New York Fashion Week (NYFW) was once centered around iconic venues like the Tents at Bryant Park and later Lincoln Center, where the fashion industry's elite gathered for meticulously planned runway shows. For years, these venues symbolized the heart of NYFW, offering a controlled space for designers to present their latest collections in front of press, buyers, and celebrities.
However, the move away from these centralized locations has had a broader impact on the fashion industry. As NYFW became increasingly decentralized, with shows taking place in rooftops, warehouses, and city streets, the cohesion that once defined the event began to weaken. The shift toward more obscure and diverse locations may have allowed for creative freedom, but it also reflected deeper changes within the industry.
This decentralization parallels a broader decline in New York's fashion sector. The city employs about 50,000 fewer people in fashion than it did a decade ago, with further job losses forecasted in the coming years. Completion of fashion degrees and certificate programs also dropped by 30% between 2016 and 2022. Moving away from the iconic venues may have contributed to the industry's fragmentation, making it harder for designers to connect with key audiences and for the industry to maintain its previous momentum.
While innovative presentations and alternative spaces have kept the event fresh, they come at a cost. The lack of a unified venue can create a disjointed experience, where the focus on unique settings sometimes overshadows the clothes themselves, diluting the collective energy that once made NYFW a central event in the global fashion calendar.
Photographer Morgan Miller, in a fashion editorial for IRK Magazine, has captured the absurdity of this decentralization. His work highlights the extreme shift by showcasing Fashion Week in the streets of New York, hallways, and various unconventional locations. Through his lens, Miller presents models becoming visibly exhausted as they navigate these chaotic spaces, making a pointed commentary on how the decentralization has stretched the limits of both fashion and practicality. The editorial reflects the increasingly fragmented nature of NYFW, where the focus sometimes drifts away from the clothing itself to the environments and the toll it takes.
IRK: How do you approach creating a narrative within a single image or a series of images, especially in fashion photography?
Miller: I often tend to think back to old Hollywood , silent films , how to engage and tell a story without the most obvious vehicles of verbal communication. The next thoughts are to simplify and complicate things at the same time by taking away the motion. It is a fun challenge that I think is at the core of why photography is special and still relevant.
IRK: How do you choose your equipment, and how important is it for a photographer to be technically proficient with their gear?
Miller: I find that every camera, light and lens company creates an image with its own personality or look , it becomes a question of what is the best match and yes the better you know your gear the more seamless and direct the creative process becomes in my opinion.
IRK: Fashion photography involves collaboration with models, stylists, and other creatives. How do you ensure that everyone’s vision is aligned on set, and how do you create a comfortable environment for your team?
Miller: It always tends to be a circus to some degree, even when everything runs smoothly, and thats ok, its truly a collaborative art form. Communicate, share images, inspirations and ideas work with kind, talented and creative people as much as possible
IRK: How did you develop your unique style, and what advice would you give to emerging photographers who are trying to find their voice?
Miller: My style came from a mixture of looking at the work of very early fashion photographers and watching a lot of movies growing up , matched with idea of telling a story without moving frames , and i've also always loved the idea of easter eggs so I always wanted images that people can find more in them the more they look.
IRK: How has the rise of social media platforms like Instagram influenced your work and the fashion photography industry as a whole?
Miller: That's a double edged sword that I often have mixed feelings on, in theory , small , low res compressed images, as an artist that is not ideal, but exposure and access is at the other side of it. Social Media as a whole has changed almost everything for artists, it has become the central crossroads of people finding and consuming created content and will be for the foreseeable future.
IRK: How do you balance the technical aspects of photography with the creative and artistic side during a shoot?
Miller: I'm not sure , I just do, it becomes a dance with how far you can push the gear and what it can capture.
IRK: Your recent shoot for IRK Magazine, is a parody on New York Fashion Week. Can you share your creative process behind that project and what inspired the concept?
Miller: Fashion Week in NY has become decentralized, it used to be concentrated in its home base, the Tents and it was a big thing in NY. In those days it used to be a bit of a creative gimmick for attention or a scrappy way to show as a new upstart , to have your show in a more obscure location, now it is the norm. It has gone to the extreme in many cases and this shoot is a commentary on that.
IRK: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career as a fashion photographer, and how did you overcome them?
Miller: With the increased power of digital camera phones everyone thinks they can do it themselves and the value of the photographer artist is diminished. In reality they are pressing a button, and the software is making many of the creative decisions. In the creation of imagery there is a difference and the artist is more than just a technician pushing a button. I try my best to convey that.
IRK: What has been the most rewarding aspect of your journey as a fashion photographer?
Miller: To me, it is painting for the lazy people and art for people who like physics and now technology.
IRK: How do you see fashion photography evolving in the coming years, and are there any trends or changes that particularly excite or concern you?
Miller: Still photography in many ways is now obsolete, you can take an amazing high resolution still from any high end competent motion rig. However photography has a magic to it and I feel that it is becoming like Vinyl Records to streaming, it's a different flavor and experience for those who get it.
IRK: What key advice would you give to someone aspiring to enter the world of fashion photography today?
Miller: What should they focus on to build a successful career? Find a style and voice that is you, a visual language that is recognizable as your own, master that, shoot a lot, make mistakes, have fun, be both determined and considerate.
Dress, purse, and shoes by Gucci.
Photographer: Morgan Miller @morganmillerphoto
Models: Kenna Mallory @kennamallory1
Paulina Breanne @paulinabreanne
Creative Director & Stylist : Richard Oliver @richardoliver.photography
Shoot and Styling Assistant: Caoimhe Cullen @q.ueefa
Hair: Vanessa Contreas @lovebeautyhair
MUA : Nathalia Morales @beautybynatym
Cleansing twice a day especially after sweating or exposure to pollutants, helps keep pores clear and skin fresh. Always pat dry JJ Brothers with a soft towel to avoid irritation, and follow up with moisturizing to lock in hydration.
Hiring a professional gutter cleaning service ensures that your gutters are Gutter Cleaning Service in Etobicoke in Burlington free from obstructions and functioning efficiently preventing potential damage and costly repairs.
These professionals use keyword optimization, content creation, and backlink strategies to increase organic traffic. In a bustling city like Lahore, where businesses SEO Expert in Lahore are highly competitive, SEO experts provide essential services to help companies stand out.
When using these platforms, filter results based on location, materials, and minimum order requirements. Reviews and ratings how much is 1 kilo of gold worth from previous clients offer valuable insights into a manufacturer’s reliability quality and timeliness.
In terms of appearance they are virtually indistinguishable from natural diamonds lab grown diamond ring nz with the same clarity, brilliance and hardness ensuring they are just as stunning in any setting.