Fall means fashion – it’s the time of year when designers debut their latest creations for the coming year and vy for a cover shot on the world’s most fashionable magazines. From New York to Paris, Fashion Week is meant to prove one important point: you are what you wear.
While some hotels are contributing to the fashion scene this year, others are hosting a meeting spot for those who want to see-and-be-seen off the catwalk.
New York Fashion Week, Sept. 9-16: New York and fashion go hand-in-hand. The Bryant Park Hotel is undoubtedly the grand dame of fashion week hotels, but new hotels like Fashion26 and Andaz 5th Avenue have recently hit the scene, offering another option for travelers. Fifth Avenue itself has always been renowned as a major shopping mecca, but if you look closely you might even get a few fashion tips from the hotel staff. At the Andaz 5th Avenue, women wear figure-flattering black wrap tops, paired with either skinny black pants or pencil skirts, and Tumi side bags, while men wear sleek collared shirts and suit jackets that have extra pockets. Women’s accessories are all statement pieces; either a striking crystal drop necklace and clear resin watch or a silver snake cuff and clear hoop earrings.
London Fashion Week: Sept. 17-22: The Metropolitan is the place in London town to see and be seen off the runway, and it offers great opportunities for celebrity-watching in posh Mayfair. It’s likely you’ll be famished after a day of watching models strut their stuff down the runway, so take advantage of the hotel’s signature guilt-free version of the trad afternoon tea. Accompaniments are made using flour substitutes, low fat crème fraîche, and fresh fruit purées. If you’re feet need a little pampering after walking in your stilettos all day, check out the Metropolitan London COMO Shambhala Urban Escape, which offers a variety of spa packages.
Milan Fashion Week, Sept. 22-28: Few do fashion quite like Milan, but if you’re going to rock the house that Versace built, you better do it in style. The place to be in Milan during Fashion Week is along Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga, the place to stay: Park Hyatt Milan. The hotel offers stylish accommodations that combine authentic Italian finishes with sleek amenities and state-of-the-art technology. La Cupola, the lobby lounge in the heart of the hotel, is already famous among the Who’s Who as it overlooks the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.
Paris Fashion Week, Sept. 29-Oct. 7: Home to Chanel, Hermes, Dior, and Louis Vuitton, Paris is the epitome of all things fashion and decor. Whether you stay at the Plaza Athenee or along the Champs-Élysées, Paris Fashion Week will surely be seven days you’ll never forget. Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme was ranked fifth in Europe as the ‘World’s Best Hotel Service’ in 2009, the staff will make sure fashionistas have everything they need from sun-up to sun-down. Or take affection for textiles to the bedroom at Pavillon de la Reine, nestled in Paris’ fashionable Marais quarter, every room features sumptuous materials to create a rich and well-appointed, yet subtly refined look. This is, after all, Paris, so after you’ve checked in and organized your wardrobe, head out for a little shopping of your own.