A DAY IN THE LIFE
6 years ago by
Have you ever wondered what a day in a life is like for a fashion editor during New York Fashion Week? It’s busy, to say the least. Our resident keeper of all things style (and boob tape) takes us through a typical NYFW day…
7:30am: Time to get up! Full disclosure… I’m a little hungover. For some reason despite my best intentions, fashion week days always end with a martini (or two) and I can’t hold my drink like I used to. Luckily my first show doesn’t start until 10am today so I have a little more time at home to pull myself together.
8am: Second coffee of the morning in hand, it’s time to get dressed. The weather never seems to cooperate during fashion week, so I’m used to rolling with the punches by now. Today is weirdly humid and rainy, lovely! I tend to dress pretty simply and today is no exception. Jeans, a lightweight trench, a carryall bag and comfortable shoes. Done! At least having a uniform makes it easy for me to get ready.
9:15am: I stuff everything I could possibly need for the day in a Cuyana bag (my favorite at the moment is the Trapeze Satchel), pop in my headphones and rush out the door.
10:15am: Of course, I left a little bit too late (blame the martinis), so the subway ride from Brooklyn to the Upper West Side was making me nervous. Luckily fashion shows never really start on time (about 20 minutes late is standard), so I make it into my seat with a few minutes to spare.
It might seem strange that I still like to go to fashion shows since everything pops up on Instagram a few minutes later, but there is something about being there in person that I still think is hard to replace. I love absorbing the atmosphere of a show, and also checking out the crowd and what they’re wearing. Staying in tune with what’s happening in the fashion world, even subconsciously, makes me better at my job.
10:50am: Finish my first show uptown and I have just enough time to run back to our office on Bowery and answer some emails before my 12pm. Charge my phone quickly (I bring my mophie around but I still never have enough juice), check my to-do list for any little tasks I can get done, reapply some lip balm and run out the door.
12pm: I have a meeting with a buyer who’s in town for the shows. We have tea at the Bowery Hotel, which is conveniently near our office. I usually carry a notebook with me for these kinds of meetings, you never know!
1:15pm: Another show! Again, I’m 15 minutes late but still make it into my seat on time. I’m seated next to my best friend, Rachel (you might remember her from here, here and here). Lucky me! The fashion industry seems big from the outside but once you’re inside it feels tiny.
1:45pm: Rachel and I both have appointments but we’re starving, so we take a quick break to eat lunch together. Usually I bring snacks with me but today I forgot! Damn those martinis. She catches me up on work and the new guy she’s been seeing. One of the best parts about fashion week is getting to see my friends!
2:30pm: Arrive at my next appointment. This one is with a shoe designer. I was an accessories editor for a couple of years and covering the shoe market is still secretly one of my favorite things to do. There are tons of rising designers in the market right now, a lot to be excited about! Like I said, I’m one of those girls who wears the same outfit every day, but I will shell out for a new pair of shoes no problem. She shows me the goods, I take pictures, and then I’m on my way!
3:25pm: I’m even more late for my next show (I made a rookie mistake and took a taxi instead of the subway) but I still didn’t miss it! It’s a good day for me. I always bring paper invites with me but no one ever checks them. I should probably stop. They’re showing this collection on a rooftop and it’s raining. C’est la vie! People hand out ponchos and clear umbrellas and we watch fashion in the rain.
4pm: I’m working on a shoot for the site tomorrow, so I need to make a quick pit stop to pull some extra clothes. I pick out what I need, jump in a cab and head back to the office.
4:30pm: Hey guys, remember me! My officemates haven’t seen me in a while since I’ve been out at shows. I miss them! I drop off the clothes for my shoot and get settled at my desk for a minute. Emails, tasks, the usual. I have to run out again soon so I touch up my makeup and catch up with the girls.
5:30pm: Veronica and I have an editorial touch base on the calendar. She’s been out taking meetings as well, so I meet her at a restaurant nearby (the perks of working in Nolita). I have a few more fashion week events to swing by tonight, so I decide to leave my Trapeze Satchel at the office and just bring out Cuyana’s Work Clutch for the evening. As I leave the office I promise myself that I will resist the martinis tonight.
9:30pm: Phew, I’m home! And I resisted! It’s good that I just stuck to water because I still have a ton of work to do. I make some tea and a snack, cozy up with my laptop, and get working.
Whose trench it’s perfect for where I live in LA
Hey Dana! It’s from Uniqlo! xx
Obsessed with her whole outfit!
Love this so much! Super relatable and a great read :)
Love the look. Where are the jeans from?
Hey Kelsey!
Thank you! They are the loose fit from Re/Done originals.
xx
Your bag is gorgeous!
Mariya | http://www.brunetteondemand.com
I agree, there is something about being at a fashion show in person that Instagram can’t capture! It is unfortunate that today we are so busy documenting shows, and things in general, on social, that we forget to enjoy them in real time!
xo
Hi! Love this! Where are your shoes from?
Hey Cynthia! They are from Everlane. xx
Some tips for the future (from another editor – advertising though, not fashion), Plan meetings near the venue of the event you have to head to – most people are happy to travel to you, or they’re there for the same reasons. Work remotely, don’t bother going into the office if it isn’t 5 mins away. And yes, never take cabs during a mega event as everyone else will be trying the same thing and you will be late.
Thanks for all of the tips, Emily! <3
Can’t believe what you accomplish in a day!
Very impressive!!
Lucky you to work like that only for NFW …. it looks like a pretty normal day for lots of us ;) Then you still enjoy what you do, one day you will get depressed by these shows. Enjoy , you are young and full of energy !
fron