So as you all know, I went to fashion week in NYC- I found it actually very busy but a bit boring. And I am not sure why….
Yeah, Fashion Nite Out was great (see my last blog). And I had a great line up of clothes: Alaia, Kors, Basso, Luca Luca, Ackermann, Trusardi etc……
And great shoes: Weitzman, Blumarine, Rossi, Manolo, Cavalli….
But, I don’t know, I think I was emotionally tied to the old space at Bryant Park and the idea of going to the new space at Lincoln center-well, depressed me.
Please don’t get me wrong, Lincoln Center is beautiful, and big! And there was a lot of space to sit and have a water or to go outside and smoke a ciggie if that is your thing.
But I found it a bit impersonal! Never once at Bryant Park was I asked for my invite or a pass…..Suddenly, no one knew you!
No more W Lounge with Chris and Lisa; I do not know who even ran the Mercedes Lounge and they certainly were not looking for Fashionistas to invite in for a rest!
Not like Lisa Rayden and Chris who owned backstage and everyone came looking for the W Lounge: Chris Noth, Mickey Rourke, Donald Trump and Melania, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, well, you get the point. As well as ALL the models who came between shows to rest their poor Stiletto’d feet!
But, I must say as the week wore on, everyone got more relaxed– the location was working well– and I met some really nice people. I don’t mean invited guests- most of them I knew or they knew me.
I always mean the people working there and running the space. I met a Supervisor/Manager who was SUPER nice and who got me a pass to bring my car to the back door. Which helped so much because I was carrying clothes back to designers. Since I was leaving for Russia right after the last FW Party, I wanted everyone to have their designs back ASAP!
I also met a really nice Head of Security who let us come and go back stage without bother! These are the people who made Lincoln Center better and better for me…And I started to warm up, too!
I can see the Logic that went into choosing that space at The Center: it is really big and the designers have room back stage to spread out! And in front of the stage: more seats, more salons, The Box (or Cube?) and at the entrance, seating for relaxing off your heels and you can actually see OUTSIDE; I must say, it was a little more cheery than I thought it would be. To my own fault, I think it was the unknown that I was against, and once I knew my way, I really liked the new space! Lincoln Center was rather nice…
Well, anyway, let me start at the beginning of the week: My week actually started out with the Cantor Fitzgerald 9/11 Fund. I saw a ton of show biz types and sports men there (read my tweets! I keep you immediately posted!!) The fund raises money for children’s charities (I worked for my brother’s memorial charity The Tony Alt Memorial Fund or TAMFI which is the same charity I played for on Celeb Apprentice! See them at TAMFI.COM)
Anyway, we get to talk to the big traders on the floors, make trades, sell stocks-anyway, it is like speaking a foreign language-trading is- and I had to have someone spoon feeding me my lines-but hey, we make millions for children’s charity and it is in memory of those who died on 9/11. (Cantor lost almost all its personnel that day)
Somber day that 9/11 is, this event is always a lot of fun for everyone involved and I stayed longer that I was expected to and just basically enjoyed myself fully! I did Fox Business News and a little shout out to Mr. Lutniks’ son for his Bar Mitzpah! Very fun!
The restof the week was shows, so as they say: “Let’s get on to the show!”
I think the biggest show of the week was Tom Ford (you remember I blogged that I ran into him at the Carlyle!)
He had more stars IN the show than in the front row! I mean who wasn’t there? But it was a great move on Tom’s part– He was a smash hit.
I took no photos of the bigger shows as you already know what they look like: long legged beauties walking on runways. I did take shots of the smaller Atelier shows so you can see what an Atelier looks like. (See below)
Then I went to see my old friend Denis Basso- he had a new silhouette- a little younger a little sexier! So I had to be there at the launch! And he had quite a nice turn out- even Carson Kressly was there. As well as ______________
Then I went to two smaller shows: Joanna Mastrianni (see Photos from in her Atelier) and Stephen Burrows; both small showings but both are launching comebacks. Joanna and I have known each other since I was the CFDA Model of the Year and she won New Designer of the Year. And Stephen Burrows decided to take some time off and then to come back again-like Cavalli did (yes, Roberto Cavalli was around in the 70’s, quit, and came back againin the 90’s- a superior comeback it was, too!) I saw some friends there: Debbie Dickenson, Pat Cleveland, Alva chin to name a few. Pat’s daughter was in the show- the new generation coming up! Pat was THE PREMIER Runway model- a huge star when I started working….. Alva, a Halstonette (a much coveted Halston Model) And Debbie- a beauty and sister to Janice Dickenson!
I then went to Luca Luca—Luca actually sold his company and so I went to see what the line is doing….hmmmmm, Interesting, for sure! I met the new consortium that took over and we went and had a drink after—I mean Raoul is designing, but these guys are the brains behind it! Naturally I went for the drink! No matter how tired you are, there is always time for a drink!
And I brought my PR (and friend and all around everything to me) Melanie AND a VIP from the Monday charity event at Cantor Fitzgerald.
Nothing like mixing Professions and putting all sorts of different people in one room to see what happens! The drinks were a hit!
Then I ran to Victoria Silvsted’s Birthday (remember? I twittered that- it was at Levo.)Levo also had its Grand Opening Night the same night as Victoria had her BDay and I saw that it is owned by the same owners as Tao- so now they have a second big restaurant hit!
There were so many people at Levo, that now I cannot even remember who all was there! (but, if you read my twitter, you already know who was there!)
Ok enough on the twitter thing. It is just that it is so new for me…..and now I can even answer direct messages… as if leaving comments on my website is not enough!
Moving on, the following night, I had a dilemma: Jack Goes Boating or Buried? I opted to see the movie Jack Goes Boating by Philip Seymour Hoffman (director and lead actor.) I saw Susan Sarandon there, as well as a Dell (yes I do mean THAT Dell)
Philip, of course, was there (not always is it the case that the actors go see their own films. I have not seen ONE of my films-well, ok maybe one: Howard Stern’s Private Parts!) as was Chris Noth and Jim Lipton of the Actor’s Studio with his lovely wife Kedakai. Not a bad turn out!!
Then I was on my way to the after party when I got a message-urgent- to please come to the Soho Grand Hotel. My girlfriend Camilla was there, stranded, and I had a car! It was pouring rain outside so we swung by the Soho Grand when we realized that the Buried party was there-so we ran in as I had said I MIGHT make it. And well, I was there so we went in!
And this is where you saw me in the papers with Ryan Reynolds in the elevator! Imagine? I had not seen his film and I am in the smallest possible space with the man! I had gone to Jack Goes Boating instead of Buried! And now I am in the elevator! Ooops!
So I chatted about everything else under the sun (it was a long ride up to the party at the Penthouse!)and I just barely avoided spilling the beans! Anyway, at the party I heard the movie was great! So now I want to see it!
Half hour later on my way back to the ‘Jack’ Party, I get an urgent message from my friend Greg: Lennox Lewis and Thom Feliciano (of Queer Eye fame) is at the Dom Perignon partyin the Meat Packing District and I better get over there!
So I did- or I should say WE did! I had my own Posse by now!Well, it was a really nice party! So elegant, so well appointed! And of course the Dom flowed! They had introduced their new bottle and label-so cool to be there! My girlfriend Nicole, who ran the party, did a great job. Everyone had a wonderful time and it was the perfect Close to Fashion Week Party!
After that we were all too exhausted to do much more! I collapsed and went home-
Next day I left for St Pete’s; and guess what? Next week is the St Petersburg Fashion week!
And I WILL keep ya posted!! (glad I brought some of the dresses I didn’t use in NYC Fashion Week! At least I have something to wear!)
