My First NY Fashion Week
11 years ago by
Last week at the Studio we were all sitting around talking about our first memories of fashion week. Garance thought it would be fun for you to hear about some of those moments that you only live once… here it goes!
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I spent many years dreaming of what it would be like to walk into the Bryant Park tents and attend a real New York fashion show. Living in Minnesota, I felt like that dream was light-years away. To be surrounded by beautiful clothes, beautiful people and beautiful New York was my ultimate fantasy.
My first season was in September of 2009. I had just wrapped up a summer internship in the city with one of my favorite designers and was skipping the first week of classes of my senior year of college to write show reviews for a new fashion site. When I received my schedule for the week, I couldn’t believe it was real.
“All of these? I get to go to all of these? Even this one here…in the tents?”
To be there, in the middle of it all (especially when I should’ve been sitting in art history) was so exhilarating. I’ll never forget walking up the steps to the tents for my first show. I was living a complete dream. I took my seat, the lights went low and my eyes welled up with tears (you know me, always crying at fashion shows). That was it. I was at fashion week.
This season will be my eighth fashion week, which is still a little hard to wrap my head around. It doesn’t take long to get jaded by fashion week. It doesn’t take long before you start complaining about how busy your schedule is, or how annoying it can be to have to go all the way from Milk to Lincoln Center. But I am reminded every year of how magical it all really can be and how lucky I am to be here. The feeling I had my first season is something that comes back at every show and I know it will stay with me for a really long time.
aww… wow, didn’t know you’re such a seasoned pro already! :) :)
I am so happy for you! Thank you so much for sharing!
New post up: http://www.thedeepbluecory.com/2013/02/on-go.html
Xoxo Cory
we’ll be watching you, as always :)
http://littleaesthete.com
Hi Alex ! I have studied history of art for 4 years in the Ecole du Louvre. When I go to a lesson, I can see people going to the fashion week of Paris. Sometimes it makes me dreaming…
Nice to learn you lived the same one day.
Your story is pretty ! :)
Alex, I’d really love to read a career interview about you sometime! Minnesota (or, in my case, New Hampshire) to Bryant Park is a journey that I bet a lot of us readers would love to be able to make.
That is so nice post and I hope.. One day I will write too = my first fashion week. It must be great to see it. Have a nice day,.
http://www.fashiondenis.com/
Loved how you described it, and loved the genuine gratefulness you conveyed…many people, like you say, get jaded pretty quickly, but to be awed by the artistry of fashion and the privilege of seeing it first hand requires a special kind of sensitivity! Thanks for sharing it with us, Alex! :)
xo,
Susana
http://www.akeytothearmoire.com
Fashion week seems like such a dream, so thank you to Garance and the team for sharing the experience with us!! Much love xoxo
rien n’est inaccessible (ok peut peut etre devenir une princesse) et je pense qu’avec un peu (beaucoup) de persévérance on y arrivera tous un jour! c’est beau de rever et surtout de vivre ses reves :)
Alex — how did you get to work for Garance? or better question — how did you get into fashion at all? I work in finance but so wish it were fashion, i feel like there’s no way to get into the fashion world unless you start interning when you 12. how can i make the switch?
One day I hope to be invited into those tents… How did you get your job, Alex: referrals? nepotism? Sometimes I get so curious how people do things or get awesome careers so effortlessly, which is why I love the “careers” section on this blog. Do a post!
A force de parler du Minnesota je suis allée sur Wikipedia avoir plus d’informations (je ne savais pas où le situer ni que c’était l’état de Minneapolis ou de la Petite maison dans la prairie), merci je découvre !
J’ai aussi regardé à nouveau ce PMF à Paris où tu as dit plusieurs fois ces derniers jours que tu y as pleuré : je m’en souvenais car ça m’avait touchée mais je ne me souvenais pas bien de toi.
Est-ce que un défilé c’est 5 minutes de rêve à chaque fois ? Ou pas à chaque fois justement ? Qu’est-ce qui fait qu’on peut y être transporté ? Est-ce qu’on y va pour le show, vouloir acheter des fringues, être vu…?
Est-ce que les shows continuent à te toucher après 8 saisons ?
Soooo sweet dear!! I’ve never wanted to attend a fashion show but I can imagine perfectly that feeling because dreams are the most beautiful thing ever. And reach one of them is just paradise. Well done!
All my love!
Martina
http://www.martinalonghi-blog.com
I can’t wait until my first fashion week!!
http://lavieenliz.com
Great story! Glad to hear that the memories keep you grounded and in touch with what you love about your job. That is so important.
What a touching story ! You’re so inspiring ! Anything is possible… I think that we forget that too often… Wow… Congratulations ! :)
Your Dad and I know you are living your dream and even though we miss you like crazy, we remember how thrilling it was for you to attend your first Fashion week – love hearing all the stories and hope some of your coolness will rub off on us. The passion you have for your work shows in all you do.
XO Mom and Dad
This time around was my first season! I 100% get what you mean about walking up to the tents for my very first show…and I hope that I, too, won’t become too jaded and will never forget that feeling.
xoxoxo
I hope I will ever see one show during NYFW and till that day is there I will focus on Amsterdam Fashion Week ;) You’ve got to start somewhere! xx
http://www.creativityandchocolate.blogspot.com
Oh, Alex, what a touching post.
It feels so good to read about the magic emotions fashion week may inspire.
I think that being able to look with un-jaded eyes at ones own work (or dreams-come-true) is a rare and wonderful privilege. Hold on to it!!!!
Besides, you seem such lovely person! I wish you all the luck in the world for the fullfillment of all your dreams. You’ll keep us informed, won’t you? ;)
(p.s. yes, it would be great to know how you landed your job to Garance…)
Les défilés sont toujours une magie pour les yeux. On est ébloui, surpris, étonné, charmé.
Oww so sweet!
http://roseblogart.blogspot.be/
Feeling like Alice in Wonderland the first time and keep it high and alive is a wonderful quality.
thans for sharing Alex. xoxo
Se plaindre???? Moi je rêve d’être à leur place!! J’aime qu’après huit ans tu sois toujours aussi enthousiaste!
http://www.classy-dresing.com ( Ma boutique vintage!)
C’est trop mignon, garde le plus longtemps cet état d’esprit ! Moi ça m’a vite gavé tout ce cirque ! il faut dire que j’assistais aux défilés plutôt en standing (sauf lorsque mes copines étaient attachées de presse). Ce milieu de la mode est sympa lorsque tu as du pouvoir et que tu es respectées sinon ce n’est qu’humiliations et sensations d’être la dernière roue du carrosse, bref pas terrible pour l’égo !
http://www.mode9.fr
J aime ce billet ! Bravo
ca serait mon reve un jour d’assister a un vrai defilé !!! quelle chance !
I was invited to two presentations at Lincoln Center for the first time this season and loved it.
xx
Sabrina
Quelle bonne idée cette série!
Je me souviendrai toujours aussi de mon premier show et même encore maintenant j’ai toujours un frisson quand les lumières s’éteignent et que la musique commence…
lovely memories! haha i had no idea that last year’s was already your seventh! :) love this peek into your journey. who knows where we will go in the future?
Wow j’adore cet article, ca me fait revivre mes propres debuts dans la fashion sphère!