By Ellen Wulfhorst NEW YORK (Reuters) – Fashion followers and fans descend upon New York this week for shows by designers – from edgy newcomers to influential veterans – who say, despite its faults, Fashion Week is key to sartorial success. The semi-annual fashion spree has faced a growing chorus of criticism over its role and relevance in the industry, yet thousands of designers, stylists, editors and photographers make the trek to runways in New York to unveil, assess and promote the newest looks. “Fashion Week has become this massive, massive thing, and it’s outgrown its traditional boundaries,” said Eric Wilson, fashion news director at InStyle magazine. “It’s a question of how it’s going to manage its growth at this point.” Fashion Week years ago assembled a small set of intimate shows reserved for top store buyers and fashion editors.
