The legendary NYFW tents are no longer. Many fashionistas, fashion press, buyers and any other Fashion Week guest most likely longs for the days of the gorgeous white tents in Bryant Park and then, more recently, in Lincoln Center. The dark and dreary Moynihan Station on West 33rd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues might be spacious, but it is over-the-top industrial looking. How could it not be? It is a place for mail trucks and sorting mail the rest of the year, LOL! Still NYFW still packs a wallop. There are less lounges, left gifts on the show seats (unless you are VIP enough to sit in the first two rows), and no giant bag of fashionista treats for paying the $115 to register. There is however, more invites to the shows thanks to the use of the Fashion GPS app, which sends registered NYFW fashion week guests invitations that they can RSVP with a push of a button.
I did many less shows than previous years, and every February (on Valentine’s Day to be precise), I fall in love with the good-hearted and glamorous nature of the Red Dress Collection show–not to mention all the famous ladies modeling the dresses (most of which can be purchased at Macy’s). Also know and American Heart Associations Go Red For Women, the show encourages donations to the AHA and many of the women in the audience are breast cancer survivors clad in red formal wear. (There is a special party for them afterwards.) This year, I was excited to see acting legends Marilu Henner, Fran Drescher and Florence Henderson strutting their stuff on the runway. Macy’s, the show’s major sponsor, has raised over $55 million for the AHA thanks to this yearly NYFW show and other charity events!
Always exciting are Anna Sui and Alexander Wang because of the rock and roll vibes of their shows. Jeremy Scott had very cutting edge play and work wear that you do not have to look like a model to carry off. (People in the first two rows of his shows got the stunning travel bag that he designed for Longchamps featuring a vintage pink telephone print!) Of course, anything Malan Breton and Reem Acra do are classic glamour to the hilt, so I will always advise Fashion Week newbies to check those two shows out if they want glitz to the max, including a wedding dress thrown in here and there.
There were less proper lounges than any previous NYFW week show I have gone to in my 25 years of attendance. I loved the Daily Lounge, which was held at least five years in a row and offered the latest in beauty services, but it is no more. I did get to go to a few great ones. One of them was the Angelo David Salon Get Gorgeous For NYFW, where editors and bloggers were treated to blowouts and manis. For a classy and chic salon on Madison between 48th and 49th Street, the prices are amazingly reasonable (a blowout is about $30 and a mani is $20) and their work is incredible. I had a blowout by Dion Moore (aka Dion Bubbles) and it lasted four days–and I was not careful with my hair at all. My mani by Marianna lasted a full week. For more info on this great salon, go tohttp://www.angelodavid.com.
The TechStyle NYC Lounge is one that has been around for a few years now and it’s fun to peruse the booths of anything and everything lifestyle related. I started off by drinking a little Blue Nun wine, then got a great brow wax from the Boom Boom Brow Bar, then I learned about the highly innovative Undo Labs–a company that has an innovative take on the plain old shoelace that actually helps lessen the carbon footprint (the reason I like them is because they clip together on the ends, preventing falls by someone clumsy like me, LOL). I was really thrilled to test out fabulous arm and leg warmers–as well as tights by nicepipes. These items were designed by a yoga instructor to wear before, during and after class. As for me, I would be happy to wear these under my clothes on super cold NYC days! I fell in love with Lose and Biotin vities by Hercules Vitamins (for more varieties, go tohttp://www.herculesvitamins.com)–I have been taking them both for the past ten days and am already seeing results! Maybelline had a lounge at Milk Studios which gave out tons of their latest products and there were free makeovers for NYFW attendees and American Express had lounges right at Moynihan Station which VIPS could use to hang out in between shows and have drinks and eats. Style Fashion Week was held at Gotham Hall for three days–there were shows all day long in this wonderful space which used to be a grand bank. Both the VIP and press lounges featured fun drawings, drinks and lots of mingling and passing around of business cards.
My favorite fashion week parties were actually not exactly connected to Fashion Week. One was a party Windstar Cruises had to introduce their new foodie cruises on ships that hold only about 300 guests–for that intimate yacht feeling. The party was held at the James Beard House and Beard Foundation affiliated chefs will be preparing the menus on the ships. The first Windstar culinary cruise will be in June to Morocco and Spain and photos I saw of the ships just knocked my socks off! I can’t think of anything more fun that eating my way around the world while hanging out on a beautiful deck and watching the sunset!
The Well & Good Event at the new Event Hotel on West 35th Street was fabulous–and healthy! This healthy lifestyle hotel put some of its greatest services on display for bloggers, including organic facials, meditation classes and oracle readings. Savory kale-based dishes were created from recipes in the Lean Mean Greens cookbook by legendary healthy chef, Candice Kumai, who was on hand to sign copies for the guests. Fabulous kale and organic gin cocktails were served. For more info on this fabulously modern midtown hotel, go tohttp://www.eventhotels.com.
I always enjoy getting a mani and makeover at the Caravan Style Studio who hosts editors every NYFW. This time, I ws able to meet with execs from Edelman PR who had me try on some of the latest sneaker styles being sold onhttp://www.six02.com, a division of Foot Locker. Fabulous portraits were being done of guests by KahriAnne Kerr, famous for both her dolls and portraits of fashion legends such as Karl Lagerfeld and Donnatella Versace.
I really enjoyed the Skin Transformation Lounge at the Dream Downtown Hotel given by Alpha Blu, a new anti-aging skincare line. Press came to relax, enjoy refreshments, and get facials and hot stone massages with Alpha Blu products on a gorgeous suite’s outdoor deck. I got my neck worked on with hot stones and one of the line’s great serums, and it was heavenly. I just wish that I could have gone in the nearby “endless” jacuzzi. For more info on these very advanced products, go to http://www.alphabluskincare.com.
I also had a blast at the Tolani Collection event at Red Light PR in the Flat Iron District. This company puts out fab Boho styles at great prices. Guests got to drink, dance, eat and peruse racks of their gorgeous comfy but chic print separates and dresses. For more info on this easy to wear line with now legendary tunic styles, go to http://www.tolanicollection.com.
I also had a great time at Jackie Rogers’ posh pad at 1000 Park Avenue, seeing her famously elegant suits and separates. I loved her use of lip and flower motifs as well as elegant fabrics including silk and crepe. I enjoyed seeing her eclectic mix of 70s modern, art deco and Asian furnishings. OK, I am done for this NYFW–whew! I need a six month nap now, LOL!
