Last week marked one of the fashion industry's biggest events: New York Fashion Week. What was once a glamorous and coveted event is now struggling to match European counterparts in terms of cohesion and prestige.

With its declining participation from major designers, NYFW has come up with a creative solution to bring new designers to the stage. The CFDA, the official organizer of New York Fashion Week (NYFW), rolled out a reimagined fashion week taking place in stages, aiming to make venues more accessible to designers, creating a free network of venues allowing designers to showcase their work and pool resources.

With consumers losing interest in luxury brands, NYFW is shifting to accommodate consumers' tastes and use its platform for fresh ideas and innovation. There is now an opening in the market for emerging fashion entrepreneurs to showcase their unique work and gain more visibility.

I asked our PR & growth experts: How might fashion entrepreneurs leverage this shift in NYFW and maximize their audience reach? Should emerging brands focus on targeting niche audiences or aim for larger audiences, as seen in NYFW?

Here are the experts' insights.

• Dominate a segment
• Build authentic scarcity
• Stay true to a niche aesthetic and tap into mainstream exposure
• NYFW's restructured venues provide an invaluable large-scale platform
• Maximize NYFW as a content engine
• Shared pop-ups or joint runway moments

Dominate a segment

Emily Reynolds-Bergh, Owner at R Public Relations

"Have you ever heard the saying, “there’s riches in the niches”? Young brands benefit from targeting a narrow audience, dominating the segment, and creating products that really align with their small audience’s taste. While the NYFW adjustments are certainly exciting and open to the doors to mid-sized fashion brands, small brands should continue to service their loyal audiences rather than splurging on a NYFW stage."

Build authentic scarcity

Gabriel Ciupek, Owner at Midwest Amber

"NYFW's fragmentation actually mirrors what I've seen work best in retail jewelry. When we started attending trade shows in Vegas and New York, we learned that being the biggest fish in a smaller, more targeted pond beats getting lost in massive generic events.

The key is leveraging NYFW's new accessibility to build what I call "authentic scarcity." At our jewelry shows, we bring one-of-a-kind pieces like our museum-quality wool fiber amber necklaces that literally cannot be replicated. Fashion entrepreneurs should focus on creating genuinely limited collections for NYFW—not artificial scarcity, but pieces that showcase unique craftsmanship or materials that larger brands can't mass produce.

Start with collectors and enthusiasts first, not general audiences. Our most profitable growth came from targeting amber collectors and people specifically searching for Baltic jewelry, not general jewelry shoppers. These niche buyers become your evangelists and pay premium prices because they understand the value.

Use NYFW's multiple venues to test different stories around the same core pieces. We've found that the same amber piece sells differently when positioned as "ancient fossilized resin" versus "sustainable natural jewelry" depending on the audience. Track which messaging converts at each venue, then double down on what works for your follow-up campaigns."

Stay true to a niche aesthetic and tap into mainstream exposure

Kate Ross, PR Specialist at Irresistible Me

"From what we’re seeing, the smartest emerging brands right now are doing two things at once:

Show up where your niche hangs out (small, tight-knit communities online and IRL) so you build an authentic fan base.

Use the NYFW spotlight as a megaphone to get that niche work in front of bigger audiences, editors and buyers.

Because NYFW is trying to democratize its stage, it’s no longer “either/or", you can stay true to a niche aesthetic and still tap into mainstream exposure. Pairing both gives you credibility and reach without losing your brand’s personality."

NYFW's restructured venues provide an invaluable large-scale platform

Joel Lim, Finance & SEO Expert at Becoin.Net

"The format change in NYFW presents very real opportunities for emerging fashion entrepreneurs.

With the central issues being accessibility and resource pooling, smaller labels can think about showcasing their creativity before being drowned out by legacy luxury houses.

They may need to consider a two-pronged strategy in order to maximize the audience reach:

Target niche audiences first.

By catering to very involved audiences whose values align closely with the brand itself be it sustainability, cultural heritage, or tech-integrated fashion—designers will create the first cluster of advocates who amplify their message.

Of course, word-of-mouth amongst niche audiences tends to be stronger and engagement rates are likely higher.

Leverage NYFW for its large platform.

Once a brand has created market space for itself, NYFW's restructured venues provide an invaluable large-scale platform for interacting with the press, influencers, and buyers.

So, NYFW sits at one end of a continuum ranging from grassroots brand loyalty to mainstream exposure.

Work the combination of exclusivity and visibility: own a niche community first, then take that view out into the megaphone of NYFW.

Because those brands that succeed are those that won't simply chase larger audiences but actually grow them through staying true to their founder's brands while leveraging the prestige and spotlight of NYFW."

Maximize NYFW as a content engine

Mimi Nguyen, Founder at Cafely

"The shift of the spotlight for NYFW could be a game-changer opportunity for new designer brands. However, in the fashion industry, I advise entrepreneurs to stop trying to be everything to everyone and focus on leveraging a brand's own niche. For example, if your fashion brand is all about sustainable fabrics in futuristic design, lean into that narrative for the NYFW instead of competing with big brand names. This is because fashion enthusiasts are more hooked on stories that create connection and inspire, also it covers deeper press coverage.

It's best for the attending fashion entrepreneurs to maximize NYFW as a content engine. For emerging designers, marketing is very important, and behind-the-scenes of NYFW would be the best content to capture, showcasing the creative process on media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and niche newsletters. At Cafely, I’ve seen firsthand how repurposing exposure into digital platforms can become an asset. For instance, when we highlighted my sourcing trips in Vietnam online, it helped us reach a new audience that we had never had before. Fashion entrepreneurs can do the same, use the NYFW to spark their brand’s story journey."

Shared pop-ups or joint runway moments

Angel Sanchez, Owner & Photographer at Wanderlust Portraits

"The opportunity with NYFW’s reimagined approach is to blend visibility with authenticity: emerging brands should absolutely target the niche communities that resonate with their story, while leveraging NYFW’s large cultural stage for broader reach.

For example, when I collaborate with up-and-coming designers, the strongest results happen when we craft visually distinct narratives for their micro-communities—think behind-the-scenes reels or “day in the life” stories tailored to TikTok or Instagram. At the same time, tapping into NYFW’s media partners with these personal stories often earns coverage outside the expected fashion echo chamber. By pooling resources at events like this, smaller labels can create powerful collaborations—shared pop-ups or joint runway moments—which helps them punch above their individual weight and attract diverse audiences. My advice: use the new NYFW access to show what makes your voice unique, but don’t be afraid to ride the mainstream stage for extra momentum."

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