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NYFW S/S18 Day 2

Early mornings during NYFW are especially tough, so when my alarm went off at 7am I was pretty much a zombie. Thank goodness for eye masks!

With my Day 2 OOTD, into a taxi I went. Destination: the World Trade Center. In the lobby I caught up with my blogger friend Nicole and together we ascended to the 71st floor for the Club Monaco presentation.

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Club Monaco
I’ve been lucky to attend all of Club Monaco’s shows since their inception at NYFW. First it was their debut in Grand Central and then a scene out of Alice’s Tea Party in their 5th Avenue flagship with Grace Coddington, Nick Wooster and Drew Barrymore in attendance.

Photos courtesy of Club Monaco

What makes Club Monaco unique is that they present a see-now, buy-now collection so everything is immediately available for purchase.  In a week where what you’re seeing won’t be available for another six months, it was wonderful to be inspired by pieces that I can actually get my hands on now. Standouts were their leopard print duster, tweed coat with oxblood fur sleeves and their take on the new power suit – florals from head to toe. You can shop the entire collection below!
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The first thing that popped into my head when I stepped off the elevator at World Trade? Coffee!

Concept Korea
Highly caffeinated and fed, Concept Korea was next. Featuring the country’s freshest talent shown in back-to-back runways, S/S18 opened with LIE by Lee Chung Chung, followed by Greedilous. Remember her insane collection from February?

Korean fashion is completely unapologetic. It pushes the envelope of texture, color and silhouette in ways most designers take years to perfect. There are underlying concepts infused into garments making them not just clothes, but movements. I can’t get enough.

Take LIE Collection. 69-year-old Maye Musk (Elon’s mother) opened the show in a see-through raincoat and tee emblazoned with the word “Imperfect”. Accessories and beauty followed suit with scripted eyeliner spelling out “Imperfectly Perfect” on upper lids and leather slides while lipstick was only applied on the bottom lip. How can you not love this IDGAF attitude?

I was thrilled to see shoe designer Yuul Yie collaborate on the footwear. As an owner of their mules, I found several other pairs to add to my collection!

Greedilous was inspired by the movie Avatar and created botanical prints on causal separates and dresses alike. Ruffles played an important note for spring – they’re not going anywhere! Featuring menswear and womenswear, Maye Musk closed the show in a floor length multi-tiered ruffled set.

LIE Collection
Greedilous

Although I’ve been attending NYFW for years, it’s always a thrill to have a fashion week “first”. Bibhu Mohapatra was a first for me this season and he didn’t disappoint.

Bibhu Mohapatra
If you’re unfamiliar with Bibhu, he creates intricately detailed garments that turn heads. These are not your average “I’ll-wear-this-to-brunch” looks. Bibhu is for special occasions. Tapping into an adventurous spirit, his S/S18 woman was a fearless explorer. Craving knowledge, culture and new-to-the-eye details, the collection featured sweet gestures of tulle and lace toughed up with harnessed bodices and corseted waistlines. A master of combining edgy and feminine, his show stopping gowns showcased hand beaded appliques and feathers. A note for spring – more is more.

Michael Costello
The show stopping drama didn’t end at Bibhu. Michael Costello held a presentation comprised of RTW and bridal at the Robert Miller Gallery. Last season Michael tapped into his inner badass with Rock N’ Roll vibes and an unforgiving je ne sais quoi. For spring 2018, he accessed a softer femininity. Think secret gardens overflowing with heady roses that intoxicate the senses to a point where you practically float away.

While all runways are fairytales to me, Michael’s presentation was the literal embodiment of elegance and grace. It didn’t matter if you were already married. There wasn’t a woman (or man) in the room who didn’t want to put on a wedding dress right then and there. If you like drama, you love Michael.

Photos courtesy of Michael Costello

Saks Fifth Avenue
Alas, I got my details correct! The Saks Fifth Avenue party was everything I hoped it would be and more. Killer live band, amazing 360 degree photobooth, appetizers and free flowing champagne. They recreated the shopping experience in which dreams are made.

I’ve often said I could live inside a Saks and this evening only solidified my views. Imagine chatting with friends among straight off the runway shearling Alexander McQueen coats. And jewel encrusted Judith Leiber bags. And don’t forget a collection of Balenciaga more abundant than the actual Balenciaga store in Soho. I was so high on fashion my head was literally spinning. My next goal? To actually be one of the women invited to the party simply because they actually spend that much money in Saks every year. Ah how I wish I were a Russian billionaire.

