We sent our fashion writer and blogger, Meg Gallagher to New York Fashion Week for the first time, and here is a recount of her experience at a few shows as well as the lessons she learned along the way.
NYFW DAY ONE: I’M EXHAUSTED ALREADY!
It’s only Day 1, and I’m exhausted already! Being a small-time fashionista is hard time work. All the fancy people have official Fashion Week cars and a seeming bevy of attentive photographers. It’s kind of like being one of the unchosen delegates in the Miss USA pageant. You are there, but you’re just kind of in the background dancing about awkwardly.
Anyway, on to the shows… I attended the Noon by Noor and Fashion Palette: Australian Swim/Resort SS 2017 Collections today. Both were phenomenal! Honestly I wanted every ensemble that came down the runway at Noon by Noor. And then I got to sit in the FRONT ROW at Australian Swim! Now that I have gone Front Row I don’t ever want to go back… (well I will keep telling myself that until tomorrow morning.)
In regards to mishaps and lessons learned:
1- I missed the Supima Runway Competition due to accessory rentals that were delivered to the wrong address. (Totally NOT WORTH IT! No more rentals.)
2- Time is a bit accelerated in super fabulous fashion world. I told a girl I loved her new Gucci bag (an Alessandro Michele design), and she told me she “actually got it a month ago.” (To think, I consider Easy Mac that I got a month ago to be new…)
3- I have a long way to go, but I’m not giving up yet! When I was given a front row seat at Australian Swim/Resort SS 2017 Collections I turned to the girl next to me and said, “OMG this is my first time being an FRG!” She looked at me dumbstruck: “What’s an FRG?” FRONT ROW GIRL!!!! HELLO?! OMG SO Plum Sykes 101!
NYFW DAY TWO: THE EXISTENTIAL PHOTOG CRISIS
I didn’t think this would happen… I kept telling myself I didn’t care… well that was absolute crap… I WANT MY PHOTO TAKEN BY STREET STYLE PHOTOGRAPHERS (who I refer to as Photogs… I can’t remember where I got the term from but it stuck). Anyway, it all started with the Francesca Liberatore show when I was waiting in line just outside the Dock. Photogs were snapping up people all around me! In an effort to avoid the pain of embarrassment I made myself look busy and took some scenic pics which actually came out pretty good. (But who am I kidding? Scenic pics? #LAMEO)
Anyway the show, itself, was great! (I’ve become an expert at getting upgraded up from “standing” to an actual seat… Second Row, baby!) I would describe the collection as structured boho with a touch of frill. However, the ensembles I liked best were more on the effortlessly side.
Finally, it was off to Tadashi Sohji… and this is where all hell broke loose! GLITERATTI EVERYWHERE! When I saw Dorothy Wang from Rich Kids of Beverly Hills I literally leaped from my seat (again got myself bumped from standing to third row… which in this type of crowd is saying a lot) and ran to take a pic with her. (OMG she was probably horrified!) But despite being attacked by a crazy person she was still so nice and soooooo pretty! OMG STUNNING! Morgan was there too. She was a little more reserved. But again DROP DEAD GORGEOUS! Then right before the show started, I spotted Elisa Johnson…
The room went black. Then suddenly a bit of a surprise: a digital creative work by WuJun Yong. This morning I did research and discovered that the art installment inspired Tadashi Shoji’s entire SS17 collection. [On a side note: I am obsessed with art inspired shows! Think Dries Van Noten Spring 2015 based on Sir John Everett Millais’ painting entitled Ophelia, 1851–2, or Christian Dior Fall 2012 Couture based on several pieces by Sterling Ruby… Thus I promise I will post a follow up article discussing in more detail the inspiration role WuJun Yong played… But right now I have a show at 3PM to get ready for, and I have to wrap this up…
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Right before I left the show while contemplating my new theory that my wardrobe was holding me back from being photoged and that my life was so not fair (Whining in my head: “I want to be Dorothy Wang! Or at least have her closet…”) I actually ran into Elisa Johnson! She was so BEYOND lovely. Besides being breathtakingly beautiful, she was so super nice. And even though she had the most killer Tadashi Soji jumpsuit on, I realized that perhaps my issue with the photogs is not my wardrobe. Rather maybe I need to be more approachable. Just as Elisa was to me and everyone!
lesson learned:
BE “PHOTOGABLE”. I am going to stop trying to pretend I’m cool (because I’m so not), and just be my dorky, sometimes awkward, occasionally spastic (I fell crossing 8th Avenue yesterday) self.
