Diaries of New York

October 2018 saw team Rewritten (aka Katie and Fran) arrive in the Big Apple for NYC Bridal Market – one of the World’s biggest bridal fairs in the World! This is the show where all of the buyers from around the globe come to pick out their new season wedding and bridesmaids dress collections from designers that travel thousands of miles to show off their newest collections.

We had such a bloody wonderful time that we thought we would share it with all of you lovely people and so we created a little diary especially for you…

Day 1: Bump in (that's what the American's call it)

 

It's bump in day - or to you and I - set up day. Waking up in our plush Midtown Hotel (we lucked out with a bigger bedroom with two double beds this time– no more bunk beds for us) we decided to treat ourselves to our only proper brunch of the trip at a very old school, famous diner in New York’s midtown – Andrews Coffee Shop. Pancakes, grits, omelettes and French toast with lashings of maple syrup, bacon and coffee - bliss.

 

Very full, it’s time to waddle to the venue for set up. We are showing as part of the fabulous and beautifully styled One Fine Day - a collective of very cool Australian, American and British wedding dress, accessory and bridesmaids brands all housed in a glorious white washed wall photography studio called Metro Daylight Studios. We bump into some of our favourite Brits along the way who are also showing in the same space – Emmy London , Rachel Simpson shoes, Harriet Wilde Shoes and Charlie Brear. We complain heavily about the lack of tea on site and make plans to bring our own for the start of the show, don't these Americans know how much us Brits value our tea?!

 

After a lot of steaming and sorting our stand is ready and it’s time to grab a quick pizza slice before getting ready for the opening night party which is being held for exhibitors of One Fine Day.

 

 

 

Wearing our very finest Rewritten, we are ready for a night out on the town and arrive at the most incredible venue for the party – a penthouse on 5^th Avenue. Many cocktails are consumed and many photo’s taken of us in front of the Empire State Building.

Stop off for a deliciously cheesy Shake shack burger on the way home before bed. Naughty.

 

 

Day 2: First day of the show!

 

We arrive at One Fine Day nice and early ready for the show to begin. Our gorgeous model Loli arrives and we get her into her first look of the day, a dress from our new collection featuring a bias cut slip dress with a long sleeve overlay chiffon dress – we call it the Prague (little known fact - all of our dresses are named after our favourite destinations around the World). Throughout the day Loli is in and out of the full collection as buyers from all of our lovely potential new stockists arrive for their appointments.

 

 

Come 6pm and we are exhausted - it has been a VERY busy day on the stand with the new collection going down a storm amongst buyers. No rest for the wicked however, we have dinner plans in Greenwich Village with the wonderful Naomi from The Lifestyle Edit  where we go to the most incredible Italian Via Carota – it’s a bit of a New York staple. Despite the jet lag kicking in we make it out for cocktails in the East Village before admitting defeat and heading to bed – we are both past the point of being able to hold a conversation as we are so tired.

 

Day 3: Business as usual

Another busy day on the stand, meeting lots of prospective new stores and chatting with the other brands showing at market. Loli get’s lots of walking practice in as she is in and out of looks, two of our favourites being the new spangly Ibiza Top and our flowing halter neck Soho Jumpsuit…

 

 

We head out for an early meal with Ruth, the gorgeous founder of Harriet Wild shoes, to an excellent restaurant in Korea Town called Mew where we feast on Korean fried chicken, Okonomiaki and silky tofu. A bit of CNN in bed with a glass of wine and we turn in for the night.

 

Day 4- More eating...

 

Today we see some of our gorgeous existing stockists – the beautiful Revelle in Ottowa, Sash and Bustle in Toronto and Archive 12 in Belfast who had flown all the way to NYC to see some of her favourite designers she carries. They all love the new collection so we are very happy people indeed.

 

This evening is our only free one to explore New York just the two of us and so we head down to Chelsea Market where we stop in at the most fabulous wine bar before devouring some of the best taco’s we have ever eaten. And because no trip to NYC would be complete without a trip to the eponymous Milk Bar, we stop in on the way back to the hotel for some of their famous 'Crack Pie'. Basically it tastes like cereal and milk and butter and everything that is so wrong it's right. It is bloody DELICIOUS.

 

 

 

 

Day 5: Bump out (again, that's what the Americans call it)

 

Today is the final day of the show and we have another busy time on the stand talking to the last buyers to come for their appointments before we begin pack down. We share a celebratory glass of champagne with our fellow designers and spend a few minutes marvelling at the fact we are all still on our feet after the most intense few days.

Packing down the collection is pretty quick and we even manage to squeeze in a drink on a rooftop overlooking the Empire State Building before jumping in a taxi to the airport.

Comfy plane clothes on we take off feeling exhausted, excited, slightly nervous at the work we have to do but most importantly – happy. Until next time New York. You really are a dream.