Fashion Week may be glamorous, but it's also hectic, stressful, and hard work. For those reporting live from the shows, when the designers take their final bows, the work is just beginning. Amid the late nights, the panicked cab journeys, the long waits, the street style snaps, and the frantic race to post the best Instagram story, it's easy to forget how lucky we are to be part of this incredible industry. However, every Fashion Week attendee witnesses a little bit of magic now and then. Whether it's a chance encounter with a famous face, a show that raises the roof, or simply a case of being in the right place at the right time, our editors have so many stories from years of attending shows across the globe. Here are some of our favourite moments so far.
Editors' Most Memorable Fashion Week Moments
Our Fashion Editors Share Their Most Memorable Fashion Week Moments Ever
Victoria Takes a Bow
"Nothing quite gives me the chills like seeing a designer take a bow after he/she presents the new collection, but I was never so affected by this than I was at Victoria Beckham's show. It was a rainy day in the Financial District at NYFW when I attended my first one, and I don't think I expected to be so starstruck seeing David Beckham in the front row with the kids next to Anna Wintour, just like you see in the pictures. But I ended up being asked to move to the first row and there they were, right across the way. When I saw Harper, Romeo, and Brooklyn grinning at their mom when she stepped out to take her bow, so proud and excited for her, I just thought 'This is too cool. And she used to be a Spice Girl.'" — Sarah Wasilak, editor, Fashion
Making the Right Decisions
"My most anticipated fashion week opportunity to date clashed with a potential gig at a drag bar, and I had to choose: queens or JW Anderson? I went with the latter and shelved my future as a gin decanter in Soho, in exchange for a feeling I shall never forget.
Hosted in Topshop's Show Space and perfectly lit by neons, the (at the time) emerging designer presented a stream of quilted biker jackets, ruffle hems, and minimalism known as 'The Treatment Room.' These garments will forever be etched in my brain, acting as an example of when I prioritized my heart over my head. It wasn't my first show, nor was it an aesthetic that particularly drew me in at first; I just knew it was the beginning of something special. That feeling was thick in the air. Cosmically, it was where I was meant to be." — Lucy Kenny, assistant editor, UK
A McQueen Moment
"It was February 2012, and Alexander McQueen was still the name on everyone's lips after Sarah Burton designed Kate Middleton's wedding gown the year before. The brand decided to show its McQ label in London for the first time, and I was superexcited to snag a ticket. However, since it was a diffusion line, I was expecting a small, simple show. How wrong I was!
This was the first show I ever attended that felt like a real spectacle. Models walked on a giant runway covered in thousands of Autumn leaves. The clothes were as stunning as the setting, and I will never forget the memory of seeing Kristen McMenamy rise from the darkness in a white 1950s style wedding dress, locate a rope from under the leaves, and follow it into a thick, luscious forest. Because of course they managed to create a forest in the middle of a warehouse in central London. It was a real 'pinch me, this is my life now' moment." — Gemma Cartwright, senior editor, UK
When Bill Met Solange
"For me, what I remember most about Fashion Weeks aren't the big parties and over-the-top runways — though those are fun, too. I remember most the random encounters between shows, when you look up from your phone to see you're sharing an lift with Hamish Bowles or realise you're standing mere inches from Anna Wintour when you spot the back of her famous bob staring you in the face while wandering around a presentation. Way back when, in Sept. 2012, I was looking for a cab after the Suno show and sort of stumbled on an impromptu photo shoot. Bill Cunningham was shooting Solange Knowles, who was walking with Jenna Lyons, on the sidewalk. Then, Jenna paused and styled Solange, adjusting her collar, teasing her hair — it felt like this private little moment between the three of them, and I just happened to witness it. I watched them laugh and talk and walk and shoot for five minutes until I finally peeled myself away; but I felt like I got to be a part of this intimate styling session, and it always stayed with me, especially after Bill Cunningham passed away." — Hannah Weil McKinley, content director, Fashion and Shop
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From the Sidewalk to the Front Row
"Back in 2013, one of my best friends and I were having the time of our lives studying in London. On a gloomy day in September, we decided to venture outside and headed to the Tate Modern museum, where, unbeknownst to us, the Topshop Unique SS14 fashion show was being held. On our way out, we saw a swarm of paparazzi waiting and decided to do the same, curious to see what the commotion was all about. A few minutes later, Kendall Jenner walked out, closely followed by Anna Wintour.
I still vividly remember telling my friend that, one day, I would also be attending LFW. Well, just a year later, I attended my very first Fashion Week and even got invited to the Topshop Unique SS15 show. To this day, it still is my favourite Fashion Week memory. On top of feeling extremely excited and privileged, it was also the moment I realised that all my hard work had finally paid off, and that I had landed my dream job." — Morgane Le Caer, assistant editor, UK
A Chance Meeting With a Rising Star
"During my very first NYFW ever as a bright-eyed beauty assistant, I serendipitously found myself standing in line next to Anna Kendrick at the back entrance of a Rebecca Minkoff show. At the time, it didn't feel like much of a big deal — we exchanged smiles, said a few niceties, and then were herded inside, where I was escorted to the backstage area and she (probably) to a seat in the front row. I knew she looked familiar, but this was right before the inaugural Pitch Perfect dropped in 2012 (and therefore, before her stardom catapulted). Still, it goes to show that you never know who you're gonna meet at Fashion Week!" — Kelsey Castañon, senior editor, Beauty
High Praise
"I remember being completely startled when Lubov Azria touched my dress during a backstage interview in 2013. She marveled at the fabric and really took a break from her answers to compliment me." Rebecca Brown
— editor, Shopping