No Agency Is Quitting New York Fashion Week

"Well, not exactly quitting," No Agency clarifies, "but going forward we won’t be accepting any payment for NYFW shows." Making the announcement via independent New York newspaper, The Drunken Canal, the modeling agency explained the decision to forgo compensation as a part of a larger effort to help revitalize the scene and combat the "WME/IMG’s sportified BMW FW on the AppleTV MADE Channel" that NYFW has become.

Considering that No Agency came up at time where new labels like Hood by Air and Eckhaus Latta were making fashion feel fresh, edgy and exciting again, it makes sense that they would want to do everything in their power to preserve that same energy and according to founder Alex Tsebelis, the models they work with agree.

"In removing the financial component from the equation, we get to keep the most important piece for us and our clients; the power to say 'No,'" the agency writes. And while this doesn't preclude any of No Agency's talent from appearing in NYFW shows altogether, the aim here is to prioritize creativity and emerging designers over profits. “They are all excited to work on their friends’ shows for trade, and pleased to not have to worry about shows, castings and fittings for things that were less exciting," Tsebelis tells Dazed.

Ultimately, No Agency hopes this new approach will lead to more meaningful collaborations with the brands they do end up working with and foster a healthier creative environment for the local fashion community. "New York has enough verve, passion, and vision to bring back the kind of Fashion Week we all would love to be a part of. Till then, we’ll take an I.O.U."

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