fashion week in nyc

[DCT]

dear chase,

why haven't i been alerted about this event?

sincerely
d-ct

[chasea]

Because its a big yawn. Fashion week is like the SXSW or the CMJ of retail clothing. Its about trends, which I have little interest in. Showcases. Business. Seedy. Boring.

I'm ignoring it.

I often have trouble identifying with people on the business side of art. Much like the musician gets screwed by the music industry, the model is screwed (often literally) by the fashion industry. I think that's why musicians and models go together like peanut butter and jelly (Is it cruel to mention food during fashion week?).

Runways shows can be exciting, but not in any practical sense. You'll see a designer's talent. You'll also see a lot of shit that'll never make it onto the streets. Why? Because no matter how cool, or new, or inventive it is, if people won't buy it... Then there's the flip side of that coin. To paraphrase Neil Barrett, one of my favorites, the people who wear runway clothes on the streets are the real fashion victims.

Well, that and the models.

I've had numerous friends who- through work, or connections, or luck, or boredom- have participated in runway shows. My friends in a band from Chicago were flown out this past summer to play the Phillip Lim show. One of my old bass players was picked out at a bar to model for Betsey Johnson. They were treated well enough, I guess. But the overall feeling is that these people see something in you, and immediately try to exploit it. Because business.

Couldn't tell you about the show, but the afterparties are not what you'd imagine. And the people are not attractive. They're office parties. Worse, they're someone else's office parties. Office parties filled with people who will be kind to your face, while trying to figure out how to exploit whatever it is they think you're good for. My guitarist and I went to the xxxxxxx xxxxxx (redacted, don't want to bad mouth a friend's comany) party this past summer. We both agreed, never again. We were new faces, and thus interesting or whatever, but people just asked a little too much. You get the overall feeling that they want something from you; your look, or talent, or approval, or youth. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. But we came for the models. We had our heads filled with the idea of a party with models everywhere. Turns out none of the models were old enough to get in.

Darren, I'm not going to tell you which one, but there is a unit in my building dedicated to housing models fresh off the boat. Rail-thin 16-year olds. Girls with dreams coming to realize they're nothing more than clothing racks. Clothing racks that subsist on a diet of cigarettes, alcohol, and party drugs. At some point, its a bit too much to stomach.

The best part of fashion week can be seen in the photos of the clothes. Everything else, I could personally do without. I guess Rod Stewart was wrong. Not every picture tells a story.

[the bottle ride]

Because its a big yawn. ...... Showcases. Business. Seedy. Boring.
...The best part of fashion week can be seen in the photos of the clothes.

What he said- my sister is an editor at "THE" fashion mag and a few years ago she dragged her broken hearted bro around to some of these things in hopes of raising his spirits after getting dumped (common theme in my world) and it was pretty repulsive and boring at the time.
Spending time with self important people who think fashion will have meaningful impact on the world is painful.
The only thing I found remotely interesting is witnessing the number of grown women and girls fawning over their fashion icon/guru only to receive the up turned nose or the straight up "go away please"- I have never seen people so poorly treated and gleefully accept it and want more.
Rock stars are much more appreciative.

[the bottle ride]

.... Much like the musician gets screwed by the music industry, the model is screwed (often literally) by the fashion industry. I think that's why musicians and models go together like peanut butter and jelly (Is it cruel to mention food during fashion week?).

[x] Awesome

[chasea]

Not hard to get into the parties if you know someone.

Its an industry mostly run by gay men and straight women. There is pretty much an open call put out through the ranks for afterparties. I heard that it was mentioned around the office, but I wonder if its ever written in a memo.

"Bring men."

[j44ke]

My wife's hair stylist does the hair for Rodarte and a couple other designers during Fashion Week, but the idiotic thing was he worked for free for about 10 years (!) before he earned enough seniority to get paid real money. That's the thing no one tells you - half of those people on the manual labor side of things at the fashion shows are working for free just on the off-chance that somehow they'll finagle a job, which they won't because they are already working for free. Why pay them? Not the teamsters raising the tents etc. obviously, but the hairdressers, make-up artists, fluffers (lovely name), assistants.... And they can't organize and strike, because there are a jillion more salivating right behind them.

The models I've met are really nice though. I haven't ever gone to any of the events, but if you just walk around my neighborhood (Union Square) you run into them. Quite a few ride bikes around the city (BSNY's Beautiful Godzillas.) The cool ones are really smart and doing this to earn money for what happens next. But the rest of them get ruined. There are so many girls coming out of the Baltics and Eastern Europe who meet the requirements for runway models (tall, leggy, pre-pubescent-looking, but with enough tits and ass the clothes are sexy) that every year is like a run through the daisies with a lawn mower.

Speaking of which, this girl who just made the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue is being sold as having a normal body? Oy. We saw her two nights ago outside some thing at a nearby restaurant - that's not a normal body. Add 25lbs and subtract 4" from her height and you get a normal body.

[chasea]

The only thing I found remotely interesting is witnessing the number of grown women and girls fawning over their fashion icon/guru only to receive the up turned nose or the straight up "go away please"- I have never seen people so poorly treated and gleefully accept it and want more.

If you're talking about A.W., I'd say that she was nice to me and most of the people I worked with. Most likely because we weren't in her industry, and didn't care much about what she thought; even though it was her party. Her "people" are just horrible. I think they're the ones who are upholding her reputation.

Rock stars are much more appreciative.

