I was so pumped for this show for two reasons – one, we were going to be able to meet Patrik Ervell himself and two, I got to spend a day at fashion week over my birthday. I mean, what more could a girl ask for?!

I brought a girlfriend of mine who works in PR from the city to the show. She was a virgin to fashion week, so I thought what better way to break her in! Needless to say, she had a blast.

The show was brilliant. There were large white drapings that resembled parachutes down the runway, fans blowing, and the menswear ensembles all pieced together painted a picture of World War II inspirations. There were jumpsuits, bomber jackets, sweaters, button down shirts, slim dress pants and nothing but greatness. You definitely got the feeling of Ervell’s love for uniform, military, and precision during his show.

Photos from style.com

After the show ended, we were escorted backstage to meet Mr. Ervell himself. Who knew that such a successful, menswear designer, and New Yorker at that, would be so shy. His talent is out of this world and the modesty he prevailed to all of the compliments, photographers, and press was a breath of fresh air. Successful people in this business who have an attitude and gratefulness like Ervell are the ones I will root for ten times harder.

You see, as we were waiting to meet Mr. Ervell, two other ‘older’ women in line- I mention the word ‘older’ because their attitude definitely contradicted their age-they were asked if they would like to take a picture with him now. The one woman’s response was, “Oh no, I’m not into that. You see we were at the Emmy’s this past summer. We were on the red carpet and everything.” Are you kidding me?! If you’re so la-ti- dah with yourself, then why are you here at such a show anyways? She probably swiped her American Express Card so fast for that Emmy ticket she left her manners with it. Couldn’t even congratulate or afford a compliment to the designer. Okay, off my soapbox now.

So, Patrik Ervell was great. He talked about his vision for the show and how hard some of the looks were to make-like the military jacket. Also behind stage, was Kirsten Dunst in of course, Patrik Ervell that he made specifically for her. I couldn’t resit going up to her and asking for a picture, I mean come on, Spiderman and Bring It On? It was a must. What a sweetheart she was about it too.

It is such an honor to show at Milk Studios because they are only allowed to show 35 designers per year here. The designers are chosen by people like the Editor of Vogue Magazine, Anna Wintour, which is absolutely huge. Not to mention, Mac & Milk come together to help support emerging designers and all designers are able to put on a show at no cost. Wow.

I also have to mention, the staff at Milk Studios was great to us and made our experience all the better. What a place to work as well. Each month, they build a restaurant in the warehouse building, depending on whatever cuisine they are feeling that month. After work there is a bar that all employees can go to and hang out and have a drink. They have what’s called a JAM room in the basement. The JAM room is basically blown up instruments such as drums, a guitar, etc. Celebrities and staff stop by whenever they feel like they need a JAM session. Talk about awesome.

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

I flew into New York on Thursday to attend the American Express Presents CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Show at Lincoln Center. What a great way to kick-off into Fashion Week! American Express definitely caters to their customers and their love for fashion. Not only that, but the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund truly believes in cultivating emerging designers and enabling them to be a part of the fashion world by offering business grants and professional mentoring to the winners and runner-ups of the competition.

The show consisted of the winning designers from the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, past and present, over the past seven years. Alexander Wang, Derek Lam, and Jason Wu and many more have been winners and finalists in the program and are now extremely well-known designers in the fashion world.

I will admit, us fashionistas were running a bit behind and were a bit nervous the show was going to start without us. My girlfriend in her hand-beaded maxi dress and 5 inch wedges, almost killed herself getting out of the cab. Thankfully, we made it safe and sound!

The music was great and upbeat and the looks, oh my goodness. What talent these designers have. The finale was a beautiful one-shoulder Marchesa Bridal gown, with a cathedral veil, that was a definite show stopper. The cameras went crazy. The best thing about this show, all looks are available to purchase at American Express! Love.

All photos are from Vogue.com (seeing as though I forgot my cord to upload my own photos)

Stay tuned as I’m heading to Milk Studios today for the showing of Patrik Ervell, on my birthday may I add! Happy Fashion Week All!

