New York Fashion Week Day 4

Yes I did. I went bare legged again in the godforsaken New York polar freeze. My logic was, that if I walked ran fast enough from the cab/subway to the show space I would be fine. 

Making it all the way over to the West Side to Kenneth Cole HQ we were greated with cookies, donuts, coffee and hot chocolate. As you can imagine the donuts remained pretty untouched. 

They were visually eaten if thats such a thing by almost everyone in the room but zero physical donut consumption took place. If only I was a fan of donuts, I would have jumped straight in there. 

Oh well. Just some coffee to add to my never ending caffeine overload. 

Oh and a selfie station too? Seriously how could I say no!

Heading over the show space it was clear that the Fall 2014 collection and show was all about social media. Hashtag emblazoned walls, projected selfie's onto the exposed brick, after all if, if in doubt, check instagram. 

Having being allocated a seat on the FROW opposite some of my absolute favourite bloggers; Bryan Boy and Trop Rouge to name a few, I was torn whether to watch the bloggers or the collection?! Thankfully phew I had enough of a chance to do both with the show starting somewhat 'fashionably late'.

I've recently discovered this amazing widget to create a scrolling banner of the items or like items that I'm wearing in my outfit posts. Shop Style you really are my saviour. Everything worn in this post are some of my absolute wardrobe staples. Leather jacket, fur gilet and of course my neoprene skirt from & Other Stories which I would actually wear every single day if I could, and literally goes with whatever I put it with (click here). And of course my staple SUPERCALAFASHIONISTIC beanie which I am rarely seen without in the extreme temperatures this New York Winter. The wanted item of all my friends and co-workers, and at only £10, what a steal! 

Click here to get your own SUPERCALAFASHIONISTIC beanie

Comme des Garcons Tees · Club Monaco Mini Skirts · Topshop Boots

MM6 Martin Maison Margiela Fall 2014 NYFW

The loyal followers of Maison Martin Margiela look to the diffusion brand MM6 as a New York label. Clothes that mesh perfectly with the muted palettes of the city whilst adding that somewhat avant-garde element which makes the line urban and just fashion forward enough to stand out. 

Rather than follow the norm and show at the infamous Lincoln Centre (so not Margiela's style), the Fall 2014 collection was shown at a simple yet clean show space in Chelsea, the Skylight Modern. 

A traditional benched seating set up was replaced by an assortment of quirky and unique chairs not only reflecting the brand ethos but the qualities of the MM6 customer also.

Many of NYFW invited are e-vites and operate by simply scanning the provide barcode on your smart phone at the venue to revive your stetting allocation. However MM6 decided to keep it somewhat more "old-school" with neon vintage style concert posters and wristbands giving the event a somewhat rave-like feel. 

Canadian singer Sean Nicholas Savage, accompanied by a keyboard, provided the stirring live soundtrack for the Fall 2014 show. A simple palette of white black and red helped portray the 'fashionable city girl on her way to/from boxing practice' feel, which was the unique inspiration behind the collection. 

The unexpected inspiration behind the collection was reflected in the ensembles which made their way around the showspace. An overall outdoorsy, masculine, minimal vibe was evident with black wellies worn with tailored shorts and paper like cotton shift dresses which crinkled and emulated paper so exactly that it was hard to believe that it was actually cotton. 

Lets not forget to mention the bubble wrap which stormed social media platforms when MM6 unveiled their bubble wrap tee worn over a simple bandeau. Perhaps not the most wearable piece in the collection, however the t-shirts with slight accents of the insulator will be the more coveted pieces come Fall 2014. 

Lamintaed denim in oranges and white was made to look like leather and used for boy shorts which stood prominently away from the body. Whilst button down shirts were so cut away they were more of a bib worn over bandeaus to expose large areas of skin. 

Fingerless gloves made to emulate boxing gloves were the only accessory in this Fall 2014 collection and were seen on every model though out the show.

Eyebrows were a big N-O in this show with many of their models haven their eyebrows bleached by the Mac Cosmetic team prior to the show. Whilst make up was kept to a minimum with nothing but a clear gloss worn on the eyelids and a slight accentuation of the models lip colour. 

