Twice a year press, celebrities, models, and designers gather in New York City for one of the biggest weeks in fashion: New York Fashion Week. And after a long day of class, I attended one of the NYFW shows. For context, my cousin, Everard Best, is co-founder of the streetwear brand Who Decides War (WDW). If you watched the 2025 Met Gala, a few celebs (including Regina King, who made many best dressed lists) were styled by WDW, and some of your faves like Megan Thee Stallion, Jordan Chiles, Coco Jones, and Billie Ellish have worn their designs.
This is my second time attending a Who Decides War NYFW show — both times were for the summer/spring collection. Cheering Everard on alongside my family and seeing the newest WDW collection in person is very different from seeing photos and videos afterwards. Plus this year I went backstage before the show and saw the finishing touches on the models’ outfits. Every year, I am amazed at their work, and couldn’t be prouder of my cousin.
Before I went to the show, I had a class at my graduate school, the Craig Newmark School of Journalism, and a dinner reservation. Let’s get into my day leading up to the show and my experience attending it.
7:15 a.m.: Wake Up & Pick Out My Fit
I woke up and checked Instagram for about 15 minutes. I got up and went to pick out my outfit for class. Then, I hopped in the shower, changed into my outfit (after asking my mom and sister for their opinion), and did the rest of my morning routine.
8:45 a.m.: Ride The Subway To Class
From my sister’s apartment (where I was staying for the weekend), I headed to the subway with her and rode the 2 train to Times Square, where my school is. My sister hopped off the train a few stops earlier.
9:45 a.m.: Grab Breakfast
Saturdays are my longest class of the week — six hours — so I made sure I got breakfast beforehand. I got a ham and cheese croissant and an iced chai latte (the latter I’m lowkey obsessed with) from Pret A Manger.
10 a.m.: Go To Class
I was almost late to class because I had to go around to the alternative entrance. The main one was closed. But luckily, I made it to Craft of Journalism right on time and tried my best to quietly munch on my breakfast.
Craft of Journalism is a foundational course for first-semester students. It was week two of this class. For the first half, we talked about the recent news and dove into covering the community districts we were assigned last class.
12 p.m.: Lunch Break
I grabbed lunch in K-Town with my classmate. I got boba and chicken teriyaki. The lunch break went by fast, so we had to eat our food during class.
1 p.m.: Return to class
We learned some research techniques for covering the communities we were assigned. Afterwards, we went over what we are going to cover in the next few classes and what assignments are due.
4 p.m.: Class Ends Early
My class finished about 15 minutes early. Afterwards, I caught up with my friends in the newsroom before rushing to get to my sister’s apartment so I could change into my fit for tonight and make it to the dinner reservation my brother made.
5:30 p.m.: Get Ready For Dinner
Once I got to my sister’s apartment, I had to quickly get ready to leave for dinner before the show.
7 p.m.: Dinner
We took an Uber to a restaurant near the show’s venue. Shortly after we sat down, my brother, his girlfriend, and her friends joined us.
8:30 p.m.: Arrive At The Venue
After we finished dinner, my sister and I left and took an Uber to the venue. Everyone else hopped into another Uber. Once we got there, we checked in and were handed wristbands.
9:30 p.m.: Go Backstage
After mingling for a bit, I headed backstage to take photos using a camera I rented from my school. I photographed the models getting their final touches for hair, makeup, and their outfits.
10 p.m.: The Show Starts
My sister and I found our seats and quickly took photos of one another before the show started. The show began with Leon Thomas performing as the models strutted. The collection, Read The Room, has 24 stellar menswear and womenswear looks that work together to tell the story of regrowth. Once the show was complete, my cousin Everard and co-founder Téla D’Amore walked the runway as Thomas performed “Mutt.”
In the final moments of the show, everyone started crowding Thomas as he finished the song. Somehow, I got to the front, and was able to snap some great photos of Thomas.
11 p.m.: Uber & Debrief
After the show, my sister and I got in an Uber to go to her apartment. In the car and when we got to her apartment, we talked about the show, Leon Thomas, and I showed her (and my mom) the photos I took on my camera. As we debriefed, I did my night routine and changed into my pajamas.
1:30 a.m.: Fall asleep
I intended to relax and write before I went to bed, but after such a long day, I’m not surprised I fell asleep quickly.
The vibe of the entire show was immaculate, and it was an unforgettable night.