NY Fashion Week :: A Tale of Two Parties
New York Fashion Week is known for the fashion shows; sometimes there are three or four of them scheduled for the same hour in different locations. New York Fashion Week also has parties. Some of them are after parties where the audience, models, celebs and designers celebrate that day’s event; then there are parties to celebrate the historical or an innovation in the field.
Tonight there were two parties, which celebrated history and honored innovation. The first party was held at 1407 Broadway, nicknamed the red and green building. Why is it nicknamed the red and green building? It’s made from greenish brick with red trim (and no, it doesn’t look like a Christmas tree).
1407 Broadway is the home to many venerable fashion showrooms. XOXO, Mudd Jeans, Jou Jou and Sag Harbor are just some of the lines that call this building home; it’s been standing and housing showrooms for 58 years. Inside the marble Art Deco lobby, celebrities, media folk and garmentos mingled while they celebrated not only the longevity of the building, but its place in fashion history.
The party was hosted by Lydia Hearst and America’s Next Top Model winners Caridee English and Jaslene Gonzales. Other luminaries included former Miss UK Brooke Johnston and Peter Nygard, and Tommy Hilfiger even made an appearance. Models wore looks by designer Zahra Saeed, and mingled with the crowd.
1407 Broadway has a very special place in my heart; it’s where I discovered Women’s Wear Daily. When I was a young child my mother worked in a showroom there and would bring home WWD; then I’d steal it from her briefcase and read it cover to cover. One summer she brought me to work for a week, and that’s where I met my first sample and learned the language of fashion. I know if my mom was here, she would have been laughing and chatting with everyone at the party. For a long time 1407 was her home away from home.
Just a few blocks away was a party celebrating innovation- at the Bryant Park Grill, right behind the tents at Bryant Park. The party named Fall Forward celebrated the launch of LL Cool J’s new clothing line that will be sold exclusively at Sears (BTW- very cute stuff for guys and gals, and fantastic quality; the tees were pettably soft). LL Cool J’s line is priced $50 and under, and there’s no skimping on quality or style. The party was hosted by Sears and Heineken.
The party was held on the rooftop; guests looked at the skyline while they listened to a mix of old school Disco and newer music. And trust me, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen fashion journalists getting down. Nibbling on coconut shrimp, the journos had a chance to catch their breath after a long day of viewing shows, catch up on gossip, and compare notes. There was a lot of laughter floating around.
Downstairs Sears had set up eight "lifestyle spaces" (model rooms) that showcased LL COOL J’s new line, their other clothing lines, Sears’s furniture, home goods and more. Each room was more fun than the next. Other celebrity-endorsed exhibits included LoveForward ("shapewear" by plastic surgeon to the stars, Dr. Robert Rey and Italian designer Bruno Shiavi), BuildForward (Ty Pennington), and FastFoward (back-to-school with Vanessa Hudgens).
The furniture was sleek, modern and comfortable, the clothing- whether it was a men’s suit or jeans for teenagers- was fashionable and very on-point. Oh, and there was a simply stunning silvery gleaming motorcycle by Die Hard.
When LL Cool J arrived to the party; the temperature soared. Adult men and women were suddenly turned into adoring teens, all vying to say hello to the singer/actor, or get their picture taken with him. (If you’ve had the opportunity to see him and his arms in person, you’d understand. Not only is he gorgeous, he’s very kind and patient and exudes an air of calmness around him; he’s very Zen, and that smile... Oh my!
No one wanted to leave the party when the star showed up; he glowed and everyone wanted to soak up a few of his rays.