The best ones always seem to be the friendliest. Funny how that works.

[the bottle ride]

The best ones always seem to be the friendliest. Funny how that works.

My hero, Joe Strummer, was cut from that clothe- he made time for everyone.
Miss him, his work and his view on the world every day.

[chasea]

The models I've met are really nice though. I haven't ever gone to any of the events, but if you just walk around my neighborhood (Union Square) you run into them. Quite a few ride bikes around the city (BSNY's Beautiful Godzillas.) The cool ones are really smart and doing this to earn money for what happens next. But the rest of them get ruined. There are so many girls coming out of the Baltics and Eastern Europe who meet the requirements for runway models (tall, leggy, pre-pubescent-looking, but with enough tits and ass the clothes are sexy) that every year is like a run through the daisies with a lawn mower.

I'm not sure if they still do it, but Ford used to make deals with restaurants for girls who weren;t getting enough runway/photo work. I dated a girl who started at Coffee Shop in your neighborhood that way. She quit modelling and defected to Fanelli's. She made much more money and was much, much happier. Happier dealing with drunken slobs.

My current girlfriend was put out to pasture. She's 28, looks 24; and frankly, that's still too old. She's a fit model now for smaller boutique lines. They use her body to come up with their clothing patterns. She also works for a music management company. "Bruce" stops by the office a few times a week. She wants to work with bigger, more current and known artists now. She's less interested in the art side of it, because its hard to make a buck that way. Or, as she puts it, "I don't want to be hanging out with Steve Earle all day."

[Badonkadonk]

i'm at a healthcare investing conference in nyc at the waldorf, and there were (are?) like 50-100 hot chicks in the lobby. i thought it was just a statistical anomaly but fashion week makes more sense.

i'll say a prayer for them i guess. while they are getting older, i am getting better. and older.

[j44ke]

"I don't want to be hanging out with Steve Earle all day."

Hilarious. And understandable.

while they are getting older, i am getting better. and older.

The best way to do it.

[robin3mj]

this thread needs pics

[j44ke]

this thread needs pics

There are tons and links to more at the links below.

Fashion Shows - Coverage from New York, Paris and Milan - New York Times

The Sartorialist

Fashion Shows - Fashion Week in New York, Milan, Paris, London -- Runway Photos and Videos -- New York Magazine

Off the Runway: Day 1 - Slide Show - NYTimes.com

Fashion Week, Night 1 - Slide Show - NYTimes.com

Female Street Photographers Work the Camera - Slide Show - NYTimes.com

Street Style Photos From Fashion Week and Beyond - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.com

all the pretty birds

This shot is from Paris I think and her legs are a bit scary, but the way she's walking is pure fashion sass, and with the flip of the hair makes it one of the sexier photos I've seen in a while.

[chasea]

The french girl worked three shows on Wednesday. We celebrated last night with food.

Cactus and black bean tacos and cornish hen. Grapefruit margaritas.

Couldn't get a table till 11:00. Worth the wait.

Barrio Chino - New York Restaurant - MenuPages Mexican, Nuevo Latino Restaurant Search

[the bottle ride]

The french girl worked three shows on Wednesday. We celebrated last night with food.

Cactus and black bean tacos and cornish hen. Grapefruit margaritas.

Couldn't get a table till 11:00. Worth the wait.

Barrio Chino - New York Restaurant - MenuPages Mexican, Nuevo Latino Restaurant Search

bario chino- my fave mexican style restaurant. When I lived on grand it was a weekly ritual. best margarita in the city.

I love the decor- I walked by it ever day when they were trying to open to watch them set the place up.

[the bottle ride]

Bonita right across the river in the Willy B is a close secound thoough- they do those grilled corn things that are pretty rad.

[chasea]

bario chino- my fave mexican style restaurant. When I lived on grand it was a weekly ritual. best margarita in the city.

I love the decor- I walked by it ever day when they were trying to open to watch them set the place up.

Ate at Empellon on W4th with TooTall, DarrenCT, and EddieB about three weeks ago. Shit is nuts. Call a couple of weeks in advance for a table. Again, worth it.

In WillyB, its all about La Superior.

[mainemike]

my take differs a bit. i wrkd fashion wk back when it was called 7th on 6th. i was a student at f.i.t. and quite enthralled w/the whole mess. i did everything from setting up chairs to dressing- which means i tore clothes off models backstage. i think i was the only straight guy at f.i.t. or the magazine where i worked or the model agency where i worked. god bless a fool, thats how i felt. yup, lots of mean folks and lots of bs, just like every single other business in the world. i loved fashion then and i love it now. there is an ugly side to everything. whats not ugly? beautiful women in beautiful clothes. if you don't know what yer lookin at, learn if yer interested.

[j44ke]

my take differs a bit. i wrkd fashion wk back when it was called 7th on 6th. i was a student at f.i.t. and quite enthralled w/the whole mess. i did everything from setting up chairs to dressing- which means i tore clothes off models backstage. i think i was the only straight guy at f.i.t. or the magazine where i worked or the model agency where i worked. god bless a fool, thats how i felt. yup, lots of mean folks and lots of bs, just like every single other business in the world. i loved fashion then and i love it now. there is an ugly side to everything. whats not ugly? beautiful women in beautiful clothes. if you don't know what yer lookin at, learn if yer interested.

Are you still working in the field?

[mainemike]

nope. not for yrs. live in maine wrk in mrktng. tres chic!