When you see something that looks like a castle... you're here

My story starts with there almost not being a story. 

Going into fashion week I knew getting to the Alexander Wang show was going to be a challenge. This year Wang decided on having his show held in Brooklyn rather than Manhattan. While this seems like a pretty cool idea (I think it was) it frustrated many of the people who actually have the privilege of attending shows. Most attendees were worried they might not be able to make it to the show on time because of the commute they would have to make from Manhattan. I was a little nervous about the trek there.. but suddenly another problem surfaced.

According to one of my fashion week friends, persons without an invite are not allowed to be within 100 feet of the venue. The venue was at the Brooklyn Ship Yards which is a government property (or at least thats what the rumor said). This meant that we could be escorted from the property because we didn't have an invite or proper identification. Most of my top photographer friends, those that worked for large publications, weren't going to try to go at all. My thought was... is it even worth it?

Well, for one person this wasn't even a question. My fashion week sista, Rachel Emrich, is a Wang worshiper. She was more than down to at least check it out.. I owe her everything for these few photos and experience because without her persistence about embracing the freezing weather for some Wang... I probably wouldn't have gone.

I decided.. why the hell not and we hopped on the train into Brooklyn. When we got off the train we were in the emptiest area I have ever seen. It seemed to be all warehouses and car lots. Walking underneath train and car overpasses was a bit unsettling.. but we were seemingly close to the venue according to the pin on my iphone map. After a few minutes of walking Rachel received a call from her friend Shyam who was already outside of the shipyard gates. He said, "When you see something that looks like a castle.. you're here. I'm just outside!" 

We arrived, met up with Shyam and looked down the long driveway filled with cars. There was a sidewalk that followed the drive. Following the lead of two men with invites clutched in their hands, we started walking into the dark shipyard. We passed a toll booth making sure not to look at the guards.. as if we knew what we were doing. The last thing I wanted was to come all this way only to be kicked out onto the street. 

The sidewalk winded around warehouse after warehouse until we were finally at the venue. We made it just in time for the water taxi from Manhattan to arrive with well-dressed fabulous guests. There were only a couple of photographers on the scene. It looked like the rumor felt too real for most of my friends who didn't show. Lucky for us, I guess. We had a front row seat.

 The venue

 A couple adorable attendees

Just like tradition Rachel had her iphone ready to watch the live stream of the show. She froze her hands and waisted her data plan for the next 15 minutes as we all huddled around her fixated on her tiny iPhone screen. We could feel the beat of the soundtrack reverberate onto the walls we were leaning against. Pretty cool.

The stream cut just as Alexander Wang started his traditional gallop down the runway and we screamed with disappointment. Now it was time to run to the backstage door and prepare.

  Caroline Trentini

 Kasia Struss and Hanne Gaby Odiele

Alexander Wang being interviewed by who knows who.

I am so happy Rachel convinced me to go. I shouldn't have doubted it for a minute.

Watch the Alexander Wang show where he uses heat technology in his garments, here.

Rachel Manning

Models after Helmut Lang

Hanne Gaby Odiele

Hanne Gaby Odiele and Sui He

Devon Windsor

Rachel Manning

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

Alexander Wang: Models Off Duty

 Josephine Skriver

 Irina Kravchenko

 Fei Fei Sun

 Tilda Lindstam

 Hanne Gaby Odiele

 Jourdan Dunn

 Vanessa Axente

 Nicole Pollard

 Julia Nobis and Nicole Pollard

 Svetlana Zakharova and Anna Ewers

 Tessa Bennenbroek

 Hedvig Palm

 Kasia Struss

Rachel Manning