CHI ZHANG (2017)

When it comes to New York Fashion Week, loft space is so two seasons ago. The annual event may be primarily set downtown, but the allure of a unique, off-site venue has driven many designers across the city and over to the West Side. Fashion innovators have made their way over to—and made a statement at—the Intrepid Museum. In this Passion for Fashion series, we're taking a look at some of our favorite jaw-dropping fashion events.

Known for his avant-garde fashion concepts, designer Chi Zhang made his New York Fashion Week debut in a dramatic runway that spanned the Space Shuttle Pavilion, a setting chosen for its coordination to the theme of Zhang's line. "The clothes, however grand and playful, had a focus on the current happenings of night culture as well as the endless possibilities of space travel (ergo, space museum)," Zhang said in an interview with Women's Wear Daily.

Guests were greeted in the Welcome Center and then ascended to the flight deck, where they marveled at the glittering skyline and vintage aircraft collection. At the end of the flight deck, the Space Shuttle Pavilion provided a warm welcome to guests, who took their seats along the exhibition walls. The models made their way from the Great Hall on the ship’s gallery deck and into the Pavilion using a convenient stairway adjacent to the flight deck. The Great Hall provides easy access to the Shuttle Pavilion and other venue spaces within the ship, making it an ideal holding space for models and talent. Drawing from the theme of "endless imagination," the space shuttle Enterprise made a lasting impression and helped create an unforgettable evening filled with unique and creative designs from an up-and-coming designer.