Google is expanding its New York Fashion Week offerings this season. In addition to streaming 30 shows live on YouTube, a 17% increase from last year, the tech giant is also partnering with brands to bring on-the-spot Fashion Week coverage to Google+.
Beginning at 1:15 p.m. ET Friday, Teen Vogue beauty director Eva Chen will be hosting a Google Hangout on startup Lyst's Google+ page before fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff's show at Lincoln Center. Between four and five people, all pre-screened, will be invited into the Hangout to pose questions to backstage makeup and hair artists as well as Minkoff herself. Chen will moderate and also ask questions e-mailed in to [email protected] ahead of time.
Lyst will host another Hangout at 6 p.m. ET Saturday ahead of Tibi's show. Chen will again moderate. In addition to backstage makeup and hair stylists, Chen will also interview Tibi designer Amy Smilovic and Man Repeller fashion blogger Leandra Medine.
Since the Wi-Fi is notoriously bad at Lincoln Center, Lyst will be using an Ethernet connection from IMG to host the Hangout. Google staffers will be on-hand to help with technical support, a Lyst spokesperson said.
Beyond the live Hangouts, Lucky Magazine editors and outside contributors will be uploading images to a live slideshow on its Google+ Page, and Vogue Paris is creating and sharing short, animated GIFs from Fashion's Night Out on its page.