The N – Check It : Stacey ‘Fashionista’ Farber’s NYC Fashion Week Experience (2005)

Source: The N – Check It (Music, Movies, & More) Articles
Author: Stacey Farber
Published: May 29, 2005
Document Type: Online Feature Article
Source Link: View archived article on The N (Wayback Machine)

Late night re-runs of America’s Next Top Model sparked my obsession with the fashion industry. I always dreamt of a day when I, like the Mary-Kates and Beyoncés of the world, could attend a designer fashion show.

This past February, I accepted an invite from The N and trekked to New York City (from Toronto, Canada) for Fashion Week. I sat in the front row at three fashion shows with the Editor-in-Chief of ELLEgirl magazine, Brandon Holley (a.k.a. my new best friend).

One question: WHAT MORE COULD A GIRL ASK FOR?

This is me, transferring the contents of my purse from one bag to another. I spent an entire day preparing for the fashion shows. Wardrobe fittings, hair and makeup appointments, last minute shopping—you name it, I did it. (And I did it with a smile almost identical to the one in the photo above!)

Me again, posing with fans outside of the tent at Bryant Park (where the shows were held). I didn’t expect to be one of the ‘celebrities’ photographed with people after the shows. The whole experience was surreal.

This is a pic of me and Brandon chillin’ in between shows. I can’t believe that I was nervous to meet her! She is sooo cool! Throughout the night we chatted about boys, high school, how she scored her job with ELLEgirl, etc. Very insightful…

I love this picture because it captures the electric atmosphere that made NYC’s fashion week so exciting. FYI: The fashion shows are surprisingly short. They’re only about ten minutes long and so most of your time is spent standing in the admission line. I didn’t mind the wait because I used the time to ‘people-watch’ and scan the crowd for plastically enhanced New Yorkers. 🙂

For all three shows, I sat in the front row with my feet planted on the actual runway! I was so close to the action that if I crossed my legs at the right time, the point of my stiletto boot could have easily made contact with a passing model. In fact, while waiting for the lights to dim I briefly considered tripping a model “by accident”. I realized that if she fell, everyone would turn in their seats to face me, the paparazzi would have a field day and I would be known as “the girl from Degrassi who ruined Fashion Week”.

I didn’t need the negative publicity and I imagined that falling from such great heights could seriously injure a supermodel, so I decided against it.

Most fashion designers choose a theme for their shows. Cynthia Rowley’s theme for Fall 2005 was ‘Camping’. The decor, the music and the clothes went hand-in-hand with the great outdoors. Furs and plaids were everywhere. (Example: This model sported a fur jacket and a long, flowing, earth-toned dress.)

I couldn’t help but wonder:
Who, besides Paris Hilton, would go camping in designer clothes?
And
Who, besides Paris Hilton, would go to the grocery store dressed for a canoe trip?

I was confused until I re-examined the purpose of fashion shows. The clothes are not supposed to be realistic or practical in any way. They are far-fetched because fashion is a form of art! The shows are meant to entertain the audience and showcase the designer’s creativity.

Celebrities are always complaining about how annoying the paparazzi are. I however, thought the whole photo-snapping process was really funny. The photographers were shouting things like “Stacey! Stacey!”, “Over here!” and “You’re a tiger, baby!” (OK maybe not the last one, but still.)

The second that I overcame my fear of making the Worst-Dressed List, my smile turned genuine. I had fun and besides, it was a learning experience! I now have a better understanding of the chaos that comes with fame and I totally sympathize for Tom and Katie, who have cameras in their faces 24/7.

Post-fashion show, I’m heading back to the hotel in a van with the camera crew. The smile plastered to my face is a dead giveaway of how I felt. Elated.

Archival Note: This article was originally published on The-N.com on May 29, 2005. It has been preserved via the Internet Archive and reproduced here for historical and fan-archival purposes. The images accompanying this article were not preserved in the archive and are considered lost media; placeholders have been inserted in their original locations to maintain the context of the diary entries.