This week marks my third season attending New York Fashion Week! Ever since I attended Vogue’s Fashion Night Out in Milan, it was my dream to attend a show at NYFW. Getting ready for the shows, picking out an outfit, and sitting next to the runway never gets old. It’s exciting, it’s energizing, and it reminds me why I started this blog.
While nothing compares to the energy and inspiration that comes with NYFW, I can’t ignore the dark sides: the fast fashion filling the streets and crowds, the single-use cups at every event, and the polluting nature of what it takes to create a runway collection. Some of you may be wondering why I still attend runway shows when these parts of NYFW don’t align with my values. Maybe there’s not much I change about that on the surface, but what I can do is be an example. I can be an example by wearing a secondhand and vintage outfit that exudes quality, glamour, and thoughtfulness and one that proves that slow fashion is fashionable. I can be an example by avoiding plastic and using my S’well bottle for drinks. I can be an example by using the inspiration I get from the runway to curate unique pieces for With Love By A Newer Kat and be a better businesswoman. These examples, they lead to powerful conversations that help bring change to the industry. For how can I create change and be part of a solution if I’m not where the problem is happening? That’s what NYFW means to me and that’s why I’ll continue to be a part of this inspirational week for as long as I can.
