It’s always fun to get something crossed off your bucket list. Last Friday, I had my first experience with New York Fashion Week (#NYFW) and it was so exhilarating! Even after two years of blogging, I still get a thrill when PR firms find my blog and reach out to me to collaborate. But this. This invitation was a dream come true.

In case you didn’t know, getting invited to NYFW is every fashion blogger’s goal. Not only do you get to be the very first audience to preview the designer’s line and get a jump on what will be trending, you get to be part of New York’s fashion culture. Getting tickets to parties, events and shows are tricky and it is typically invitation only. Further, an invite doesn’t mean access to all the designer’s shows unless you have celebrity status.

For me, one of the biggest myths I had about NYFW was that it was centrally located in one building. Not true. I watched the live video streams with the runways lined with the A-list celebs and originally assumed that everything was in one place. I’ve come to learn that the locations for designer’s shows vary widely. Many 2017 venues are new, and they will change again next year. The only exception to this are the locations that cult and emerging brands can consistently showcase their lines: Skylight Clarkson Square, at 558 Washington Street, and Industria, at 40 Bethune Street are the two main hubs.

However, some designers have chosen to present in more original venues throughout the city. For example, this year, Tory Burch showed her line in the garden of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. All Things Mochi, a new line that is based in Dubai, debuted in the Goods and Services Building in the Fashion Institute of Technology area. It was there that I had my first experience with New York Fashion Week.

My First Experience With New York Fashion Week

| I wore a Mexican-inspired blouse to celebrate Mochi’s Mexican-themed 2018 line |

| the invitation to Mochi’s Mexico Collection |

I brought a girlfriend with me to the show, and I wish you could have been with us when the elevator doors opened. They designed such a cool space to exhibit their line! Between the decor, the music and the models, I felt like I was walking into a hip Mexican party. The models were all dancing to the music and as you can imagine, each of them was dressed in some of the most exquisite clothes I have ever seen. I took a ton of photos, I hope you enjoy them – and be sure to check out the shoes that some of the models are wearing. I’ve included links to their website, if you have the time, it’s worth a look.

| my favorite skirt, can’t stop thinking about the details |

 

 

Here’s a quick timeline of my day:

9:30am – leave for NYC with a girlfriend who appreciates fashion as much as I do.

11:00am – we park and stroll around the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan where FIT is located.

12:00pm – lunch reservations at Hanjan – I highly recommend this restaurant. Our starters were the Fried Handmade Pork & Chive Dumplings, Tangy Spicy Chicken Nuggets with icy cold prosecco and for our entrees we chose Sizzling Hot Bimimbap, and Fresh Noodles in Spicy Seafood Broth.

2:00pm – arrive at the Goods and Services Showroom to see All Things Mochi’s Fashion Week presentation of Spring/Summer 2018 Mexico Collection. The clothes are so bright and beautiful! They have a great story behind their brand, please read about it here. In addition to their website, they sell jewelry Shopbop.

3:00pm – after the presentation, we head over to Madison Square Eats, an outdoor food market located directly across from the Flatiron building and near Eataly. This market has a reputation for excellent food and drinks and the place was hopping. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and luckily we were able to get a table outside with a picture perfect view of the Flatiron building. I’ll admit to some margaritas and people watching.

6:00pm – we popped into Eataly, got a couple of cappuccinos, a crepe drizzled with nutella, and some fresh pasta to take home for dinner. I had never been to Eataly before and it’s amazing! If you are ever near the Flatiron building, please make it a point to check it out.

 

| me and the founder and designer of All Things Mochi, Ayah Tabari |

Thank you for including me!

 

NYFW kicked off on Thursday, Sept. 7 and runs through Thursday, Sept. 13. The week includes the spring 2018 runway collections presented by various popular and lesser-known designers including Christian Siriano, Francesca Liberatore, Vivienne Hu and many, many more.

Visit nyfw.com/schedule for a full lineup.