Front Row at Georges Chakra

Elle Fowler

Today was a day of firsts. It was my first day at Fashion Week, the first time Fashion Week was in Lincoln Center, and the first time I got to sit front row at a show. I went to three shows — BCBG, Georges Chakra, and Ports 1961 — but my favorite was definitely Georges Chakra. The music was pounding and got everyone excited, the clothing was beautiful, and I had an amazing view (did I mention front row?!). I had the opportunity to go backstage before the show to interview a few models and see the clothing up close, and I am not kidding when I say I want Georges Chakra to design my next gown — whatever the occasion! I even completely surprised myself with getting some good pictures with my iPhone (like the one on this post).

One thing I noticed this year was how fabulous everyone in the tents looked. I must have missed it last year (or didn't pay as much attention) because this year it was all I could look at. The guests of the show definitely dressed the part. My sister Blair and I had the opportunity to interview lots of people, including designers, models, guests, and makeup artists. We asked every single person for their Fashion Week advice and got a different answer from every single one. Here is a quick list:

• Bring flats in your bag.
• Get lots of rest.
• Bring a snack.
• Look fabulous.
• Stay hydrated.
• Be unique and don't fit into the crowd.
• Don't be unique (as you can see people varied on this one).

After checking out the shows we took a quick dinner break and then went to Fashion's Night Out — or FNO, for short. I had never been to Fashion's Night Out, so I was really excited to see what it was all about. It seemed like everyone in New York was down on the streets wandering around the stores, which was fun and exciting until we tried to find a cab home. Let's just say ... don't expect to find one on this night. Blair and I ended up taking one of the bike carts home 35 blocks (LOL!). We thought we were going to die the entire time, but somehow we still enjoyed it. Fashion's Night Out is something I am never going to want to miss.

Now it's time for a good night's rest — we have to get up early for more shows! Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog post and video diary. Happy Fashion Week!

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