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

Wahoo, New York Fashion Week is right around the corner! I’m way overdue for my trip back to the Big Apple. Twice a year for Fashion Week just doesn’t seem like enough. But let me tell you, when it approaches, I’m like a kid in a candy store.

Fashion Week in February, just so happens to fall over my birthday. I knew I picked the right career path! This year, I couldn’t be more excited about fashion week. I’ll be first headed off to the Vogue Fashion Fund Show/ CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers) on Feb. 10th. And this time, I didn’t sign any forms that prohibit me from speaking about it! Yess. So make sure you stay tuned in, I’ll be tweeting and blogging right from Fashion Week.

On February 12th, my birthday, I have tickets to a VIP showing of Patrik Ervell followed by a meet-and-greet and stylist session. How fabulous is that?!  I then plan on bringing in my birthday, in style, in NYC. You see, it’s come to the point where I actually don’t want to celebrate any more birthdays. After 21, I’m done. But, I’ll be in New York-how can you not?

Now that I have New York Fashion Week pretty down pat, I would really love to work my way over to the Paris Runways. Paris Fashion Week is also right around the corner in March. I would just die to see Chanel or Louis. Did I mention I would die? Hmm, how to get connections, connections.

Stayed tuned next week as I’ll be tweeting and blogging straight from the runways of Fashion Week! Not to mention venturing out to see some great nightlife! Hope to see all of you fashionistas out there!

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

This passed weekend served as New York Fashion Bridal Week featuring Spring and Fall 2011 Collections. I have to remember that for next year, because I would love to go. Bridal gowns just fascinate me. Probably for the main reason it’s one of the most important garments a woman will wear in her lifetime, especially if you consider yourself a fashionista. And if I ever took upon designing my own line, it would definitely be in bridal wear.

Sometimes, I just have to laugh at myself. Normally, you would think if I’m having dreams about my wedding day, it would consist of questions such as, “Am I making the right decision?” “Am I marrying the right person?” Oh no, my dreams consist of my wardrobe. For example: I hate my veil, I don’t have the right flowers, my dress is hideous, my hair isn’t done. I guess those are true worries of a fashion major!

Anyways, for those designers that produce both ready to wear lines and bridal lines for fashion week, I have to give immense credit to. New York Fashion Week was just in September, and right around the corner in October, hits Bridal Fashion Week. I can’t even imagine worrying about two totally different lines in such a short period of time. Monique Lhuillier, whose show I was fortunate enough to see in September, also showed her bridal line this week.

“Romance and extravagance are back,” Lhuillier said in her program notes, no small statement during a time when the number of marriages in the U.S. is seeing a steady decline. Lhuillier has been most famous for her use of flowers which were dominate in her ready to wear and bridal collections this year. She intersects the layers and depth of flowers into her designs to transform them into fanciful fantasies. Her work is exquisite.

One aspect that definitely prevailed in terms of trends for bridal is the ball gown silhouette. The timeless silhouette was modified by many designers, incorporating a tight bodice, but less of a full skirt. It resembles more of an A-line look. See below.

If I could see one bridal designer’s fashion show, it would be St. Pucchi’s without a doubt. Her designs are extreme, over the top, extravagant gowns that are fit for a queen.  I’ve idolized her designs ever since I came across my first St. Pucchi gown. I hope to be fortunate enough to have one of her designs as my own when it’s my turn to walk down the aisle. There are a few things that should never be skimped out on in a wedding, and number one is the dress, in my opinion of course. Check out St. Pucchi’s Fall 2010 Collection!

PS: In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness this month, please pick up a Dannon product at the grocery store, such as Activia, DanActive, Light and Fit, etc. Under each lid is a code that should be entered at www.cupsofhope.com. For each code that is entered, Dannon will donate $.10 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Not only are you eating healthy, but you’re also helping out a great cause. Make it your good deed for the day.

