The semi-annual fashion event, New York Fashion Week, which showcases international fashion collections to buyers and the public, concluded on Friday.

The fashion show featured pieces from popular designers and artists. Some designers featured in the show included Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang and Tory Burch.

Allyson Kramer, a sophomore fashion merchandising major, said that fashion week is designed to help people better understand the industry as a whole.

“The point of fashion week is to expose you to the entire process. It exposes you to trade and work ethic, and teaches you that you need to have an eye for the company you’re working for,” Kramer said.

Kramer said her favorite collection from the show was a utilitarian line by designer Proenza Schouler.

“I was really intrigued by the Proenza Schouler Collection. The entire look reminded me of a Russian winter. It was very utilitarian and it was just something different that I was not expecting to see in a time that is very minimalistic; it was not at all minimalistic. There were lots of colors and lots of layering,” Kramer said.

Hayden Flanders, a sophomore fashion merchandising major, said that fashion week is an easy way for multiple designers to come together.

“Fashion week really brings everyone together. I personally love street style and street fashion; that’s really something that I am passionate about. It’s really amazing how easily we can be inspired by it. A lot of the market now is being on social media, and being able to see what people are wearing on the streets,” Flanders said.

Flanders said he especially enjoyed a line by designer Tom Brown this year that combined classic looks with modern day fashion.

“Tom Brown had a really awesome concept of bringing fashion from the 1920s and making it have a current modern day look. He kept that classic look, but reiterated it to this idea of how to bring different eras of fashion into modern day trends. I thought it was so genius,” Flanders said.

Flanders had the opportunity to attend New York Fashion Week in person last year and has since started a blog to keep up on the latest fashion trends.

“As a fashion blogger, I started to really immerse myself in my blog over the past few years. Being able to view the shows as a blogger instead of an intern, I am able to focus around the aspects of social media and marketing. This really allows me to get a different perspective,” Flanders said.

Each day of New York Fashion Week, different fall and winter collections are shown from a variety of designers.

Alyse Rohloff, a junior public relations major, got the opportunity to attend fashion week in person this year.

“I got the chance to work with a fashion public relations firm called Agentry Public Relations. I reached out to the company through email, and asked if they needed more volunteers. I sent them my resume, and they said they would love to have me come,” Rohloff said. “My experience was so amazing. It was literally the best thing I’ve ever done. I’m so happy I did it. I was really scared to do it, because it was something I did totally by myself.”

Rohloff said she was inspired after attending New York Fashion Week for the first time.

“I was inspired in a couple ways after leaving fashion week. First, this experience made me know for sure that I want to do fashion public relations work. Second, I also was inspired because I went there by myself, and it proved that I could do it on my own,” Rohloff said.

Kramer said that a main point of New York Fashion Week is to allow people to better understand what it takes to be successful in such a competitive workplace.

“Fashion can seem like a really glamorous industry. But, if you really are passionate about it and you really want to be successful in your career, you have to also understand humility,” Kramer said. “It’s not just about wearing metallic mini skirts or a bedazzled one piece, you need to have a really incredible work ethic as well.”

Taylor Pierce is a fashion reporter for The Kent Stater, contact her at [email protected]