Maggy Frances

It might be early to call designer Maggy Schultz a bonafide garmento. But seams seem to run in her genes, as the progeny of a mother who was Mickey Drexler’s right-hand-woman at GAP, and a father who co-founded Urban Outfitters. Despite her parents’ Garment District backgrounds, they initially disavowed Maggy from joining the retail industry (“maybe because it’s a tough industry”) but this independent thinker pressed on, launching her first collection of pattern-focused, sharply tailored basics earlier this year. We chatted with her about launching her own line, and that time she stood up to Mickey Drexler.

First, Chris Benz announced that he'd be sitting out the Fall 2013 shows. Soon after, Peter Som decided to forgo the traditional runway for one of KCD's nifty digital fashion shows, following in the footsteps of See by Chloe and Pierre Balmain, amongst others. Then last week's Wall Street Journal article about designers forgoing New York Fashion Week hit the real nerve, highlighting several up-and-coming (as well as established) labels choosing not to stage runway shows or presentations. Suddenly, it's okay—even respectable in certain circumstances—not to show at Fashion Week.