Thanks to certain celebs who are loyal followers of the Maison Martin Margiela Brand including Kayne West, Kelly Roland and Lady Gaga, the somewhat exclusive brand has been brought more in the fashion lime light. MM6 offers somewhat more tamed versions of their mainline collection and provide a practical entry point for those wanting to get their hands on a bit of the action.  In the words of Jay Z "Maison, uh, Martin Margiela" we dig your MM6 Fall collection and cannot wait to see the West/Kardashian family peruse around in your bubble wrap come Fall. 

Donna Karan Fall 2014 #NYFW

30 years in the business clearly leads to a whopper of a show. With Donna Karan celebrating her 30th year anniversary at the top of the New York fashion scene, it's not surprised she had one of the best #FROW's this fashion week so far; Katie Holmes, Hugh Jackman, Rita Ora, Trudie Styler and Bernadette Peters to name a few.

Using her New York roots as the inspiration of the collection, Karan presented the perfect balance of soft and structured, reflecting the electricity of the New York skyline. “I have the honor of looking at the city lights from my apartment every night,” said Karan, "this place is so, so beautiful, and I wanted to capture that."

Showing at a somewhat draughty cue shivering guests down on Wall Street the designer was enabled to have a large show space which would accentuate her designs; think exposed beams, rugged brick walls; that authentic New York City vibe. The huge LED screen at the start of the runway sparkled and shimmered in complementary hues which not only reflected off the mirrored runway but matched each look as models including Karen Elson, Karlie Kloss and 19-year-old British beauty Malaika Firth.

Boasting a collection in black, dark grey, white and ruby, Karan and her team created combination of masterful tailored jackets and blazers teamed with sumptuous sheer skirts showing off the over-the-knee boots worn underneath a great substitute for trousers indeed.

Fabrics included silks and chiffon's draped impeccably, devoré velvets, black viscose, ivory shearling and shaggy fur, some of which were embellished and beaded to depict the twinkling New York night sky.

The womanly focus of this collection was undeniable with belted waists, illusion bodysuits, sheer gowns exposing large areas of skin- it's safe to say sex appeal was at a maximum. "It's all about the body", said Karan. "The movement of the body and the expression of the woman and how she is so core in her strength."

With a jubilant tear from Karan as she did her victory lap down the runway, the audience applauded in celebration of this fantastic mark on the companies 30th year anniversary.

"New York is what I stand for — the past, the present, the future."

A fashion moment in history. 

This was no regular Fall 2014 collection, this was a tribute to the city that made Donna Karan who she is. New York.

New York Fashion Week Day 1

It would be safe to say that my first New York Fashion Week experience kicked off with a bang. Heading over to Lincoln Centre for one of the earliest shows of the day in nothing but a big old fur coat (well it look as much as my shorts were teenie tiny). 

The fountain filled courtyard is somewhat different to my old stomping ground of the traditional #LFW cobbles. Perhaps it was because it was -4°C with a wind chill of -11, and still yes I was in shorts. Rather than an influx of bloggers, street style mavens and aspiring photographers, the courtyard is not merely full but scattered with the big names in the business. The creme de la creme of this fashion world. Not to name drop photo drop too but I bumped into my absolute favourite fashion duo, The Beckerman Twins. Two gorgeous girlies with the most incredibly fun style I know. If only my twin and I dressed liked Cailli & Sam!

Douggying with the Beckerman Twins! Oh yeah!

What I'm Wearing: Kate Spade Sunglasses, ASOS Coat, Karl Largerfeld Shirt, H&M Shorts, Wolford Socks, Topshop Shoes & 3.1 Phillip Lim Bag. 

Now show time! Swiftly grabbing our seats, with my lovely friend Hattie, camera's at the ready we snapped, instagrammed and filmed away to our hearts content. Stay tuned to see my full report on the BCBG show (click here). 

A fantastic show and a great kick off to this years Fall 2014 shows. Be sure to follow me on Instagram @georgiabenj for all my up-to-date adventures this Fashion Week.