Young designers fill the void of missing heavyweights at New York Fashion Week

For newbie fashion week presenters like Mohamed ElMadawy, the absence of big brands has opened up a huge opportunity. Photo: Instagram/@elmadawynewyork

With almost no live audiences and few major names, New York Fashion Week, which opened Sunday (Sept 13) in a city that was ravaged by the pandemic, is not giving up – and is trying to help American designers survive an unprecedented crisis.

Don't bother looking for Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger or Ralph Lauren, regular heavy-hitters on the lineup. They did not attend this fashion week, which lasted only three days, from Sunday evening to Wednesday.