Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007: The Halfway Point
Five days down, three days to go, and I have to admit, I'm kind of exhausted already. The great thing (for me, at least) is that Fashion Week seems to be going a lot more smoothly this season. I don't know if that's because it's my second foray into the tents and I know what I'm doing, or if it's because all the PR people now understand what bloggers do. Speaking of which, here's an article on how bloggers are pretty much accepted at the tents now. Funny how things change in a mere season. Depeche mode, I guess.

Aside from the skinny models brouhaha, the only major topic of discussion so far this season has been the ridiculous number of shows, as Eric Wilson lamented in the Times a few days ago. Wilson has a point--there a a lot of shows; in fact, there are so many that even with a full team of reporters (and a plethora of invites), it's impossible to cover them all. It's also causing a lot of shows to be partially empty, and instead of filling the seats with journalists or retailers, the designers are calling their friends. There is, however, a subtext of snobiness running through this article; fashion shows are no longer the domain of the fabulous and well-connected. Well, it's not like they're open to the public, but I do suppose that wider access makes them seem less exclusive. Then again, it's not like prominent journalists and editors such as Mr. Wilson have to stand in the cattle corral (i.e. the standing-room-only line) with us hoi-polloi.

But then I read this post on Almost Girl, the personal blog of Coutorture founder Julie Fredrickson (she's the one who famously interviewed Anna Wintour last season before publicist Kelly Cutrone cut her off). While, yes, I'm not super-fond of all the "civilians" who are clogging the tents either (a woman standing by me earlier today was shocked--shocked!--that the shows don't start exactly at the appointed hour), I don't think having everyone race around town to various far-flung venues is the right answer either. I don't mind the corporate sponsors in the tents; whatever keeps the tents going is fine with me. Granted, I love the tents because they're a mere half-block from my office, but I digress. I just found it a bit ironic that a blogger--whom everyone was a bit wary of a mere six months ago--is now decrying the unseemliness of the tents.

In more fun news, New York Magazine is back with more kickass, totally comprehensive coverage of Fashion Week, from complete show schedules and photos to the Show and Talk blog featuring the Fug Girls. They also have a fun feature where you can pick your favorite looks from all the shows and create a little fashion portfolio; mine is a work in progress, but you can see it here.

Finally, I have never seen so much fur as at Fashion Week (not to instigate, because I believe fur is a personal choice, but where is PETA?). It might be because it's below freezing outside, but this season's new chunky shoe is the huge furry hat. See photographic evidence at The Sartorialist at Style.com.

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