If you love fashion as much as I love fashion, then you can understand why attending New York Fashion Week
for the first time was a dream come true. Typically the only people
that are able to attend Fashion Week are store buyers, editors and
journalists, fashion bloggers, prominent stylists, top clients and
guests of the designer, and special guests. Through the graciousness of a
fashion industry friend, I fell in to the last category and was able to
attend shows for two Spring/Summer 2011 collections, Max Azria and
Diane von Furstenberg.
Now, before I get to the shows, I have to say a word about the
awesome people watching opportunity Fashion Week provides. Held at
Lincoln Center for the first time this year (it moved from Bryant Park),
I got there a bit early with my friend B. just to stand outside and
watch the parade of fashionable people in and out of the tents. We
should have bought some popcorn, because this was better than a movie.
How fun to see the real people wearing outfits straight out of the
latest fashion magazines, the sky high heels, the thigh high boots, the
chic, the overdone, and the outrageous. Endless entertainment, my
friends, and all for free. My friend and I kept up a constant
commentary, picking our favorites and marveling at the "what was she
thinking" outfits. Then our fashion industry friend arrived and took us
inside the tents through the black-clad security guards into fashion
never-never land.
Once inside, we went straight into the tent for the Max Azria show. Max Azria is best known as the designer of BCBG and Herve Leger,
but he launched his own namesake line in 2006. Now you have no doubt
seen countless runway shows on television or online. And if you are
wondering if it looks like it does on TV, well it absolutely does. Rows
of sleek bleachers with seat assignments in a large black room and an
endless runway. The closer you are to the front row, the more you rank
in the fashion food chain. At the end of the runway is the photographer
"pen" where they each have one foot of space each to crowd in and get
ready for the model parade. As everyone made their way in, we were told
that all the shows were running about a half hour behind. It takes
longer to get everyone in and seated than the length of the actual show.
But in a glorious 20-minute presentation, Max showed flowing spring
dresses and feminine separates in subtle nude colors and sophisticated
black and white (check out a video of the runway show here).
Truly breathtaking. I am definitely inspired to break out some silk
fabric from my stash and make myself a romantic dress. The backs of the
dresses were the best part with artful cutouts and clever strap
placement. This is something I will definitely experiment with in the
future.
Next it was on to the big tent for the Diane von Furstenberg show. Before the show even started, the excitement began just by scanning the crowd. Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe was sitting in the front row looking impeccable. CNN personality Anderson Cooper was at the far end of the runway. And front and center was the Vogue holy trinity of Grace Coddington (creative director), Andre Leon Talley (fashion editor), and of course the fashion queen, Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour
(wearing her signature large sunglasses). I had to pinch myself to make
sure I wasn't dreaming that I was in the same room with Ms. Anna. Sigh.
However when the lights went down and the music started, I
forgot about everything else to focus on the amazing parade of bold
prints, expertly draped silhouettes, and graphic color combinations that
Diane sent down the runway. Every outfit made me want to run off to the
Italian coast as soon as humanly possible. Her hooded and draped tops
and jumpsuits in bright colors were a personal fave (I love a good
hoodie). Her clothes are always sexy and woman-friendly, plus no one
mixes prints better than Diane. Amazing! And seriously, how can you not
be inspired by Diane as a woman and as a designer at the top her game
after all these years in the industry. Love her!
After a day of intense fashion inspiration all I wanted to do was run
home and sew, sew, sew! It definately inspired me to be more
adventurous with my sewing and take more risks. If you get your sewing
inspiration from the fashion runways too, drop me a line and tell me
about it!
Happy sewing,
Tricia