District L

Three-day weekends are like invitation-only sample sales or open-bar fashion week parties – and District L hates abrupt, unwelcome endings. We celebrated the weekend’s start with a few rooftop cocktails at the Park Avenue Gansevoort. Despite the strong G&Ts and modern décor, the DL team kept Friday’s gathering short in order to make the most of our Saturday morning trip to Philadelphia. As we headed southbound on Saturday with Starbucks in tow, we enjoyed an AM impulse purchase from Plastique.

After arriving in Philadelphia, we held a fashion-fueled meeting with Lisa from Local Boutique. Although we were in the land of the Liberty Bell, we certainly maintained our New York state of mind.

We returned to New York later that evening and celebrated the day’s accomplishments at White Noise. Classic glamrock vibes kept us going until the wee hours of the morning. But Lou Reed quickly turned to Reade Street, with just a short nap separating our night-time follies from our brunch-time activities. We took to the streets of TriBeCa for some Sunday indulgence and stopped by Marc Forgione for bottomless mimosas and contemporary dishes. ­­After a few hours of excessive consumption, we sauntered around the neighborhood, visiting buzz-worthy shops like Working Class Emporium.

When the cold became too unbearable, we stumbled into the Tribeca Grand Hotel for a warming cappuccino. Finally, with the help of Nurse Bettie and her Rosemary Gin & Tonics, we returned to the Lower East Side for our Sunday nightcap.

We woke up to a work-free Monday and sartorial plans with Lois Eastlund. Wall Street was on a “red alert,” as we staged a rooftop photo shoot with a February theme.

After Lois left, our Monday melancholy returned with a vengeance. Fortunately, we will be curing these blues tomorrow at Irina Shabayeva’s preview event. From 5:30-7:30pm, District L will be swilling cocktails and chatting with the designer at Trump Soho.

Post by Amanda LaMela

My, how things change over the course of a year. Here’s a fun fact: District L’s first post in 2010 reassured readers that we had not yet succumbed to the Twittersphere. Well, guess what? Now we have. So you better be following us.

In the dawn of 2010, the DL founders were preparing to reunite for another glitterati-packed Fashion Week. The unofficial kickoff took place at the Crosby Street Hotel. We braved the apocalyptic snowstorm for a rewarding and sophisticated presentation by Geren Ford.

Our excitement quickly turned to shock and sadness when news of Alexander McQueen’s suicide broke the following morning, the first unofficial day of New York Fashion Week. Confusion and solemnity fell over the tents. The shows went on, but not without somber speculation and mourning over the fashion community’s tragic loss.

As the Bryant Park tents buzzed for the last time, the DL duo made sure to return to old favorites like Georges Chakra and Farah Angsana. Other tent favorites included Richard Chai, Twinkle by Wenlan, and Brian Reyes. Heading off-site, Nick experienced some primal behavior at Catherine Malandrino and Irina Shabayeva.

March was consumed by the Great Editor Switch of 2010 – Single-letter glossies received even more publicity than usual as Stefano Tonchi became W’s new man. Sally Singer, former Voguette, swooped in to take his empty desk at T Magazine.

As spring melted into summer, June presented us with Sidewalk Catwalk – a collective fashion display that included creations from designers like Maria Cornejo, Prabal Gurung, and John Bartlett. Situated between Herald and Times Square, the stylish outdoor display stood defiantly among dowdy tourists until Labor Day.

And before we knew it, Fashion Week returned – this time in its new Lincoln Center location. We were initially apprehensive about our move uptown. It seemed inconvenient and unnatural to leave our home in Bryant Park. Fortunately, our concerns quickly vanished on the first day as Verrier’s picture-perfect presentation lit up The Box. As the week got busier, District L called in for reinforcements. The fabulous Madisen Walker was willing to fill in for us on the last day. As Nick and I ventured to Milk Studios to see The Blonds, Madisen attended the dreamlike presentation by Rebecca Moses.

With a new friend in the District, Fashion Week withdrawals became more bearable. Swatch had its time at the Park Avenue Gansevoort, throwing a glittering, champagne-soaked launch party with Nikki Reed for their “New Gent’s Collection.” Our October schedule also included rooftop photoshoots, a ‘Night of Fashion’ with Ann Yee, and a launch party for “Modern Views.”

November’s cold air didn’t kill the party, as we celebrated two years of Lois Eastlund in the LES on 11/11. Not only did we pick up some fabulous looks from Lois, but her party also boasted the best SWAG bag we’ve seen in years. We were psyched to score edgy accessories from Box 185, handmade jewelry from Attitude by Jeanne, and photo designs by Vernakular.

A few days later, the DL crew headed west – to Starboard Hudson, that is. The Soft Opening Party and Concert took place on November 13, luring hundreds of fun-loving individuals to the lower decks of a once-abandoned ship. The opening party was such a success, that the District L darlings decided to ring in the New Year at this fabulous location.

Post by Amanda LaMela