There are a lot of things about being a creator that I enjoy, but by far, my favorite part is when I get to use my creativity to support and collaborate with other creatives. This past weekend, I got to do exactly that for 48 hours at my first New York Fashion Week.
First, if you’ve ever been to New York City, you know that it’s always moving pretty fast. If you crank up that normal already fast speed about five notches, you have how fast things move during Fashion Week. There is so much energy in the city, everyone is scrambling to shows, afterparties and exhibitions, changing in the backs of their Ubers and drinking Ralph’s coffee like it’s water. Personally, I opted for Dunkin Donuts because their munchkins (donut holes) kept me just sugar high enough to keep up the pace.
I was so happy to be invited to a few shows but since I couldn’t get to NYC until Friday morning and had to leave Saturday night because of other meetings in LA, I ended up at two really amazing events. I was so grateful to be invited and dressed by Rebecca Minkoff, a New York based brand founded by Rebecca and her brother Uri. I love a brother-sister creative duo (ily, Jacob), but they really brought it with the I Love New York Collection. It was innovative in the traditional sense of being fresh, exciting, and visually interesting, and what I really loved about the experience was that it was the first of its kind — as the brand was one of two designers to partner with Yahoo! to launch fashion experiences using everyone’s favorite resource, the internet. The show offered NFTs for sale, with all the proceeds going to support a grant for women-owned businesses in New York that were affected by the pandemic (women supporting women<3).
Aside from this being an amazing and worthy cause to support, it gave me hope. Sometimes I feel like the internet is used to its worst potential. The way people have become comfortable talking online about and to other people as if they aren’t human is a real pitfall of our generation. The way Rebecca and Yahoo! came together to create something online that benefited women made me remember why I started sharing online in the first place; because it allows us to connect with people and have experiences that enrich our lives and theirs.
After the show, I loved meeting fans on my walk through Tribeca (I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!) and enjoyed an amazing dinner at Pepolino (dressed in Andre Emery).
When I was done filling myself with pasta, bread, and cheesecake, I headed back to my hotel and called my stylist (@brvndo, u rock) to pick out an outfit for the Christian Cowan afterparty. Christian was actually the other designer to partner with Yahoo! for a virtual experience, and his afterparty was amazing. Whoever did the set design for the venue deserves a raise. It was other-worldly, with giant plaster heads, a grass lawn and retro couches. Disco balls hung from the ceiling and a motorized elephant waved its trunk as the DJ played music for everyone to dance to. It almost felt like Alice in Wonderland, except instead of falling down a rabbit hole I fell down the stairs that led underground from 57th street in my four inch heels that were killing me (if you saw me dancing bare-foot, yes, you did).
I woke up Saturday after a few hours of sleep exhausted in the best way, and was so excited to go to Brooklyn to visit with my friend and mentor (and soon to be a mom again!), Ashley Graham. Over coffee, we 2.0’d our YouTube conversation from a few months ago, talking more privately about the importance of keeping good people in your circle, and how to knock the hate you get online (more on this later). We shared the blessings we have found in the people who genuinely love us, and she gave me and my girlfriends the best recommendation for Grimaldi’s Pizza, which was a short walk away. I got the Traditional and the Brooklyn Bridge (to the man who said, “wow, that’s a lot of food,” yes, I like options and I like to eat) which were both great, and then we did a little shopping before heading back into the city.
As my friends and I walked through the city sight-seeing, laughing, and enjoying the perfect weather, I couldn’t help but think about how grateful I was to be here, alive, looking out at the skyline on a day that 20 years ago looked very, very different.
We imagined what it would have been like to have been here on September 11, 2001. There is an ache that’s still been left in America and I think there always will be. The tragedy united people in a way that has continued on and is still profound. Walking around Brooklyn, there were flower displays laid out in honor of those who lost their lives that day. In uptown, people went to Fire Station #5 to thank the firefighters there for having been the first station to the attacks on the Twin Towers. Through their pain, they came together to keep the memory of those that we lost alive. Beyond being humbled and feeling extremely grateful for the breath in my lungs and the sun on my face in the midst of this, it once again gave me hope in people and the way we are able to unite to honor others.
If I had to describe this trip in one word, I would choose restore (which is weird because physically I feel the opposite from walking everywhere in heels). I was reminded of my blessings, my potential, and my dreams. I want to keep creating so that maybe I can make someone feel the way I felt this weekend. Being inspired is such a looped effect because when we get inspired, our drive to use that inspiration is restored and creates new ideas and perspectives that can in turn, inspire others. I was restored by the energy I felt from the creators around me, from meeting so many fans who were kind and supportive, and from spending time with friends who make me feel cared for, heard, and seen.
I hope you all have people in your life that make you feel that way. People who will help you get home after a long night out and make sure you’re safe. People who will support you just because they love you. I hope you feel inspired by the world around you and I hope you use the inspiration to make more good in the world. I hope that if you’re online hating right now, someone or something helps you turn it around so you can let the beauty around you take shape. But most of all, I hope u have munchkins. <3
