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How to Survive New York Fashion Week (NYFW)

Kunbi O / Sunday January 29, 2017

It’s almost February which means New York Fashion Week is around the corner. Before you grab your coffee and hit the roads of the big city, there are a few things you need to know. For the #NYFW veterans, some of these tips may be old news but I assure you we all need a refresher some times. So, for those old and new, here are 7 of my trusted tips for surviving New York Fashion Week.

1. Location, Location, Location: To help you better navigate the craziness that is New York City, you need to make sure you stay at a central location with quick access to the various modes of transportation. This is why I was SO excited to discover Omni Berkshire Place. This hotel is right in the center of Manhattan on 52nd street right by the famous Rockefeller Center,  Radio City Music Hall and one of my happy places- Bloomingdales. In fact, When Omni Berkshire Place guests book the “Bloomingdale’s Shopping Experience” they receive luxurious guest room accommodations, a $50 Bloomingdale’s gift card, a Brown Bag Gift Tote upon arrival, and a 15 percent saving’s voucher to the legendary New York retailer.

Not only is this location central for shopping (it’s right there between 5th avenue and Madison), but it’s so convenient for getting to just about any neighborhood on the island. You can jump in a cab or hop on the subway or a bus and be at your location in minutes.I had the pleasure of staying at the Omni Berkshire Place during Bridal Fashion Week last October and I was so pleased with my time there. You see, one of my challenges in life (lol) is that I LOVE being comfortable, so this hotel lived up to my high expectations. Their room was cosy and lush- perfect for any kind of mood (business or pleasure). My favorite thing however, is the thought they have put into giving back through programs like  Say Goodnight to Hunger .

2. Wear Comfortable Shoes: I was incredibly unprepared for  the amount of walking and running I had to do during fashion week. I honestly don’t even know how I survived it. Just know that shows will run back to back and are spread out around the city so you may have mere minutes to get from the east side to the west side or from midtown to soho, so wear a pair of trusted comfortable shoes that will last all day. There’s no fun in painful feet.

3.  Portable Charger: In this social media controlled world, you cannot afford to have a dead phone so make sure  to bring a powerful portable charger along with you. I can’t tell you how annoying it is to be the one with a dead battery crouching in the corner of a room looking for a socket. I swear by my AmazonBasics Portable Power Bank with an incredible 16,100 mAh (basically a crazy amount of power that can charge multiple gadgets)

4.  A Detailed Schedule: Your days at NYFW will be hectic and exciting, The only way to stay on top of things is to have a well planned out schedule with details on location, time and any other relevant information.

5.  A Car Ride / Booking App: If you’ve ever been to New York City, you know the struggles of being able to hail a cab on time. You NEED a car booking app on hand and there are a few options for you: Uber or Lyft (click those links for free rides).

6. Business Cards (and ID): Don’t get caught slipping in these streets. Make sure you have your business cards ready to hand out as you network. There’s more to fashion week than attending shows, you need to get your name out there as well SO if you don’t have some yet it’s not too late! You can get a great deal at Vista Print or at my favorite- MOO.

7.  Snacks: Back to back shows means the possibility of you having to skip lunch so make sure you have snacks handy. A hungry stomach is an angry person.