Visions Of Meryl Danced In Our Heads

The fashion industry isn’t happy about losing Bryant Park:

The landlord-tenant dispute between Bryant Park and IMG, the owner of New York Fashion Week, looks increasingly likely to end with the eviction of the event from its Midtown home. The likelihood has left the fashion business grappling with the reality of a move to smaller quarters for the fall 2007 shows in February.

Lincoln Center is one replacement that has been explored, with disappointing results: tents on opposite sides of the New York State Theater with a winding corridor between would require guests to walk the equivalent of a city block between shows.

And looking at a conceptual drawing of what the runway shows would be like at Lincoln Center, as opposed to Bryant Park, is like comparing a studio apartment with a classic six. Even on paper, the layout is cramped, weirdly shaped, lacking closet space and hardly conducive to an ambience of luxury.

“Nothing else is as good,” said Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, who said she has written to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg asking him to intervene to keep the shows in Bryant Park, at least until a viable alternative can be identified. “The fashion industry should be taken seriously. The mayor should give us the respect we deserve.”

Location Scout: Bryant Park.