New York Fashion Week is kicking off the SS24 season, and despite the fashion crowd waiting with bated breath for September to arrive every year, we never seem to be ready for it. Running from show to show, standing in sweaty crowds, and desperately trying to keep up with the back-to-back calendar doesn’t get much less hectic no matter how many times you do it. But it doesn’t have to be like this, at least, not if you come prepared.
From a comfortable change of footwear to a box of breath mints (a necessity, given all the complimentary bubbles you’ll be knocking back), we’ve compiled a list of the fashion week essentials that’ll make attending a breeze. If you’re planning to hit up any shows in the coming month, this one’s for you.
Supreme x Shedrain Street Signs Umbrella – £113 / $140
Carefully curating the perfect fashion week fit only to show up looking like a drowned rat from a sudden downpour is everyone’s worst nightmare. The tried-and-tested way to avoid this is, without doubt, using an umbrella. Supreme x Shedrain’s cash-green and black design isn’t only a rain repellent: it’s also an accessory that’s actually going to add to your fit.
Molly Goddard Red Carla Ballerina Flats – £510 / $636
On the list of ‘Things to Keep in Your Ludicrously Capacious Bag,’ a pair of flats for the subway is arguably the most essential. Stilettos or platform boots might be the perfect footwear to accentuate your outfit, but they’re not going to make getting down the stairs to the tube any easier. This is exactly why changing into a pair of Molly Goddard’s berry red, buckled ballerina flats for the dreaded trek between shows is a practice your feet will thank you for.
AESOP Deodorant Roll-On 50M – £25 / $31
One of the biggest aspects of fashion week is the networking. When you’re in a room with the likes of Anna Wintour or Pharrell, making a good first impression can literally make or break your career, which is why pacing up to Anna, sticking your arm out, and having her get a whiff of your post-Metro musk is literally nightmare inducing. Aesop’s roll-on deodorant has the perfect blend of earthy, woody aromas, ideal for masking the fashion week sweats. Don’t worry, we all get them; just don’t let Anna know.
Bottega Veneta Red Intreccio AirPods Pro Case – £175 / $218
Commuting from one show to another is painful enough, but imagine having to brave the subway without access to your AirPods. Nightmare fuel, right? This is why we’d definitely recommend investing in an AirPod case before fashion week starts, and this red Intreccio Bottega Veneta case is luxurious. Tie its lengthy strap onto your bag or belt to ensure that you keep a hold of your earbuds for the entire duration of fashion month.
HAMA Fabric 10 10000 mAh power pack – £29 / $36
Back in the good old days, you’d walk up to a show, breezily offer your name to the person on the door, and be ushered inside without another thought. But in 2023, fashion shows have become Fort Knox. Every event requires a QR code before granting entry, which is usually fine because it’s handily provided in an email they sent you – but wait, your phone is dead. Guess you won’t be attending this year afterall. Unless you were intelligent enough to pack a portable charger like the one we found from HAMA. Don’t let your phone, and subsequently your SS24 attendance, die.
Hermés Plein Air blotting papers – £36 / $44
Reapplying makeup between every show can only do so much when your face is melting into an oily, sweaty glow, and carrying a loose pot of powder in your bag is a disaster waiting to happen. Instead we’d recommend investing in a pack of Hermés’ blotting papers, perfect for replenishing your complexion between events. Whilst the dewy makeup look might be trending, there’s dewy… and then there’s dewy.
Gucci Taupe GG Horsebit Slippers – £485 / $604
Whilst we think of fashion week as hours spent sitting on a chair in front of various runways, it actually involves a deceptive amount of standing; enough to make your feet hurt, even in the lowest heels. This is why a spare pair of comfortable shoes stuffed away in your bag can mean the difference between missing an iconic moment because you left early to put your feet in a hot bath and lasting till the very end of the night. That’s where Gucci’s monogrammed slippers come in, as comfy and luxurious as they look and an absolute blessing after a long week of standing.
BY FAR Mini Discovery Perfume Set, 7 x 1.2 mL – £25 / $31
Sitting in humid rooms under burning spotlights, shoulder to shoulder on a row of benches would make anyone break into a sweat, so if you’re planning to attend shows without assaulting people’s noses, a portable fragrance is a must-have. However, given all the equipment we already take to fashion shows, lugging a full-sized perfume bottle around the cities of Europe and New York is far from practical. That’s why BY FAR’s collection of seven travel-size perfumes is perfect for this fashion week, as they’re easily tucked into even the tiniest handbag and smell delicious too.
Balenciaga Sleeping Mask Ruffle in Black – £450 / $561
Eventually the late nights and early mornings will start to catch up with you, and you’ll be propping your eyelids open with toothpicks. However, as any diligent fashion week attendee knows, cancelling a show or skipping out on an event is not a solution. So, what should you do instead? Keeping a silk Balenciaga sleeping mask in your bag means you can nap in the cab on the way to the next stop on your schedule without missing a second of the fashion week festivities.
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