Imagine that every day you were able to go into work in the fashion hub of the world, NYC, and be surrounded by gorgeous gowns, sleek stilettos, priceless purses, and fashion masterminds. Of course this is an amazing opportunity, but the pinnacle of working in this city in this business is truly Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York (NYFW). This is when the pressure is on! In September as we head back to school, designers, models, and celebrities flock to NYC and take over Lincoln Center for seven days of couture. Out on the runway it is all glitz and glamour, but leading up to the show, behind the scenes and after the show, the employees of all the major fashion brands are working feverishly to make their collections the hottest ones out there.
A close friend of mine, Kristin, is one of the lucky few who have reached this pinnacle in the fashion business and she is privileged enough to work for one of my favorite lines, Badgley Mischka. Kristin is one of those friends that has always been able to effortlessly pull off some of the hottest trends, mixing fashion and fun perfectly. And living by the motto, “honesty is the best policy,” Kristin is not afraid to admit that although fashion is very glamorous, the hard work and many hours put into a job in the fashion world is nothing short of laborious. At Badgley Mischka, Kristin works in the Sales Department as the Jr. Account Executive and is a veteran when it comes to working at Fashion Week. During NYFW, I was lucky enough to get to talk to Kristin, despite her hectic schedule, and get a little bit of the inside scoop on styles we should expect for Spring 2014. With her “passion for fashion” I also wanted to know what it was like for a young woman working in the fashion business and what NYFW is really like.
What do you think are some of the top brands or trends that you have noticed during the week?
“I truthfully only really focus on our brand (Badgley Mischka). We devote a lot of our time to helping the design team look back on past best sellers based on price, silhouette, and color. Personally, I look forward to Alexander McQueen, Victoria Beckham, Rag & Bone, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel. The first three because I love the brands, the last two are always over-the-top and jaw dropping beauty. They can go beyond everyone’s wildest dreams and make some crazy things come to life via their clothing. Also, since I work in sales, we do receive the trend-forecasting book from Ken Downing at Neiman Marcus. I love looking through that and planning out my closet.”
What do you think about some of the “crazy” looks on the runway that may seem impossible to pull off for the average consumer?
“Before working in fashion, I would see things on the runway and think that they were really over the top. Since working in the industry, however, I just notice a few differences. For example, we’ll have an evening gown from our collection line that features a red silk bow (inspired by Dior’s old shows) and a train that’s sweep is three feet long. In reality, the dress will be made without the three foot sweep and have a subtle train, and our customer will most likely be styling the dress with jewelry, not a large silk bow tied around their neck. I feel that the runway sometimes presents the ‘extreme’ of what can be done and then the customer can chose to play with it as they like.”
Describe your position at Badgley Mischka and how you have helped prepare for Fashion Week. What is the atmosphere like leading up to the week? The day of the show? Afterwards?
“I am a Jr. Account Executive at Badgley working in the Sales department. So, although we don’t do as much as the design team before the show, immediately after is our craziest time. I assist our PR coordinator and our outside PR firm order stock unites (all sizes) for celebrities to wear to our show. This takes a lot of organization since we do not want people wearing the same thing as each other (Gasp, can you imagine?!). The day of the show, we arrive backstage an hour before and basically admire everything before the action starts. Our design team is still making last minute adjustments and Mark (Badgley) and James (Mischka) have press interviews & photo ops on the ‘step and repeat’ with celebs. After the show, the samples are immediately packed up and returned to our showroom (office). We then all return as a company and have a champagne pizza party and watch the DVD of our show. The design team is backstage the whole time so that’s the first time they’re watching the show. It’s really exciting to see how thrilled they look when they’ve had such a big accomplishment. Then the sales team gets to work– tagging samples, merchandising it (deciding delivery date, colors, updates to samples, updating our software system, etc).”
Is this your first fashion week? If not, how is it different than any previous time? What was it like the first time you worked?
“This is not my first fashion week, I think it’s my 6th? I can’t keep track, but they have all been amazing and I’m very fortunate to attend such a big name show. This year is a little different because we are opening our Flagship NY Madison Ave store. We are having the Grand Opening the night of our show (Tuesday, September 10th). Normally, we’d change out of our work clothes when we return to our office and stay in ‘comfy’ clothes for the rest of the night (working until about midnight), but now we have the exciting opening and fancy attire must be maintained.”
What is the atmosphere like in NYC? Do people tend to flock toward the shows and try to get in or see someone or does all seem normal (or normal in terms of New York standards)?
“Well, I am sort of biased about this. I guess the atmosphere that I am around (at work) is that we only focus on our show. We will read reviews of our competitors and other big names after, when we can. But so much energy and focus is truthfully put into our own brand. From my friends point of view, they think fashion week is all parties, no work, all play, which unless you’re a celebrity, it’s the exact opposite. Working until 2 a.m. and getting to the office at 5 a.m. is pretty common for design and PR teams. All in all though, it’s pretty cool to go to NYFW. It’s an interesting experience if you’ve never been. Since it’s invite only, that makes it more exclusive, which I think some people try to really play up, so when they get invites, they’re thrilled. “
Besides the clothes, are there any beauty trends you saw on the runway (hairstyles, makeup, nails)
I’ll let the website do the talking on this one. Here’s some info on our backstage beauty:
http://www.wwd.com/runway/spri…
Are there any looks from Badgley Mischka that you think could be pulled off by girls here at BC?
“Badgley Mischka’s sportswear line, contemporary separates, and some dresses from Badgley Mischka Sportswear can definitely be worn and accepted as fitting the known BC “preppy” look. The looks also have a lot of room to be arranged depending on your style when you think of each piece as separate. Some tops and skirts can be transformed from day, work or night outfits. If you look at our show at www.style.com I think here are some ‘looks’ that may fit:
Look 1- Sportswear sweater knit with chiffon sides (paired with couture skirt)
Looks 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 30
The blouse from Look 7, skirt from look 12, crop top from Look 15.”
Direct link to pictures from the show: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/S2014RTW-BMISCHKA.
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