New York Fashion Week was a blur of style, fun, creativity — and a wonderful experience for our four lucky FIJI Water Fashion Week interns. Contest winner Lauren Crumpecker shares her stylish story with us:
The high-spirited Betsey Johnson show.
This weekend we worked at six shows! It was hard and even stressful at times, but we had fun and kept our guests happy and refreshed with FIJI Water. I was amazed to see the variety between all the collections — from a preppy Karen Walker, to a classic Zac Posen, to the crazy and theatrical Betsey Johnson.
When we arrived at the Altman Building on Valentine’s Day for Betsey Johnson’s show, it was already a mad house. Kelly Osbourne was getting ready to open the show, and all the assistants were blowing up huge inflatable hearts. The energy behind the scenes was anxious and intense, but the show was flawless and wonderfully over-the-top.
The Altman Building was transformed into a fun house with a saloon-girl-and-gambling theme. The backdrop was painted black and there were hearts, skulls, and pistols everywhere. The building filled up with people fast, including such famous faces as Melissa Joan Hart, Fefe Dobson, Patricia Field, and Matthew Settle. The models worked the hay-covered runway with a playful, flirty attitude as they blew kisses to the audience and tossed out dollar bills from their garter belts.
Towards the end of the show, Betsey Johnson paid tribute to the late Alexander McQueen with a model holding a “Long Live McQueen” sign. To top it all off, Betsey Johnson came out in a jail-house suit doing her signature cartwheel, followed by a parade of models carrying large, red inflatable hearts. What a show!
The next morning, we had to wake up early for Zac Posen’s show. During the preparations, the mentor of America’s Next Top Model, J. Alexander, was strutting his stuff on the runway and giving the models advice on how to walk, smile, and pose for the camera. His upbeat and “out-there” personality really stood out, just as it does on television.
Zac Posen and J. Alexander confer before Zac's show.
Meanwhile, we FIJI Girls greeted the buyers, magazine editors, and guests as we handed out water and fortune cookies for the Chinese New Year. Security was intense, and I was excited to see Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of “Vogue” magazine, in the front row. I had heard she admired Zac Posen, and there she was. The designer’s show was full of energy, and he even had a live violinist on stage playing to the beat of the music. Posen had more than 40 looks in his collection, starting with earth-toned, classic sportswear. Those styles were followed by some bright red pieces, fur jackets, and floral-print dresses that really popped on the runway.
It was such a privilege to attend so many shows this weekend, and I have a new appreciation for all the hard work that goes into producing the perfect 15-minute fashion show. I’m really going to miss all the excitement and energy at New York Fashion Week when I have to return to reality.
More news and information:
FIJI Water’s New York Fashion Week Internship Contest
FIJI Water’s New York Fashion Week Internship Contest Finalists
New York Fashion Week: Our Interns’ First Day
New York Fashion Week: The Jeremy Laing Show
New York Fashion Week: The Alexander Berardi Show
Highlights
