Fashion Week Diary: Pre-gaming with Steven Alan, Sachin + Babi and More
Photos courtesy of Steven Alan, CrOp, Sachin + Babi
From left: Steven Alan, CrOp, Sachin + Babi
It's every fashion editor's favorite time of year: Fashion Week! That may be an exaggeration—the week leading up to shows is usually filled with moaning and groaning about personal lives lost. But this week really is a fantastic time. All the gorgeous clothes, ridiculous parties, and silly events make me love my job even more than I already do. But readers, what would be the fun of all this if I couldn't share it with you? So welcome to my Fashion Week diary, where I'll be chronicling my crazy, wonderful week as it unfolds—blisters and all.
It may be the beginning of fall for most of us (read: horrible, dreary rain here in New York), but the clothes I've been seeing are 100 percent spring. Colorful, cheerful, bright. I might actually have to wear something other than black next season. (In case you were wondering, my outfit was downright funereal today.) If you stocked up on orange the last couple seasons, you're in luck. It's here to stay.
My Fashion Week kicked off today, Wednesday, with what I call the pre-game presentations. I hauled myself out of bed—while it was still dark out—to see what Steven Alan was doing. His presentation was full of fun dresses, cute tops, adorable patterns. One black-and-white checkered suit was utterly fantastic, but you'd have to be rail thin to wear it. Of course, I'm debating just accepting my figure and going for it. Rock a little Mae West attitude and it could work, you know? His clothes made me wistful for summer—which it technically still is.
I snuck on over to Sachin+Babi, which was showing down the hall from Steven at Pier 59. Isn't it great when it's easy like that? Sachin is one of those great lines that is supremely wearable and still fun. It's what I'd wear if I were yachting about the world. (Which, really, kind of needs to happen. Someone care to get on that?) Think flowy gowns and well-cut dresses. The colors were more pastel than neon (pinks, oranges, washed yellows) and most of the looks were loose and draped.
Following a quick coffee with fellow fashion pals (it was like the first day of school!), I met with CrOp's David Peck. The line is socially responsible and eco-friendly, but what I love more than anything is that David finds inspiration for his prints everywhere. For spring, it was New Orleans. And by that I mean a paper chip bag he saw, a Mardi Gras invite, a hotel, trees. The prints truly are spectacular. He employs women in India to weave some of the fabrics (paid a fair wage, of course). But best of all? He's off to meet with the stars of Most Eligible Dallas tomorrow. Peck (like myself) is a Texan and you'd better believe we bonded over our love for that show. Seriously, what's up with Courtney?
The final stop of my day was the New York Public Library. The invitation was cryptic. All I knew was to be there by 3:30 and to be quiet. Eyewear brand Warby Parker was staging a quiet flash mob. How exactly does one do that? By seating row upon row of hot models in specs holding books with covers featuring names of Warby styles. We were all chastised by a security guard or two, but it was fun—if not downright silly. And bonus: I now have a library card! And now, this girl has to hit the gym to be ready for the first official start day of New York Fashion Week.
