Get the doughnuts

My story began Saturday afternoon. I arrived at the freezing 34th street Post Office with my marshmallow coat on and camera in hand. The sun was just starting to set and my toes were already starting to freeze over. This was my first show of the season so I slowly worked myself back into the groove of the frantic-annoying-street-style photographer.


Thirty minutes passed from the show's "start date" and we watched as the last late arrivals sprinted down the slick sidewalk and through the front doors. The show was about to begin. At this moment a fellow photographer walked up with a small brown paper sack. He handed my friend Hunter the bag and said, "Here! These were inside the show, want to try one? You can have the rest." We looked into the bag and there were three tiny sugar coated doughnuts. These were probably the best tasting doughnuts I have ever had... and I am not just saying that because they were designer. The donuts were fluffy sweet and WARM.  As I chewed I could feel the temperature dropping.


Just like that the bite sized doughnuts were gone and I began joking with the mysterious doughnut thief that he should grab us some more. As if the universe spoke into his ear and told him my wildest dreams, he handed me his photographer pass and said, "Well here. Go in and grab some yourself." I held the pass in my hand in shock. The golden key. My two friends snapped me out of it as they said in frantic unison, "GET THE DOUGHNUTS."

I flashed the pass at security and walked through the front doors. It was so warm. I felt bad for my friends who were still out in that awful cold. Looking around I noticed my heart was beating fast. Be cool.... but I couldn't. I felt like a little kid going to Disney World for the first time. I paused and took in the air of the people around me. Everyone was trying to find their seats. There was a bar serving drinks to my left and the doughnut stand to my right.

I ran up to the doughnut stand and grabbed two bags. Was this too many? Is this weird? They know. I am over thinking this. I took one more look at the runway and went back towards the front doors. After all, this wasn't my pass... mystery man probably needed it back.

I walked out and gave the doughnuts to my friends. I looked to give the pass back.. but the guy seemed uninterested. "Are you going in to see the show?" I asked. "No, I only shoot front row" he said. I was shocked. It felt like a long shot but I had to find out. I held up the pass card and asked, "Do you mind if I use this to go watch?" His response?

"Sure, take it!"

I was practically dying inside. I looked at my friends and they both had to snap me out of a daze again as they pushed me towards the doors. I ran back in, jumped up onto the photographer risers and the show began.

These pants though...

All of the models had their names monogrammed on the clothing

*Cue classic blogger lingo about how the show was fresh, clean, and cool*

I loved everything. The backpacks were pretty sick. The 90's grandpa sweater gave me some iffy feelings but crazier things have grown on me so who knows, right?

Anna Wintour ran past me as I headed for more doughnuts at the doughnut stand. I grabbed a pack and slid it into my bag. I thought... well, I have this pass. What else can I do? Pretending like I owned the place, I flashed my badge to the guards and headed backstage.

Of course most of the action was over with back there. The models were all changing and I wasn't about to get arrested taking photos of them in their changing booth. It was cool so see the inner workings of the show though. I watched as Grace Coddington was being interviewed by camera crews about her opinion and models asked for help untangling their I-slept-on-this buns. I took a few more pictures and decided it was about time to leave.

As I left I looked back at the empty runway: a complete mess. Happy to have been apart of it. 

Rachel Manning