Nowadays, affluent shoppers and luxury travelers are looking for more than standalone luxury hotel rooms or designer high-ticket items. It’s all about the experience, with luxury brands consistently coming up with new ways to cater to their target audience.
This year, luxury travelers and shoppers have been spoilt for choice, with a number of hotels and renowned fashion names joining forces to offer their clientele a truly unique experience. Some collaborations even led to the release of limited-edition items, such as the Dior Beverly Hills Book Tote for their summer collaboration with the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. Speaking with Dukes Avenue, New York Times best-selling author and producer Melissa Rivers believes such items are “the new ‘souvenirs’ of a trip.”
However, the year is not over yet. September 7th marks the start of New York Fashion Week 2023, and with it comes an exciting collaboration between Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, IMG, and Proenza Schouler. Here’s what fashion lovers can expect.
Waldorf Astoria Collaborates with IMG and Proenza Schouler
IMG produces NYFW: The Talks each season, an event that has since become a highlight of the NYFW experience. NYFW: The Talks comprises a series of intimate chats and panel discussions featuring renowned fashion designers and industry leaders.
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, a global leader and innovator in the luxury hospitality sphere and known for its world-class service and unforgettable experiences, has announced a first-time sponsorship with IMG for the event, which is set to take place from September 9 to 13, 2023. NYFW: The Talks will occur on Sunday, September 10, at 4 p.m. at Spring Studios.
This year’s attendees can take part in a salon-style talk titled “From Destinations to Design: Travel’s Influence on Fashion” featuring panelists Dino Michael, senior vice president and category leader, Hilton Luxury Brands, and Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, founders of Proenza Schouler.
VIP guests of NYFW 2023 can also enjoy visiting the Waldorf Astoria branded lounge throughout the week at Spring Studios for an elevated beverage experience, offering signature cocktails featured at Peacock Alley, a hallmark at Waldorf Astoria properties across the globe, and light canapés, with seating and decor reflective of the brand’s signature-refined aesthetic.
In addition to participating in a curated NYFW: The Talks and as part of the collaboration, Proenza Schouler will present a look inspired by the ‘Waldorf Astoria woman’ in the brand’s Spring/Summer 2024 runway show. The collaboration further positions the award-winning hospitality brand at the forefront of innovation and at the crux of culture and fashion.
Additionally, the designers will design a limited-edition throw blanket exclusively for NYFW: The Shows VIP guests.
This collaboration marks a milestone for both Waldorf Astoria and Proenza Schouler as they merge their expertise and creativity to create a one-of-a-kind experience for fashion and travel enthusiasts alike, all while weaving together their shared values of elegance, authenticity, and inclusion. As Proenza Schouler’s first luxury hotel brand partnership, the collaboration will showcase a fusion of high fashion with the luxury hotel brand’s refined, sophisticated style.
The Participants Share Their Thoughts
Speaking about the collaboration, panelist, senior vice president, and global head of Hilton Luxury Brands Dino Michael says, “As Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts embarks on this exciting partnership with IMG for NYFW 2023, I’m confident we will contribute to the larger conversation surrounding the worlds of fashion and hospitality in a truly remarkable and meaningful way. I personally can’t wait to see how Proenza Schouler interprets Waldorf Astoria’s timeless elegance on the runway, and I’m equally excited to take part in the NYFW: The Talks to further showcase how Waldorf Astoria is a global pillar of culture and sophistication.”
“Waldorf Astoria is an iconic brand and symbol of luxury, and we were thrilled to create this partnership between Waldorf Astoria and Proenza Schouler this season,” said Kim FastingBerg, EVP of Marketing,
WME Fashion – the longest-running talent agency that counts IMG as part of its portfolio. “The worlds of travel, hospitality, and fashion are inextricably linked, and we couldn’t think of a better foray into fashion than NYFW: The Shows.
Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler say, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts on this special collaborative project that brings together our shared sensibilities and our mutual commitment to luxury while exploring Waldorf Astoria’s iconic heritage through the prism of our very own Proenza Schouler language.”
Who Are Proenza Schouler?
Proenza Schouler is a New York-based womenswear and accessories brand founded in 2002 by designers
Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. The duo met while studying at Parsons School of Design, eventually collaborating on their senior thesis, which became their first collection as Proenza Schouler. Named after the designers’ mothers’ maiden names, the collection was bought in its entirety by Barneys New York.
Proenza Schouler makes luxury fashion for the intelligent, adult urban woman of today. Their collections are generally defined by Jack and Lazaro’s use of fine, luxury materials, consistently infused with a marked sense of effortlessness and ease.
Proenza Schouler has played an important role in invigorating American fashion. The brand won the inaugural CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Award and has won five CFDA Awards, including Accessory Designer of the Year and Womenswear Designer of the Year. Proenza Schouler has a flagship boutique located at 121 Greene Street in New York and is sold in over 350 doors worldwide.
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts – The Inspiration Behind the Look
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts is a portfolio of more than 30 iconic properties that create a unique sense of place with a relentless commitment to elegant service, one-of-a-kind experiences, and culinary expertise in landmark destinations around the world.
Inspired by their timeless environments and sincerely elegant service, Waldorf Astoria hotels deliver an effortless experience seamlessly, creating a true sense of place for guests through stunning architecture, iconic Peacock Alley, refined art collections, and elevated in-room amenities.
In addition to the brand’s world-class hotel offerings, Waldorf Astoria boasts a global residential portfolio that provides the comfort of a private home combined with unsurpassed amenities and high-touch service. Waldorf Astoria is part of Hilton, a leading global hospitality company.
With the combined creativity, expertise, and vision of Waldorf Astoria, IMG, and Proenza Schouler, NYFW 2023 is set to be an unforgettable event that pushes boundaries and sets new standards for luxury and style. The array of exclusive experiences promises to be a celebration of artistry, sophistication, and the vibrant spirit of those who love fashion.
Sarah is a syndicated freelance writer and editor of Dukes Avenue. She founded Dukes Avenue in 2018 as a creative outlet while working at a London hedge fund. What initially started as a small blog has become a widely read luxury lifestyle online publication targeted at the modern woman, with content curated to inspire readers to live their best and most fulfilled lives. Sarah has lived in London, Malta, and, most recently, the United Arab Emirates and uses her travels and experiences to inspire much of the content.
