You’ve seen fashion week on film from the eyes of Anna Wintour in The September Issue, designer Valantino Garavani in The Last Emperor and through the eyes of a fictional assistant in The Devil Wears Prada. Writers and bloggers tweet their experiences, glamorizing the event with references to the mythical and seemingly euphoric “tents.” While I love fashion week as much as the next editor and while it certainly is one of a few special moments that makes me feel fortunate, passionate and inspired to do what I do, I figured it was high time you see fashion week from the perspective of a writer sans chauffeur and company credit card. I chronicled my week – from shows, to shops, to meetings, to high holiday meals with my parents to give you a sense of how I operate during the most exciting and most hectic week of my professional year. The icing on top of the cake? This week just happens to fall on one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays of the year – did I mention my parents are Modern Orthodox, adorable and masters of Jewish guilt?
Thursday, September 9th: Fashion Week Day 1, Rosh Hashana Day 1
10:06am: Roll out of my childhood bed in the sunny Jewish suburbia of Englewood, NJ. Got to sleep late since I’m home for the holiday. Coffee mug glued to one hand, makeup brush to the other. I have to go through three cups since my parents only drink french-vanilla flavored drip (too sweet for my taste!). Getting ready for shul but treating my outfit like this prayer session is being held inthe main lobby of the tents at Lincoln Center.
11:30am: Take a seat next to my mother in shul – the older ladies a few rows over are not into the length of the slit in my dress or the height of my 6.5 inch wedges… sorry ladies!
1:30pm: LUNCH! They better feed me some Jewish comfort food this weekend if they expect to wipe the thoughts of the Fashion Week events I am missing from my mind. I start to remember the cycle of Jewish holidays that last longer than one day: eat, sleep, repeat.
10:30pm: Finish dinner and family bonding over an exciting game of Bananagrams. Begin writing my ABC’s of Fashion’s Night Out for this here online publication.
2:32am: This task was definitely a case of biting off more than I could chew…
3:14am: Finishing that article felt like crossing the finish line of a mental marathon. Bed time.
Friday, September 10th: Fashion Week Day 2, Rosh Hashana Day 2
11am: Walking to synagogue, hiding behind my sunglasses. They are a veritable do-not-disturb sign at a time where all I can think about is how editors, bloggers, buyers and fellow stylists are taking their seats at Rag & Bone SS11. I have decided that if there is a God, he is bound to give me major heavenly points for how happy it is making my mother that I have managed to make it to prayers on time and dressed appropriately two days in a row.
2:04pm: Sitting down to lunch at a family friend’s house – brisket, curried cauliflower, kugel, gefilte fish, homemade challah. I am going to have to buy clothes in a size up after this weekend, which hurts double time when I consider the teeny tiny models strutting down Jason Wu’s SS11 show taking place right about…now.
9:32pm: Sipping homemade espresso martinis with a friend from high school. Trying to drink away my sorrows that this holiday has kept me from attending Fashion’s Night Out.
10:30pm: After one too many sips…”What’s Fashion’s Night Out?!”
11:00pm: The drunken Jewish guilt sets in that my parents may or may not disown me for my having to head back to New York smack in the middle of Shabbat. Being disowned does not sound like too much fun; then again, missing the handful of shows I have lined up for tomorrow sounds like death by Jewish suburbia.
Saturday, September 11th: Fashion Week Day 3, Shabbat
Outfit du jour: Leopard-print shirt dress, black rope belt, Cambodian bamboo bangles, gold and wood beaded chain necklace, opaque black tights, six-inch black suede wedges.
8:00am: Alarm goes off. Must pack up, shower and prepare for the long day ahead. NEED CAFFEINE.
9:48am: Trying to brush off the look of disappointment my father sent my way when he left for his third consecutive day of shul. Walked myself to the bus stop in suburbia only to realize there are no express buses running today. The only bus I could take to Manhattan will get me in too close to my first show of the day – Jill Stuart at noon. More annoyed with the fact that my parents live a mere twenty minutes out of New York which somehow turns into a two hour extravaganza on local public transportation.
10:00am: Make the executive decision to call in reinforcements – a.k.a. an exorbitantly priced car service – I ask him to meet me at Starbucks. He knows which one it is because – shocking, I know – there is only one Starbucks in my parent’s hometown.
10:19am: Iced-Quad-Venti-Skim-Latte in hand, I hop into my car and am back on schedule. I guess I am semi-chauffeured…
11:30am: Arrive to check-in at The Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for Jill Stuart SS11. The crowd attempting to form a line at the check-in desk resembles more of a mosh-pit than a fashion frenzy. After a not so nice back and forth with someone cutting in front of me in a semi-violent manner, I sighted six-foot-something, fellow stylist Andrew Mukamal who had just finished working on styling Kimberly Taylor’s SS11 Presentation. He informed me that the designer (whose parents are religious Sephardic Jews) scheduled her presentation pre-fashion week to avoid high holiday scheduling conflicts. I could not narrow down whether it was Andrew’s height or his fantastic handbag that was working to his advantage in the check-in line, but he managed to reach his seating assignment far before I did. I joined him just as some Kel on Earth fans spotted him and asked for a photo – could you blame them? He looked spectacular!
