and Tuesday, July 18-19, the event is strategically designed to elevate the conversation of men’s and gender-fluid fashion. Hosted at Iron 23 (29 West 23rd Street), the event will feature 70 domestic and international brands.

“PROJECT New York reflects how fashion is a conduit to community and expression within the men’s and gender-fluid categories,” said Edwina Kulego, Vice President of International and Business Development at Informa Markets Fashion. “Every designer selected to showcase their collections at our upcoming July event either has played a significant role in shaping the industry as it exists today or is introducing new approaches to weaving community, culture, and fashion.”

Exhibiting brands will include IRO Paris, American Trench, Chelsea Gray, One DNA, Paraboot France, Sonyeo[n], Laropa, Le Bonnet, Ron Dorff, and CLosed. In addition to wholesale, immediates will be available from DL1961 Premium Denim, Kuwalla, Satorisan, and Wax London. The lnforma Markets Fashion for Change (IMFC) Incubator Program, created to elevate and support new design talent for minority-owned brands, will also make its Manhattan debut this season, welcoming Todd Patrick (Booth #204) and B|M|C (Booth #216) to the show.

Debuting for the first time this season, PROJECT will showcase Art, Artists, and Artisans, a pop-up retail store that will be the first to open its doors to the public adjacent to a trade environment and be a  point of discovery to shop leading menswear brands where fashion inspiration meets art inspiration. The store is curated by Maurizio Donadi and will feature Transnomadica, Jeff Hamilton, Homegrown, Vintage Heavy, Mitchell & Ness, and other top brands. There will also be a Golden Meteors Pop-Up featuring the latest in self-care products available for purchase throughout the show.

Event Highlights include a Fireside chat on gender fluidity in fashion on Monday from 4:00 p.m. to  5:00 p.m., featuring Kulego, Rob Smith, Founder of the Phluid Project, and Travis Weaver, Founder of One DNA Clothing, and discussing key themes of genderless fashion. A PROJECT x NYMD Fashion Presentation will take place at the PROJECT New York Opening Night Rooftop Party starting at 6:00 p.m.

Interested retailers and buyers are encouraged to register here, or here for press.