New York Fashion Week came to a close last week, and while fashion month rages on in London, Milan and then Paris, I’m still reflecting on the amazing experience I had in NY.
Here are my top 10 takeaways from what I learned, observed and participated in during NYFW.
1) Style is karmic.
When you have a large group of people confined to a small space, all sporting their finery, communal bonding will inevitably occur. To an art connoisseur it’s like being in a room full of people with Picasso’s draped from their arms, Dali’s strapped to their chests and da Vinci’s sitting atop their heads. I can’t tell you how many friends I made and connections I formed simply by admiring someone’s outfit. I also firmly believe it’s the reason I was asked to fill in a front row seat from my standing room only position.
2) NYFW is a lot like Vegas.
You will barely eat, sleep or remember to hydrate, and when you do it will likely be a glass of wine at 1am. A 10am wake-up call will seem impossible and you’ll spend your day constantly trying to keep up with your schedule, but instead of pool, show, dinner, club, it will be Lincoln Center, Designer’s Loft, Chelsea and back to Lincoln Center. In heels.
3) Location is key.
If you are coming to NYFW from out of town, try to stay as close to Lincoln Center as possible. As noted above, you’ll be running around like crazy, many times during weekday rush hour. It’s nice to have a home base close by for a change of clothes, a quick nap or just to recharge. Plus, for the shows that aren’t at Lincoln Center, Chelsea is a quick zip away.
4) The nuts and bolts of getting in to NYFW.
I was surprised by the number of people who thought you had to purchase really expensive tickets to get into NYFW shows. Show tickets are free, but they are difficult to obtain. To get tickets, you have to contact each individual designer via their PR firm and request an invite. It’s extremely important to provide a compelling reason for why you deserve a spot at each show in your request. Another option is to apply for press credentials. This doesn’t guarantee tickets to any shows (although as press you’ll likely be invited to a few) but it does provide a list of the correct people to contact for which to request invites.
5) Arrive early to shows.
If you have a standing room only “seat”, you will have to line up outside the venue and wait for those with seats to get situated before your section is allowed inside. To ensure a great standing room spot, arrive early. The line fills up fast. Or, if you have a designated seat, arriving early provides for some excellent street style watching and photo ops.
6) Pre-show etiquette.
If you are in the standing room only line waiting for the doors to open, don’t cut the line. And don’t snake your way little by little to the front of the line. We know what you’re doing. It’s not cool at Starbucks, it’s not cool at Disneyland and it’s not cool here. And when the doors open, don’t run. This is a professional event – keep it that way.
7) Runway show photo etiquette.
No, it is not okay to use an ipad to take runway photos, even if it’s an ipad mini. Nor it is okay to reach around the person sitting in front of you, so much so that your armpit is resting on top of their shoulder, just to snap a photo. Saw it, lived it, hated it. Also, unless you’re in the press bay, keep your photo snapping to a minimum. I get that everyone is excited, but you don’t need 30 blurry runway photos of one outfit for Instagram. In today’s world we often forget to do one extremely important thing – live it. Live it through your own eyes, not the lense of your phone.
8) The perception of fashion bloggers at NYFW.
Do fashion bloggers belong at NYFW or not? There are two schools of thought on this, which can be eloquently summarized here and here. My take? I worked really hard to give an honest, compelling reason for why I should be allowed to take up precious real estate at a show. It was the choice of the designers and their PR teams to say yes. And since they said yes, I showed up, documented, shared, and reviewed as quickly and professionally as possible. I LOVE this. It’s in my blood. I am a direct consumer of their end product. As a direct consumer, I ensure their end goal is realized – a sale is made and the outcome is shared across a larger platform.
9) Pack a survival kit.
At all times you are going to want the following things on you: extra cell phone battery/charging station, hand sanitizer, Band-Aid’s, lip balm, wet wipes, business cards, granola bars, gum and a pen. Bag lady!
10) People are truly friendly.
It’s a small world. We saw the same guy every single day we were in NY, not just at shows, but during meals and other outings. Like Comic-Con or any other convention, it’s a week of like minded individuals crammed together in the same place. People want to help. They want to connect. Listen, learn and reciprocate the good will. I made some great friends.