NYFW DAY THREE: YOU’RE JUST A $5 T-SHIRT?
Consider the following logical statements:
I love fashion, because it is a vehicle of artistic self expression. (TRUE)
I love vehicles of artistic self expression, because they are fashion. (FALSE)
Namilia: You’re Just a Toy
The show leveraged sexual and political ostentation. And while I believe everyone is entitled to their sexuality and opinions; using fashion as a means to convey ordinary ideas is pretty lame . According to WWD, designers Nan Li and Emilia Pfohl stated, “We want to trigger thought with our clothes…if you are a designer, you have a voice — we want to be heard.” So I guess Namilia isn’t voting for Trump… And they like kinky sex…
Last I checked souvenir stores all over New York were making the same statements for $5…
NYFW DAY FOUR: NEVER FORGET September 11, 2016
This year marked 15 years since 9/11. And while I do believe it is important to move forward, I also think one should take a moment to remember those who were lost in the name of freedom as well as their families and loved ones. God bless them all. And God Bless America.
In the world of fashion, I attended the Vivienne Hu SS 2017 Collection (http://viviennehu.com). I was fortunate enough to have backstage access, an interview with the designer, and front row seats. It was a incredible learning experience that provided a glimpse into the tremendous amount of work that goes into catwalk productions. Additionally my friend, Mendel Lee, who I met at FIT and now works for Tod’s Group, was able to join me for pre-show drinks at La Sirena (http://lasirena-nyc.com) as well as the runway event. We had a blast!
Later today, we are both looking forward to the after party.
A big thank you to Vivienne Hu’s entire public relations team: in particular, Maggie Mao and Kate Hu, who made this all possible for us.
Backstage at Vivienne Hu
NYFW DAY FIVE: THE DAY I CHANGED IN THE HOTEL PENNSYLVANIA LUGGAGE ROOM
NYFW DAY FIVE: September 12, 2016
I won’t lie. Eventually I got tired….
It’s hard commuting from Long Island, ravaging your closet, cursing yourself for not fitting in that PERFECT dress, and doing your makeup on the subway.
So on Day Five, Monday, September 12th, I missed Irina Vitjaz at 12PM and Leanne Marshall at 3PM. As I said, I was tired. But also coming home the night before and seeing those two beacons of blue light where the twin towers once stood broke my heart all over again… However as stated in my previous post, I do think it is important to not let terror keep one from moving forward. (Plus, my editor at Global Glam had secured two tickets to Vivienne Tam at 7PM: time to pull myself together!)
In an effort to look my very best for such a top tier show, I decided to wear my silk purple Gucci pants (that I purchased at a sample sale while interning there). However in order to not get them dirty on the LIRR, I wore workout clothes to travel in, antipicating that I could change at Penn Station. But, as luck would have it, when I arrived the women’s bathroom was being cleaned (and I was already cutting in close) ….
In FRANTIC PANIC, I ran to the Hotel Pennsylvania: a place I VOWED to never return to (… I took my CPA Exam classes there… BAD MEMORIES…) But whatever it was VIVIENNE TAM!!!! Sacrafices had to be made. I could not find the restroom (I sware they moved it). So I asked the front desk, and they gave me a room card to access the basement where I could find one. Well of course, the card didn’t work. So with no other options I changed in the luggage room!
Whatever. It worked. So then I ran like a banshee up 33rd to the Skylight at Moynihan Station.
With mascara running down my face I showed the security guard my barcode: “Sorry, miss, we cannot let you in. You are too late.”
If this was a novel and I was the progagonist, this would be the point of no return: when the hero seemingly has lost all hope. And trust me I was quite defeated. However, I had a ticket to the following show: Anniesa Hasibuan. I figured I was already in the city (purple Gucci pants and all). But when I googled the designer, I found it was clothing for Muslim women. (Don’t get the wrong idea. I actually dated and loved a Muslim man for over two years.) But this was not what I was looking for (I thought). I almost left….
The show was breathtaking! By FAR the best collection I saw all week. The craftsmanship was so detailed and intricate, I felt as if I was at Paris Couture.
Lessons Learned
Never give up. Be mindful of your surroundings, and grateful when beauty enters. It may just catch you by surprise.
The Hotel Pennsylvania Luggage Room is available for quick wardrobe changes.
-MG
