NYFW Behind the Scenes: Notes from all over the city

Exactly two weeks ago (at the time of writing this article), I got a call from an incredibly talented tailor that I’ve been connected with virtually for a while. She’s on her way to New York for fashion week - the projects and calls are coming in, and she needs help.

I had been holding the week for any opportunities that may have come up to get involved with the shows. Since I’ve been focusing on fashion week content lately (my videos talking about the Paris Haute Couture shows are still picking up traction), I thought the most likely outcome would be that I’d be invited to cover fashion shows from the audience. I had no idea that I’d be invited to the inside.

I’m a maker - I love getting my hands on beautiful fabrics, perfecting finishes, and zooming into the details. I love breaking down garment construction and the process of achieving a perfect fit. But since I spend most of my time building my own collections and patterns as a designer, “Tailor” wasn’t a job title I was even aware was in my field. As it goes, the universe works in all the right ways, and I am beyond thrilled to be discovering a new world where I can do what I love!

I’ve learned through experience that things in the fashion industry tend to change quickly (hence my week-long calendar block), so when Shirlee’s call came, I was ready to dive in. When I got home from teaching my last class of the day, I prepared a bag of everything I’d need throughout the week. Let me tell you - I could not be more thankful that past me decided to get a Hulken bag - I would not have survived the week without it.

• A sewing machine (my trusty Brother of course)

• A tape measure

• Safety pins

• Needles and a few colors of thread

• Scissors

• Seam clippers

Once my bag was packed, I set my alarm for 4:30am, got into bed around 10pm, turned on a deep sleep meditation and tried to get as much sleep as I could before the whirlwind week would begin.

Throughout the week, I had the pleasure of working on 3 different shows with the most unbelievable team of tailors - Sergio Hudson, Cult Gaia, and AWGE by ASAP Rocky. All of the shows were very different, which contributed to an extremely well-rounded set of experiences. Read more below!