The Daily Show: Ears Edition - New York Fashion Week: Why Do We Celebrate This?

Episode Date: September 12, 2022

It’s New York Fashion Week, the semi-annual event where designers show off their collections so that fast fashion can decide what to steal. Desi Lydic recounts how Fashion Week became the staple it is today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Comedy Central. It's New York Fashion Week, the semi-annual event when designers show their collections to the world, so fast fashion brands can decide which styles to rip off. But unlike Wet Subway Seats, Fashion Week hasn't always been in New York institution. It's had a long walk down the runway to get where it is today. It all started in France in the 1600s, which might not surprise you, but back then, Paris was very much not known for fashion. The French were about as stylish as a crock wearing a fanny pack.

At that time, Madrid was actually the fashion capital of the world, and thanks to their tiny tapas, they could actually fit into all the sample sizes. But everything changed for France when Louis XIV was kingified. Louis turned France into a major power and he wanted the threads to show it. For him, fashion was essential to the monarchy's prestige. I mean, no one wants to be executed by a guy wearing cargo shorts. Louis's obsession built up France's fashion and textile industry and soon turned Paris into the world center of fashion, which by default made it the world center of cocaine and

bitchy gossip as well. It was under Louis that France established the idea of showing fall designs in the spring and spring designs in the fall. So you can thank him for that trendy coat you're wearing in August. Ooh. Who knew faux-fer was so hot? France continued to dominate the fashion industry for centuries, until World War II, when Paris was under German occupation.

This grinded their fashion influence to a halt because A, no one could come to Paris to shop, and B, Coco Chanel was too busy banging Nazis to make any clothes. I know, terrible, right? But no matter how many times I remind them of this, the boutique still won't give me a discount on a classic flat bag. But Paris's defeat turned out to be a win for the American fashion industry. The US seized on the opportunity to fill that gap quicker than a Forever 21 dress falls apart in the laundry. In 1943, America held the first fashion week,

or as it was known then, press week. Started by a publicist Eleanor Lambert, it launched the careers of designers like Hattie Carnegie, Norman Rell and Clare, whose claim to fame was inventing sportswear. And by, and by, and by, I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I the sportswear, I the sportswear, I their, I their, I their, I their, I their, I th, I their, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, their, their, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, too, too, too, too, tooe, tooea, tooea.eaugh, tooe, tooea, tea, tooe, thea, tooe, tooe, the McCartell, whose claim to fame was inventing sportswear. And by sportswear, I mean any casual clothing. Not the a athesleasur that you wear, even though your main exercise is getting a caramel frap in the Starbucks drive-through.

Three, four, five, oh, woo, woo! This tank fit is tough. Before Press Week, magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar were really all about European designers. They treated American designers the way they treated the Kardashians in 2010. They ignored them. But once Press Week started, they treated American fashion like, well, the Kardashians now.

She said she'd eat poop to look good. Should I eat poop? No. New York Fashion Week became such an institution that fashion capitals like Paris, London, and Milan soon added their own versions. And they continue pushing the fashion envelope to this day. You could only get away with severed heads in Milan. If that was on a New York runway, everyone would just assume it was th. it th. th. to look it to look it to look it to look it to look it to look it to look it to look. to look. to look. to look. to look. to look. Should it to look. Should it to look. Should it to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their p. Should. Should. Should. Should. Should their their their their their treat. Shea pupooooooooooooooom. Should. Should. Should treat. Should. Should tipo. Should. Should. Should tipo. Should. Should. Should. Should. Should to this day. You could only get away with severed heads in Milan. If that was on a New York runway, everyone would just assume it was another murder.

As time passed, New York Fashion Week became home of so many seminal moments. Like in the 50s when James Galanos popularized feminine glamour. Or Adolfo, who gained fame in the 60s for his emphasis on accessories. And in the 70s, Norma Kamali introduced the sleeping bag coat. Although, if you just wear your kid's sleeping bag, it looks almost as good. As styles changed, so did fashion week itself. In the 70s and 80s, it turned into a non-stop party. As styles change, so did fashion week itself. In the 70s and 80s, it turned into a nonstop party.

Shows were held at nightclubs and celebrities started attending. By the early 2000s, celebs had become a permanent mainstay. Sarah Jessica Parker, Paris Hilton, everyone was there. And that Hollywood glamour is still present to this day. But what was Larry David doing in the front row? He looked so miserable to be their their their their their their their their their their their their..... their their their. their. th. th. th. to be to be to be tho. to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to to be to to to to to to to to to too. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. to stop. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. to. to. toe. to. to. toe. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to.our is still present to this day. But what was Larry David doing in the front row? He looked so miserable to be there, he should have been on the catwalk. Through the years, Fashion Week has had different homes in the city, from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center.

But the most important place it's moved to in recent years is the same place you get all your porn. The Internet. Shows started live streaming and designers began inviting bloggers and influencers to events. This all democratized fashion and made it more accessible to the public. Or at least that's what I tell my therapist when we're working through my online shopping addiction. I'm broke. New York Fashion Week hasn't just reflected the changing technology. It's also held a mirror up to society. From designers responding to the Me Too Movement, to to to to to the to the the to the the to bloginging bloging bloging bloging bloging to the the the the the the the the the bloging blog, blog, blog, blog, blog, the the the thi bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging bloging blog. their, their, their, their their their the changing technology. It's also held a mirror up to society, from designers responding to the Me Too movement,

to the ongoing fight for more racial diversity on the runway. New York's been the site of progress for trans models, disabled models, and body positivity, which is kind of the least the fashion industry could do after telling women not to eat for the last 100 years. So now you know everything about the the and how it came to be and how it's changing for the better. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some poop to eat. Here we go. Watch the Daily Show, Weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast.