Bad News: Mercedes-Benz Threatens To Cut Ties With NY Fashion Week

When you think of Fashion Week, you think of the ultra-chic pioneers of the industry.

But in recent years, New York Fashion Week hasn't been frequented by fashion's most Elite, nor by Hollywood A-listers.

After the event moved from Bryant Park to the less swanky and much more mainstream Lincoln Center in 2010, it's become home to a wide array of fashion bloggers, aspiring photographers and general fans of chaos.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, however, the fashion world may be seeing a shift of circumstances.

Rumors are swirling that Mercedes-Benz, NYFW's sponsor since 2009, may be cutting ties with NYFW-run IMG, which would be a huge loss for the event and for IMG.

Though nothing's been confirmed yet, IMG is reportedly already in talks with other brands to take over sponsorship of the weeklong event.

It's strange to think that NYFW and Mercedes-Benz, two names so intrinsically intertwined in the fashion world, could soon be torn apart.

But, why the split?

IMG's decision to move NYFW to a new, downtown location in September 2015, has raised lots of eyebrows.

Many of the most notable A-list designers who choose to show in NY -- Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta, to name a few -- already pick locations outside of Lincoln Center.

While it's not a blatant f*ck you to the venue of choice, it's clear to see there's a stigma surrounding Lincoln Center.

At this point, Mercedes has declined all opportunities to comment, yet IMG told The Hollywood Reporter:

Mercedes-Benz is a valued global partner of ours across fashion, sports and several WME-IMG properties, including Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York, where they remain our title sponsor.

While it's unclear how this will end -- with a mending of fences or with a rupture of relationships -- a Mercedes-Benz pull-out is a huge scare for IMG, and the fashion realm in general.

Citations: Hollywood Reporter