By Josh Williams and Heather Grossmann
DNAinfo Reporter/Producers
BRYANT PARK — Fashion enthusiasts mourned as the final curtain fell on Fashion Week at Bryant Park on Thursday following a 17-year run.
In the fall, the show will move to its new home at Lincoln Center.
“I’m going to be sad because I won’t be able to stalk celebrities anymore,” said Jeanine Sabatino, of Queens, who's an office manager in the area. “Bryant Park is a good location because it's near the fashion center. I don’t think it's [the move] going to turn out too well.”
Actress Reshma Shetty of USA Network's "Royal Pains" was also skeptical about the move.
“I like this venue, and it's great it's in the fashion district. It’s kind of an icon, so we’ll see what happens,” Shetty said.
Danielle Pinten, a fashion student who said she's been coming to the shows for four or five seasons, thinks the switch will make a big difference — not necessarily a bad one.
“There’s so much history behind Bryant Park and Fashion Week,” Pinten said. “Who knows, though. Fashions change so maybe this change will be for the better as well.”
Actress Veronica Webb agreed, saying “Bryant Park is a lot of fun under the big top, but Lincoln Center has a more natural way to handle the crowd, so I think it's going to be a lot more comfortable.”
Self-proclaimed portrait photographer Carrie Murray, who has made a practice of standing at the back entrance of the Bryant Park tents to photograph exiting models and celebs, is worried that he will have a harder time at the new location.
“I get free access to all the models here in Bryant Park. At the Lincoln Center there is going to be much more security," Murray said. “After working here for days you get to become intimate with the models. As a photographer, you can build a relationship with them and they now stop and pose because they recognize you.
“Going to the Lincoln Center sucks.”
