Is New York launching a men's fashion week?

According to a report published in WWD, the Council of Fashion Designers of America is sizing up a standalone men's fashion week for the Spring/Summer 2016 season, set to take place next July. 

The CFDA are apparently toying with the idea of a first independent men's fashion week for next July. Currently the city's menswear designers show their collections at the same time as the women's fashion weeks held in February and September. 

"There are still a lot of boxes that need to be checked, but we have tentative dates for July of ’15 to be the first one," Steven Kolb, chief executive officer of the CFDA, explained to WWD.

The dates reportedly being touted include July 20 to 22, when the Project, Liberty, MRket and Capsule trade shows are also going on in the city. This would move the Spring/Summer New York menswear shows forward in the calendar from their usual slots mixed in with the womenswear schedule, and would then line them up with the buying schedule with that of the Milan, Paris and London shows. 

It's a bold move, but following the successful relaunch of the London Collections: Men, which saw the successful establishment of separate menswear shows in the UK capital ahead of Milan men's fashion week and which has helped boost the city's menswear sales, it looks like it might be a strong play. Brands likely to be affected include Rag & Bone, and this year's CFDA winners Public School.