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

Alex Chapman is a friend of mine who is currently in New York working for Halston. She agreed to do a little interview with me for my blog, so I hope you enjoy it!

1. What is your position at Halston?

Officially I am an intern in the sales department, however, our showroom and our offices are all in one space so I kind of help out in all areas including PR (which is fun) and Finance (which is definitely NOT fun).

2. What is the image of Halston and what are you seeing a lot of in their collections?

Halston is definitely known to everyone as an American designer who created beautiful pieces that were minimalistic, chic, and really were made to fit a women’s body. He experimented with draping in a way that no one had before him and basically created the bias cut and became the look of the 70s and Studio 54. In this upcoming collection, designed by Marios Schwab, really draws inspiration from Halston’s previous collections with lots of skin showing through cut-outs, cut-away backs, and large slits. The inspiration behind the collection also draws upon one of Halston’s biggest inspirations which is orchids and that can be seen in the beautiful prints in the collection. Color blocking was a huge thing as well in the presentation.

3. What do your job responsibilities consist of?

My job responsibilities are a little bit of everything and can get very hectic! I am basically responsible for all samples and maintaining the showroom and most importantly, the available-to-sell samples as these are the ones we show potential buyers that come into the showroom. I also do a lot of tasks for the sales team including researching target stores and contacted them to schedule an appointment with us in the showroom. This doesn’t sound too hard but I literally have over 200 stores on my list that I have to try to call on a daily basis, not so easy!

4. What’s a normal day like at the office?

A normal day at the office is never normal. We get there around 9, earlier during market, and usually don’t leave before 8 at night! There are always a million different tasks going on at once and you really have to know how to prioritize and get it all done.

5. So, I know you have had the chance to officially meet SJP. Tell us everything!

She is sooooo nice, I can’t even say how nice she is! And tiny! She is soooo tiny! She comes into our offices quite frequently and is very involved in the collection for Halston Heritage. Unfortunately, we (the interns) are not usually around when she is in as she is usually in the CEO’s office or the Product Development Director’s office.

6. Do you get any fabulous discounts?

I don’t really get a discount but I can order things that are available to sell (meaning in stock) at wholesale costs. Since we are a wholesaler that’s the price buyers and everyone else pays so it’s not really a discount. But it usually does equal to about 50-60% off retail, which would be fabulous if I could afford it! Luckily, I was interning during the time of our sample sale so I was able to pick up a few things then.

7. What’s the biggest thing you have learned in the industry thus far?

I came to New York knowing the fashion industry is not glamour but I really did not understand all of the work that goes into everything in a fashion house. There are people that work there that look like they never leave the office, you can still be at work at 8pm and it will look like high noon in our office! I also learned that no matter what you want to do in this industry you will always have to do math, sorry girls! Every department from PR to design to merchandising and obviously sales and finance use math it’s just a fact. Also, a little piece of advice…brush up on excel because I use that every day at lease once an hour and I’ve learned things about Excel I never knew in all my years in high school or using the program at school

8. Did you participate in New York Fashion Week?

I participated in Halston’s presentation, which is when models are not walking on a runway, they are just standing. It was on Monday the 13th and was AMAZING!! The looks were all color-blocked (even the skin color of the models were color blocked!) to add to the importance of colors and the inspiration behind the collection. I got to see a lot of people including Emma Roberts, Alexis Bedel, Andrew Mulkamal (from Kell on Earth), Joe Zee, Linda Fargo, Anna Della Russo (who wore a crazy watermelon on her head with an attitude to go with it!), and of course SJP herself!

Thanks again Alex for doing this! Keep up the good work at Halston, I know great things are going to happen for you!

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

Hello Fashionistas!

I’m currently in the Big Apple for Fashion Week. And wow, it’s fabulous. The shows, the people, the clothes, the atmosphere, it’s great! Check out the latest shows straight from the NYC runway at www.style.com. I, unfortunately, am under contract not to talk about it. It is extremely hard because it’s what I came here to do, what I love, and what I enjoy talking about. But, it’s not worth ruining my chances of being a part of this again.

