I love/loved Fashion Week
I always feel excited when I get that email informing me that my press credentials have been approved for Fashion Week. This story is from 2006, but then updated with some additional comments in 2018
As an online editor and a professional, I’m really pleased that where there was once only a small handful of registered press from the Internet officially covering FW, now there are several dozen.
Unlike print, our columns will not be used as cat-pan liners or shredded to protect an Ebay purchase during shipping. And, you don’t have to pay to find out who said what, who was there, or what the fashions looked like.
The Bad and Ugly:
I’d like to believe that all Internet journalists are equal, but they are not. Some of the bloggers that IMG invited did not show themselves well and behaved badly at the tents. They were aggressive, territorial, and lacked manners and common sense.
One example is the M.A.C. lounge. It is open to everyone and those of us who are on our feet working hard all day really appreciate places to sit down.
Unfortunately, some of the bloggers decided the lounge was theirs. They took over sections of this much-needed lounge for themselves, leaving their laptops open and asking “friends” to hold those seats for hours, making it impossible for anyone else to sit down. I tried and was met with mean girl hostility. (I tried, and was met with sincere hostility).
Where I once found new friends and colleagues in the tents, these bloggers believe more in “talk to the hand” than “I’m glad to meet you.”
The Worst:
The worst was the young man who literally hip-checked me almost to my knees while we all waited in line, so he could check in first for a show . The guy had standing room — inside the tent I noticed he took someone’s legitimate front row seat and refused to give it up.
TheBright Spots:
There’s makeup guru Bobbi Brown who stopped working on more than 25 girls to give me time for an interview behind the scenes at Cynthia Rowley, even with the major networks buzzing around her.
Thanks to a young woman who brought me a cookie from the Delta Lounge to the Women’s Entertainment booth.
I felt warmly greeted at the Moet and Chandon, lounge even though it was way too early to drink any bubbly.
My favorite good memory is the security guard I’ve recognized for several seasons who, on 9/11, made a poignant comment to me. He told me that his cousin had died in the World Tried Center and reminded me that it isn’t worth stressing out for a fashion show.
A Balance:
Just like any society, there is a mixture of positive and negative that gives the experience, balance. The clothes, I think, reflected the same.
There were a lot of girly dresses and swing coats. Also a lot of grey and beige (to reflect our unsure times, I believe). Also some sparks of color, innovations, and true style.
There were the usual parties, the celebrities. Occasionally there were seat assignments for yours truly.
*updated 2018 –
I found this post in my archives. Re-reading it, I see that nothing much has changed. If anything, behavior, in general, has gotten much worse. There are bloggers going to events just to eat for free and grab a gift bag (sometimes more than one). People are being loud and unprofessional. There are crashers (well, we always had those). The narcissistic behavior of the selfie crowd makes it even more difficult to negotiate public events,
This Fall 2018 I had knee issues and couldn’t stand in long lines, so I didn’t attend any fashion week shows at all. Honestly, I didn’t miss it.