Désirée Media hits the Big Apple!

Our September 2012 business trip to New York was a huge success and such a blast!! We enjoyed perfect weather, and the city was buzzing. Catching some of the hot events at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week (which kicked off its fifth season at the Lincoln Center) and meeting with some serious media players was all part of Désirée Media’s increasing editorial presence in the US. With thousands of fashion journalists, buyers and industry insiders descending upon the Big Apple to see more than 80 top designers presenting their collections for Spring/Summer 2013, Fashion Week was the perfect time to network! I chatted with some key media players to forge alliances for Désirée Media and to discuss our Sashay project (more on that later).

For glamour factor switched up to megawatt level, Münich-based couture designer Martina Dietrich and I scored coveted front row seats at the Soojinlee runway show, which was a highlight of my attendance at Fashion Week. As well as the awe-inspiring collection showcased by impossibly beautiful catwalk models, the evening offered magnificent hospitality, photo opps with the lovely designer herself, and a fabulous after-party. Hosted by Billy Freda (TV host of iFashion Network) who graciously rolled out the red carpet big-time at über-chic venue Le Souk, this bash saw Amazonian catwalk models, media peeps, singers and fashionistas mingle til the early hours of the morning.

Another highlight was the soirée thrown to celebrate the inaugural Generation issue of W magazine. Hosted by Stefano Tonchi in partnership with Jaeger-LeCoultre at an exclusive venue on West 54th Street, this evening was glamour central. Packed full of designers, models, stylists, photographers and fashion editors, the party also featured a jaw-dropping array of sumptuous cakes – an entire banquet table resplendent with sweet delights and mesmerising candelabra. With French champagne flowing, it was a little slice of heaven for this particular editor! My sincere thanks go to Sandra Milojevic Federizo of the studio of famed fashion and celebrity photographer, Sante D’Orazio. Originally from Sydney (indeed a northern beaches gal like me!), Sandra coordinates exhibitions around the world and she also collaborated on Sante’s book  Barely Private (Taschen, 2009). Sandra is a well-connected girl about town and very kindly introduced me to some very useful media contacts.

Speaking of all things Aussie in Manhattan, we also enjoyed the hospitality of photographer Ben Watts’ ‘Fashion Week Backyard BBQ’ at the upmarket Soho Grand Hotel. As a seasoned vegetarian I stuck to sipping a dry martini, but it was great to see guests tucking into a classic Aussie BBQ in such an iconic NY location! By the way, for the major fashion trends for Spring 2013, think 70s slouchy silhouettes, intricate florals and digital prints. Plus, trousers have made a big comeback. There were many media alliances formalised, and I’ve just signed a contract with a Manhattan-based media conglomeration. It’s all under wraps but I’m so excited about collaborating as a foreign correspondent filing stories and coordinating content. Watch this space for updates!

Our time in New York was all systems go for discussing Désirée Media’s fashion charity initiative — the Manhattan Sashay venture — with a number of stakeholders. The distinguished Yves Aubry from OuiKare was interested to learn about our project. This non-profit organisation is committed to marrying philanthropy and fashion, so there are loads of synergies there. Our Sashay venture, which will see a group of women complete a coordinated walk that celebrates fashion and raises funds, will be launched in New York with other global fashion capitals to follow. London, Paris, Madrid and Milan for starters! The venture will raise money for women internationally, with a focus on mental health. We are delighted to be helping such a worthwhile cause, and we are thrilled to have so many excellent stakeholders and potential sponsors on board in New York.

On a gloriously sunny Saturday on Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West side, I lunched at Josie’s Restaurant with executive Klaus Frank of Beckman Coulter, who was breezing through town en route from Houston to Germany. With only hours in the Big Apple, Klaus generously took the time out to discuss European capital venture funding for the Sashay Project, with a lot of promising developments there.

There were Aussie ex-pats aplenty buzzing around town, including the lipstick queen and entrepreneur Poppy King, with whom I brunched at celebrity hotspot Balthazar in Soho. Ever the astute businesswoman, Poppy gave some excellent strategic advice for the Sashay. I also met with copy editor and copywriter Julia Ingall from Inkubate at the iconic Loeb Boathouse in Central Park. Recently relocated to the Big Apple, the chic Julia has so many projects on the go. She’s such a talented media professional, and I’m always happy to pass on Desiree Media’s overflow work to her. We look forward to collaborating with Julia on upcoming projects!

Famed showgirl Anna Copa Cabanna also entertained us and kindly gave me a personalised tour of some key vintage boutiques in the Lower East Side and East Village. We viewed some exquisite pieces, and of notable mention is Cobblestones Boutique on East 9^th Street (thank you to its charmingly-named proprietress Delanee Koppersmith for friendly hospitality). And what a superbly talented and impossibly glamorous gal is Anna! We love the possibility of her performing at the Sashay after-party! Check out her upcoming gig, Anna Copa Cabanna Halloween Show – it promises to be a fantastic show! The scoping exercises for the Sashay were also fruitful.

On September 11^th, wearing my super-comfy Bloch’s ballet flats, I set off from Central Park South, wending my way down Fifth Avenue and Broadway, through Greenwich Village and the financial district, finally finishing up at Ground Zero. It was coincidental timing that this recce took place on the anniversary of 9/11 and there was an understandably sombre air at the site. What a walk! I had also zig-zagged across town several times, so this ‘stroll’ was actually about four hours’ duration, And I estimate I covered about 100 blocks. Let’s just say I was pretty exhausted by the end of the day! So the Sashay is being re-scoped to encompass a more feasible distance that will accommodate a higher number of participants. Another alternative we are exploring for the Sashay is a bridge walk in the cities in which the events will be hosted, with the historic Brooklyn Bridge being the obvious choice for New York. Completed in 1883 and opened in 1903, this is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the USA, connecting the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. I enjoyed a leisurely weekend stroll across the bridge. It’s an excellent walk – a very viable distance and with breathtaking views back to Manhattan … however, shortly after setting off, I discovered that stilettos are definitely NOT the go for this bridge with its wooden slats: the heels of my divine new Vince Camuto boots (purchased from Macy’s) kept getting caught in the gaps! I tiptoed across the rest of the bridge, much to the amusement of onlookers! So if it’s the Brooklyn Bridge, ladies, it’ll be wedges or flats, not stilettos!

Checking out venues for the Sashay after-party was also a lot of fun. From super cool galleries in Chelsea to Battery Park to landmarks like the Empire State Building. Did you know that this iconic building hosts live jazz performances every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening on its 86^th Level Observatory Deck? It sounds wonderful. This was my first visit to the Empire State Building in almost two decades, and it brought back lots of memories. With its spectacular panoramic views of Manhattan and beyond, I would love to incorporate the Empire State Building into the Sashay. Completed in 1930, we just absolutely adore the deco architecture of this, one of the most famous buildings in the world. In fact, art deco design is ubiquitous in the Big Apple, and I just had to snap a Holly Golightly-style shot of me outside Tiffany & Co on Fifth Avenue, in honour of one of my all-time favourite films.

Overall, our time in New York was hugely productive –– and totally unforgettable. It’s the best city in the world! With so much vibrant energy, we just adore it and I’m so excited to be developing these tremendous projects there. As I reluctantly bid adieu to the Big Apple, I decided that the sculpture situated at Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) and West 55th Street says it all. Déisrée Media concurs: we LOVE New York!

Manhattan Sashay? Bring it on! Until next time! Petra x