The hubby and I moved through the party with blogger friends Lauren and Jacqueline before deciding we were starving and it was time for yet another late night NYFW dinner.

Until tomorrow friends!

Photos by Matthew Passiglia

NYFW F/W17 Day 1

With Bay Area Fashionista on our first attempt to walk out the door in the midst of a snowstorm!

Wednesday, 2:00pm
We arrived at Newark airport a whopping 1 hour early to weather that made me think I was still in California.

3:00pm
Twenty minutes later we were already checked into our hotel, which made this the fastest, smoothest arrival we’ve experienced to date. After a nightmare start to the February 2016 shows (anyone remember my lost luggage?), this trip couldn’t have begun any better.

Two key changes we made to our trip since we first started attending NYFW were to stay in Soho – within walking distance to Skylight – and arrive on Wednesday. My goodness, what a difference this made! Instead of frantically running to back-to-back shows the moment we landed, we got to ease into the eye of the storm and attend several shows we normally have to miss.

6:00pm
We had one appointment on Wednesday – a presentation by Becken – and an influencer happy hour where I got to reconnect with blogger friends from around the country.

Becken is the brainchild of designer Chris Gelinas (of label CG). Their aim is “fashion for the grounded woman with nothing to prove,” and featured classic knit and outerwear of a more conservative nature than Gelinas’ more glamorous line, CG.

I had the pleasure of meeting Stephanie of @hernewtribe, sister of Happily Grey at the show, and we swapped stories about the planning and work that goes into attending NYFW. We laughed over how it’s as much work as it is fun – talk about extremes!

Thursday, 10:00am
When we looked out our hotel window on (official) Day 1 our jaws hit the floor. The entire city was covered in a blanket of fresh snow. I opted for a mulberry boilersuit by Brooklyn label As Ever. Paired with my Acne Studios beanie, it was the perfect look to stand up to the snow and caught the attention of several street style photographers. Later, I happily discovered I’d made Nylon’s Best Dressed of NYFW Day 1!

As Ever boilersuit // J. Crew turtleneck // Dorateymur booties // Fendi bag // Acne Studios beanie


Nicholas K
Nicholas K opened with a neutral color palette that transitioned to bold reds and subdued purples. Multi-layered separates that included tied sleeves around waistlines and shoulders were featured in crushed velvet with metallic accents. This is good news for anyone who invested in velvet pieces for Fall 2016 – six months from now, those items will still hold up nicely!

Inspired by the communal diversity of the 1990’s, the brand accessorized each look with Che Guevara-esque berets or large, single hoop earrings, paying a nod to the golden age of hip hop with a dash of rebellion. Rob Swift and Latasha Alcinor gave a live performance, kicking off the first official show of NYFW with rap and 90’s flair.

Tadashi Shoji
Ever the master of elegance, Tadashi was inspired by seductive nightclub vibes for F/W17. This edgier air featured his signature lace dresses, velvet jumpsuits and brocade in a jewel-toned palette of amethyst, sapphire, emerald and ruby. Even though this was only our second runway show, the trends already began to emerge – velvet is king in a world still heavily inspired by the 70’s and 90’s. My favorite looks were Tadashi’s silver jumpsuit – so Studio 54 – and his closing look – a pink sequins gown with Juliet shoulders and an open back.

Noon by Noor
From maximalist to minimalist we went. Noon by Noor showed an entirely neutral color palette accented by the deepest shade of navy. Masculine suiting morphed feminine with nipped waistlines and peplum draping. I especially loved the line’s use of faux fur, highlighted in their giant teddy bear coats (swoon). Another interesting element was their use of florals – something also seen at Tadashi – which is expected for spring, but feels so fresh and invigorating for fall. As this was my first Noon by Noor show, I left with an even deeper appreciation for the brand’s subtle, yet exquisite details.

Michael Costello
Being in the audience at a Michael Costello show is F-U-N. Not only was there a giant pink Care Bear making the rounds before the show, but audible cheers and applause accompanied each look for this veteran Project Runway star. And rightly so. The F/W17 Michael Costello woman was fierce, edgy and rock-n-roll to the core.

His show opened with a series of sheer, white lace gowns with strong shoulders, corseted waistlines and voluminous bell sleeves. Not for the faint of heart, he hit us hard before transitioning into black, silk draped numbers reminiscent of early Halston. They too packed quite a punch before the show-stopping head-to-toe sequins numbers that made up his finale. I can absolutely see these pieces on Grammy winners and red carpet sirens this fall.

Tune in tomorrow for my recap of NYFW Day 2!

Photos by Matthew Passiglia