Today, was actually my day off from fashion week, so I spent the day doing none other than shopping. What a give in, right? I absolutely love exploring the city. I started out on 5th Ave where I came across Bethany from The Real Housewives of New York shopping in Sak’s.  She looks fabulous, especially after having a baby. I discretely went about taking my picture, while another woman knocked over a mannequin trying to take her picture. Bethany looked and the woman replies, “Just trying to get a picture Bethany.” It’s not worth killing yourself lady, not worth it!

I then made my way down to Soho. I could honestly walk those streets for days. The shops just keep going and going and going. And when I get in my shopping mode, I can just keep going and going and doing. So many little shops, so much to shop for! I actually found myself walking the streets of Soho, smiling. I was so excited to be there. The streets are all brick and there are the most chic, stylish shops there. I had been shopping for hours and hours, not to mention in heels, and decided to stop for dinner. I ended up at this quaint little restaurant and sat down, alone. I’m not the type of girl that can’t go to the bathroom alone, but on the same hand I never thought I’d be the type to go out to dinner by myself. But it was so…nice. And refreshing. It probably helped a little bit that there were three other people that were also alone and the fact I had my Blackberry to dive into.  But, it was an experience that I really enjoyed and one that I will probably do again. It may sound corny, but you can really figure out what you’re made of when your in a big city and alone. I actually enjoy getting lost, to an extent of course.  I find it comforting that I can just hail a cab, give them my address, and everything will be okay. So I take a few more risks!

Tomorrow is my last day at fashion week before I head home. I am so sad to leave this great place, but I’m so thankful for this great experience. I can’t wait for February, because the fact that fashion week comes twice a year is awesome! So hopefully this trip will relinquish my twitching and withdrawals until then!

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

As many of you know, New York Fashion Week begins this Thursday, September 9th through the 16th featuring the Spring/Summer 2011 Collections. And this year, I couldn’t be more excited because I actually get to be a part of it. When I was in Europe, I was lucky enough to be able to be a part of Paris and Milan Fashion Week. It was absolutely phenomenal and something I never thought I’d be lucky enough to experience. But, my ultimate goal was to attend Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York.

New York is a city that I fell in love with the moment that Greyhound bus rolled passed Times Square. I was 17 years old and my face was plastered to the window. I truly will never forget that moment of massive billboards, city lights, taxis, and people galore. It was a city on steroids!

This year, I’m flying out to New York on September 11th. Never thought I would say that in my lifetime. Even though I’m a bit skeptical, I have one thing on my mind and one thing only: FASHION WEEK. But, maybe a little vodka will help me through that flight. Anyways, I’m working fashion week all day Sunday and Monday, as well as helping out Wednesday night. Fashion shows such as Max Azria, Rebecca Minkoff, Diane von Furstenberg, Diesel, and Betsey Johnson will be taking place while I’m behind stage dressing the models in the fabulous clothing. I may have other jobs as well, such as seating guests, (SJP, I’ll be looking for you), helping with the set-up and things of that sort.

Unfortunately, Mercedes Benz has strict rules for all who are participating in the event. I will not be able to blog about what I saw at fashion week in terms of the lines. No cell phones or cameras are allowed in either.Fashion Week is for invited guests only, many celebrities and important clients, who get a sneak peak before the rest of the world. And in order for fashion week’s high caliber to stay at what it is, everyone needs to be in the same boat. However, I will be able to update about the different celebrities and fashion icons that I bump into each day, so look forward to that!

The other two days I will be in New York will be spent at Marie Claire! I’m excited to go back and see what has been going on since I left in January. I’m sure things will be crazy because of fashion week, so my game face is necessary.

Check out the NY S/S 2010 Lineup!

**There will be no post on Thursday in order to  better prepare myself for Fashion Week! Lots and lots of outfits and shoes must be chosen for very limited suitcase room. May the Lord be with me!

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB