It’s that time again, when editors, buyers, celebrities and loyal fans flock to the tents at Bryant Park in addition to countless other venues all over the city. There’s a frenzy for certain shows (MJ) every season and then there are the newer more up-and-coming designers who garner buzz around town. I wonder how it will feel the first time I walk into a venue or the tents this week with recession on the tip of everyone’s tongues. I’m guessing the clothes, hair and makeup will be a bit more restrained than in seasons past. It’s amazing that designers can even afford to put up a show (which costs upwards of $50,000, and that’s in an alley on the LES) at all in times like these. Actually, some of them can’t and have downscaled to formal presentations or have canceled altogether. The Fall shows are supposed to rev everyone up, inspire big ideas and set the tone for the coming year in retail and all the other industries that feed off of the trends. I’m still looking forward to Fall ’09 Fashion Week as a source of creative inspiration.
Of course, it wouldn’t be fashion week without a Barneys Warehouse Sale. I remember when the sale was cause to queue up at 7:30AM on West 17th Street with all the other die-hard shoppers. Bargains could be found after a thorough excavation of sweater bins and jam-packed racks. There would be a fabulous shoe lurking on the top (why always out of my reach?) shelf. Those were the days. Now it seems like the sale is filled with mass-produced weird merchandise that never graced the loft-like vignettes of the Madison Avenue store. Fortunately, men can still find some really good buys in the way of suits and overcoats and cashmere sweaters.
I’m staying hopeful and I’ll be blogging about beauty for stylelist.com from behind the scenes at a bunch of shows in the next few days, so please check back for updates on hair, makeup and whatever else happens in the trenches.
-Lisa
Image courtesy http://www.forbestraveler.com