Celebrities

Fashion Show in New York Leaves Office Workers Fuming

Fashion Show in New York Leaves Office Workers Fuming
Published 1 years ago on Sep 19, 2023

Willy Chavarria, who is also the Senior Vice President of Design for Calvin Klein, hosted his eponymous fashion line's show in the marble lobby of the Woolworth Building, drawing an audience that included celebrities and fashion VIPs. Julia Fox, Dascha Polanco, Evan Mock, Moses Sumney, and Richie Shazam were among the attendees. 

Willy Chavarria’s NYFW show was at the famed Woolworth Building.

While the show dazzled the fashion world, it disrupted the daily routine of office workers based in the building, leading to frustration and anger. The building, like many others, has faced challenges in the wake of the pandemic, and it reportedly leased the lobby to Chavarria to generate revenue.

According to insider sources, the elevators in the Woolworth Building were intentionally turned off from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. during the prime hours when office workers typically leave their desks. This left many tenants, some located as high up as the 27th floor, stranded and unable to exit the building. Some were even forced to navigate dozens of flights of stairs to reach the ground.

A representative for Chavarria claimed that the elevators were only disabled for the approximately 15 minutes the show lasted. However, tenants and insiders dispute this, asserting that the elevators remained out of service for a more extended period.


Prior to the event, the building management had sent emails to office tenants informing them of the elevator outage from 4 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. on the day of the show, with the service elevator allegedly available for use. However, this solution was considered impractical by some, given the number of workers affected.

While office workers were left disgruntled, others unrelated to the situation were pleased with the show's outcome. Chavarria's collection, named "New Life," received accolades from Harper's Bazaar, with the publication describing him as "the beating heart of American fashion."

Fashion VIPs at the show included Julia Fox.

Despite the positive reception, the disruption caused by the event has led some office workers to consider potential legal action, as they believe their rights were infringed upon by the building's management.


The concerns of office workers

The concerns of office workers include the following:

  • The extent to which the disruption caused by the show interfered with their ability to work
  • The adequacy of the measures taken by the building management to ensure that they could exit the building during the show
  • The availability of alternative solutions to help them exit the building during the show
  • The impact of the disruption on their health and well-being
Sources told us that workers in the building had to trudge down the stairs when the show took over the property’s lobby.

Potential legal actions

Office workers may be entitled to the following legal actions:

  • Negligence: The building management may be liable for negligence if they violated the rights of office workers.
  • Breach of contract: The building management may have breached a lease agreement with office workers.
  • Consumer protection laws: Office workers may be entitled to certain consumer protection laws because they are consumers.

The cost of the show to the building management

The cost of the show to the building management is estimated to be in the tens of thousands of dollars. This includes the cost of renting the lobby, paying for the models and other performers, and providing security.

Either way, the show — attended by Dascha Polanco — got raves from the fashion press.

The impact of the show on the building management's reputation

The show has had a negative impact on the building management's reputation. Many people have criticized the management for its handling of the situation, and some have called for a boycott of the building.

The impact of the show on the fashion world

The show has had a mixed impact on the fashion world. Some people have praised the show for its creativity and originality, while others have criticized it for its disruption of the daily lives of office workers.

Conclusion

Willy Chavarria's New York Fashion Week show was a significant event that had a number of impacts. The disruption caused by the show was significant, and the building management's response was inadequate. Whether office workers are entitled to potential legal action will depend on the specific circumstances of each case.

Comments (1)

  • JAMES JONES

    The fashion show was organized by a well-known fashion brand. The brand has apologized for the disruption, and it has offered to compensate office workers for their lost time

    29.09.2023 12:12
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