12:30pm: Front row at Jill Stuart: Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Brad Goreski, Nigel Barker and Jay Alexander. Collection exudes some Chanel SS09 references…
12:53pm: Visit a friend backstage as he loads in for his 2:30pm Yoana Baraschi Presentation. Pop over to the Studio for what became one of my favorite shows of the season – Prabal Gurung.
1:24pm: Prabal Gurung is a GOD! One of my icons, Rachel Zoe, is seated front row.
2:16pm: Taking my seat at ADAM SS11. I am seated next to the buyers for Intermix; definitely interesting to see the difference in how they watch shows versus how I take the designs in.
3pm: Take a peek at Yoana Baraschi’s Presentation in the micro-venue IMG has appropriately named The Box at Lincoln Center.
8:20pm: Pop into the Whitney Eve Presentation at 1Oak before running to a friend’s birthday celebration in the West Village.
Sunday, September 12th: Fashion Week Day 4
Today’s Look: Camel knit high waisted trousers, vintage black blazer with leather lapels, black wedges.
1:45pm: Meet up with my friend, Sarah, at our local Starbucks on our way to Rebecca Taylor SS11.
2:30pm: Sarah, looking great in army green skinny cargoes, a black and white striped top and a leopard fur stole gets her photograph taken for a Japanese newspaper and a New York Times blogger as a street style highlight of the day!
6:00pm: Rain is totally throwing off my plans for my evening ensemble, throw caution to the wind and wear a short skirt and suede despite the weather report for Erin Fetherston‘s show at Milk Studios.
7:15pm: Sipping a glass of champagne at my seat pre-show. There are orange gerbera daisies on every chair and the sounds of birds chirping being played to compliment her show’s theme, Birds of Paradise.
Monday, September 13th: Fashion Week Day 5
Today’s Look: Black pantsuit, gold chain necklaces, white v-neck silk crepe top.
6:30am: Caffeinating while getting dressed.
8:00am: Interviewing makeup artist Napoleon Perdis backstage at the William TempestSS11 Presentation at The Box.
8:50am: Sneaking a peek of the collection before running to work.
Noon: In Barney’s shopping for an upcoming commercial job.
3:30pm: Finishing the day with a shop at Bergdorf Goodman.
4:12pm: Jetting to Chris Benz’s Presentation.
5pm: Made it to Chris Benz with a half hour left in the presentation! Loving how sophisticated yet fresh his look is for Spring 2011.
6:23pm: Celebratory pomegranate margheritas at Rosa Mexicana with my friend Andrew, who helped produce the presentation.
8pm: Round two of margheritas with my dear friend Erin Phraner at MxCO on the Upper East Side. Erin is interviewing me for a piece she is working on about what fashion industry members eat during fashion week and what I think the perfect Fashion Week cupcake would taste like. I suggest saffron and high quality dark chocolate.
Tuesday, September 14th: Fashion Week Day 6
DAY OFF!!! Wishing I was at Rodarte and Vera Wang but loving the R&R.
Wednesday, September 15th: Fashion Week Day 7
2:13pm: Shopping at Bloomigdale’s for the commercial I am working on next week. Hoping to finish in time for Marchesa’s presentation in Chelsea at 3:30pm.
3:45pm: Hopping on the insanely long check-in line at Marchesa SS11.
4:11pm: Grab a glass of Moet and make my way around the presentation. These gowns are breathtaking, definitely classify more than most as wearable art.
5:30pm: Meet Amaya Maurie of The Cool Kid List at our equivalent of Central Perk, Think Coffee to debrief Marchesa and indulge in a Spanish Latte.
Thursday, September 16th: Last Day of New York Fashion Week
Today’s Look: Cloudy grey tiered asymmetrical ruffle skirt, black drapey cropped front top, black suede wedges.
10am: Prepping fitting for upcoming commercial. Color coding racks, unpacking messenger shipments, steaming, etc.
3:23pm: Head home to write a few pieces for Jewcy’s Fashion Week.
6:25pm: Stop at personal shopping client of mine to prep her for the Rebecca Moses SS11 show. We make quick decisions and get her into hair and makeup so that I can head to the Naeem Khan show.
7:02pm: Literally run to Naeem Khan due to how late I am. Show up within two minutes of the show starting incredibly out of breath. My co-workers and I get seat upgrades last minute since the weather as made it hard for many to get to the show on time. We check whose seats we have been moved up to – together we are Vogue, W, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar Korea.
7:45pm: Finish Naeem Khan’s show which was themed “Miami on my Mind.” Zip over to L.A.M.B.
8:15pm: Front row at L.A.M.B. – Debby Harry, Gavin Rosedale, No Doubt and designer Gwen Stefani’s children. The show’s music is so fantastic my friends and I are dancing in our seats.
8:45pm: Gwen does a full walk down the runway rather than the typical shy wave designers typically give their audiences. This show instilled convictions I’d formed as a serious No Doubt fan/child of the 90’s – Gwen Stefani is one.sick.bitch.
9:45pm: Toast the end of Fashion Week with friends and co-workers with a dry n’ filthy martini at Amber, a small sushi joint blocks from Lincoln Center. Exhausted, drained and looking forward to doing it all again in February for Autumn / Winter SS11.
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