NYFW: The Shows

Veni, vidi, vici.

Well, sort of. In an industry notorious for its insider-outsider dynamic, when it came to viewing the runway shows, it was all fair game. Sure, we may have had to dodge a few extra heads and our fair share of smartphones from our second or third row seats, but it was truly such an honor to experience our first fashion week within less than a year of starting this blog (throwback to February and our fetus days). NYFW truly exceeded our expectations in every regard. Playing dress up, putting together somewhat outrageous combos of clothing, being photographed by hoards of photographers, we couldn't help but feel like the Queen Beans of NYC during our brief two day stint. We had the opportunity to see five shows over the course of Thursday and Friday, and below, we've spotlighted a few of our favorites. Without further postponement, take a walk down the Mod & Bean runway:

Nicholas K, September 8th

A sibling duo established in 2013, Nicholas K centered the show around their signature theme, "urban nomads." With pieces in a range of earthen tones -- from dusty taupes to ashen blacks -- each piece swept fluidly along the runway. As our very first show of the trip, as well as the first official show of fashion week, Nicholas K proved to be worthy of its coveted opening spot: clean, well run, visually interesting yet not outrageous, and overall well crafted. Upon investigation, we found out that around 70% of the designs were created using sustainable materials such as organic cotton and vegetable-dyed leathers! This choice, in compliance with the CFDA, emphasizes the designers' commitment to environmental sustainability. This season's collection was inspired by Wadi Rum, an area in the Jordan Desert, and truly encapsulated what it must be like to dress like a "warrior princess" -- with a soft spot for the environment of course. 

Michael Costello, September 8th

One of our favorite shows out of the five we attended had to be Michael Costello -- a contestant on the eighth season of Project Runway. With decadent flower headpieces and flowing feminine designs, he has truly blossomed from his time on Project Runway to his debut in NYFW. His designs billowed in a deeply rich palette of purples, reds, and pinks, a testament to the Spanish undertones that influenced his collection. Inspired by "a botanical garden at midnight" the movement of his pieces and the grandeur of the whole show quickly entranced the audience, us included. 

Misha Collection, September 9th

Perhaps the most star studded of our shows (featuring guests like Rita Ora, Olivia Culpo, Whitney Port, Danielle Bernstein, and the alleged Kim K), Misha Collection was definitely our favorite -- and not just because of the extensive fan-girling! (We promise we avoided all gauche super-fan behaviors and opted out of asking for pictures, autographs, and the like). Michelle Aznavorian, the Australian born designer, wove together a striking show best described by this snippet on the official NYFW website: "Inspired by the opulent sophistication of European style, [Misha] embodies classic elegance for the modern woman. It is high-end fashion with a sexy edge and has become the destination for show-stopping style." From watching Jourdan Dunn open the show, to enjoying the sporadic bursts of red in a sea of neutrals, sparks of gold in a sea of mattes, and the brilliant array of textures, we were at our giddy peak sitting second row at the beautiful Skylight at Clarkson Square. 

While our trip to Fashion Week only lasted two days, it felt truly electric to be a part of the event in any capacity. Sure we loved seeing the shows live and scrolling through our favorite bloggers' instagrams, exclaiming, "We saw that too!" But even just the opportunity to be in the city during this time, being captured by Getty Images (we're not kidding) and other photographers who probably thought we were more important than we are (pro tip: look past the photographers and you give off this air of "Are we supposed to know those girls? Let's bombard them with cameras just in case!"), is a feeling we will never forget. And for our first trip as the Mod & Bean team? Well, it's going to be tough to top it! 

As we attempt to corral the obscene amount of photos and stories we've gathered from our three day stint, you can look forward to three more posts: The Food, The Streetstyle, and The Beans! 

Xx, Katherine & Maia