Wednesday, March 14, 2018

{NYFW 2018}

I had the incredible opportunity of attending NYFW again this year! The coolest part? It was an entirely different experience from the last two years!



If you were following along on my IG stories (my highlight reel is still up on my Insta) then you saw that my two worlds collided. I went to NYC with a carpet company, Mohawk, that I work with at my day job! I work for a large architecture firm in corporate interiors so I've specified their carpets on multiple projects. When I got the invite I could hardly contain my excitement!! NYFW is one of the most incredible things I've ever had the opportunity to experience - the rush and adrenaline from watching a show in person is indescribable. I always get so much inspiration from the colors, textures, and experience the designers create. My coworker, Carissa, and I joined our Mohawk rep, Stacy, for the weekend - a true girl's trip to NYC (we still have a fashion inspiration IG thread going).

The weekend kicked off with happy hour at the new Mohawk showroom. We met other designers from Texas and Boston who were there for the weekend as well and then checked in to our hotel before heading off to dinner.








We were lucky to have snagged a reservation at the exclusive restaurant, The Lobster Club. I wish I had taken photos of everything we ordered and ate because it was easily the most incredible meal I have everrrr divulged in!



We then popped upstairs to The Grill to have a quick night cap (and photoshoot of the retro ladies lounge haha).




Saturday morning was bright and early! We grabbed some coffee/tea and checked in to the VIP lounge at Spring Street Studios. Mohawk had purchased an "experience package" where we could go to shows and also see the set-up and runway from a skybox. It was amazing to be able to see the behind the scenes go on...






But of course the best part was being able to attend the shows!! We sat in the skybox for two and got to be seated for the rest. The adrenaline that you feel with the opening of every show will always be a surreal feeling for me. I can only imagine how the designer feels! They've been working and waiting for this moment for months and it's all over in 10 minutes max! I wanted to soak in every single second and detail... I try not to take too many photos so I can live in the moment (esp since I had forgotten my camera) but I couldn't help but capture some of my favorites with my iPhone - can you blame me?!

Dan Liu //
Red lips, James Bond vibes, sunglasses, feminine silhouettes, classic pumps, and shiny hair.
Colors - blush, yellow, navy, red, and black.



Dion Lee //
Cutouts, mesh, booties, slick hair, transforming fabric as it moves, and monochromatic style.
Colors - black, navy, grey, blush, olive, and red.



Taoray Wang //
Gorgeous wispy hair, deep side parts, subtle skin, feminine suits, sexy lace, and bold red lips.
Colors - red, olive, black, and crisp white.



Son Jung Wan //
Bold blues, sparkles, rosy cheeks, embellishments, slick hair, and glamour.
Colors - Cream, sparkle, blush, blue, turquoise and bright yellow.



One of the coolest and most unique parts about our NYFW day were the interviews we got to partake in. We sat in a cozy room with a fire place or up in our skybox meeting people who had different takes on the fashion world we were surrounded by. I can't imagine not having had Stacy and Carissa there with my to obsess over every little detail and talk about what inspired us the most. We also chatted about how the color palettes were going to inspire us at work - you could say we geeked out a little bit!



Russell James //
This man was such an interesting person. He started off making trash cans for a career and is now a photographer for Victoria's Secret. Russel told stories about shooting for multiple celebrities and magazines. He spoke about empowerment vs exposure in the industry and how he helps people feel comfortable in front of the camera. His book, "Backstage Secrets", is next to him - I spent a long time drooling over every photo. It's easily my new favorite coffee table book!



Senior Talent Managers at IMG Models //
They referenced Karlie Kloss, Taylor Hill, and Ashley Graham as models they've worked with. One of the biggest takeaways was when they said "my customer base wants to book people and personalities. not just looks!" With social media being so huge they want their models to feel approachable and help create a story with the brands they work for.



Christian Cowan //
We chatted briefly with him right after watching his show! He told us the inspiration for his collection and how he decided to turn the batteries from his neon outfits into purses. [Check out photos from his show here.] He also brought his new puppy, Dot, with him! He had to leave quickly because he was off to London to prep for a top secret show!



And as quickly as NYFW started, it was over... but our weekend wasn't! We had a little time before dinner so we headed back to the hotel to change. Then we went to dinner at Black Barn before rushing off to see a Broadway show!



So at this point it began pouring... and the traffic through Times Square was horrendous (I know nobody is surprised). We ended up having to get out of the cab, with no umbrellas, and sprint to the theater. With 10 minutes to doors closing and all of us being in heels (myself in 4" stilettos) it was absolute madness. Spoiler alert: we made it. Only after I ran into the wrong theater because my head was under my jacket trying not to get soaked and I legit had no clue where I was going. I was the last person let in to the theater hahaha #dramatic. We saw Hello, Dolly! with Bernadette Peters and it was everything and more. I can't wait to get back up to NYC to see another show!!! [On my wish list: Anastasia, Frozen, and Wicked]




What a Saturday... Sunday morning brought in more rain and a quiet hour in bed reading before we had to pack up. Pretty much the only quiet time we had all weekend! After walking through Grand Central (my first time seeing it!) we grabbed brunch at Lexington Brass and decided to imbibe in a cocktail because we were still on vacation :) I ordered the avocado toast (duh) and was blown away at the flavors. Will definitely be recreating on my own at home. Then we were whisked back to the train station and heading back to DC before we could even realize the weekend was over.





What. A. Weekend. I love how NYFW and NYC are always different each time I visit. I've only been to visit 5 times in my life but I'm excited to get back to explore more and see all my friends that live there (looking at you Mandy)!!



My insta stories from my trip is still up on my Instagram if you want to see more behind the scenes and photos. If you're curious where any of my outfit details are from let me know in the comments below! xoxo


Love Always,

2 comments:

Pin It button on image hover