New York, New York: The Center of the Universe

Tuesday: May 1st, 2018

             I spent some time in New York where I had traveled amongst the richest or well what I seemingly thought as rich people with designer handbags, shoes and clothing or even people going broke to look rich to be in style, in trend? I spent the day gazing at New York and asked myself are clothes what define us?

            I’ve been to New York plenty of times in my life for shopping, musicals, concerts, museums, trips to the American Girl store as a kid. But, this time.. It was different. I’ve noticed the city in a new shade, new color, in lights, being the fashion capital, not just another city. Being one who grew up in a city herself known as Philadelphia, but in no comparison to New York. As a kid I dreamed of moving to New York and being some high end well known Designer like Prada or Gucci. I wanted to end up in New York. That dream I thought had faded of wanting to spend my life there had made its way back into my thoughts as I spent my days in the city. I went from SoHo up to the Upper East Side of Manhattan. I had people trying to sell knock off merchandise to me, calling it the "real deal" high end names and trying to offer me deals. I would say no but they continued. They were pulling their wrist up with merchandise, showing their knock off shirts off, even pulling stuff out of boxes and back packs up and down the street. It was shirts, watches, sunglasses, handbags, bracelets, you name it they had it. But being an aspiring fashion designer I could not support it, but so appreciate their hard work ethic. I gazed around the city, store to store admiring all the stuff I hope to one day to afford. I was just your average window shopper. If you walked into a high end store they just expect you to buy stuff or they will not even bother helping you because they see you as a waste of their time. I visited stores like Bape and Supreme and they had people waiting outside in lines all day long just to get in the store. My boyfriend and I were told things just drop every Saturday so these people are here for the new releases and they wait in line all day, purse dedication. We decided to see what the fuss was about and really all the stuff does drop on Saturday's. We waited in these lines just like everyone else for Fashion, to see what’s in and what everyone’s waiting for. Expensive high end street wear. Is that what’s the new trend? We ventured off after visiting those places which took us to Off-White, one of the new street wear designers that was majorly high end as well. I looked at the prices of things and could hardly breath. When we got there from the outside, it was a garage painted black and we kept seeing the name Off-White on the GPS wondering where it was. It said we were there but had no indication of it. Then we met a  guy outside was the place that was like “are you looking for Off-White?” And we were just like “um yeah” and he took us in, had us put our bags to the side and then we were able to gaze through. It literally looked like a forest with trees and leaves all over like it was nature themed. There was a sound box like those sound boxes playing nature noises when you go to sleep. It was calming noises of birds and bugs outside. It gave this whole feeling. Exactly what I expect the designer would of wanted and I was impressed. I asked about the infamous belts everyone was wearing and we were informed that they were completely sold out. And that just took us out of the store because everything there was out of a college students budget that’s in the making of trying to be a designer herself. I did appreciate the designers whole set up, this art feeling gallery for a store with tons of amazing clothes and accessories all beautifully displayed, I was in awe. It made me wonder, what will define me as a designer? Will I do a pop up shop and leave my customers in awe and amazement? Will I create high end street wear? Or will I do something else? New York, New York was all I could think. I knew that this is where I’d want to spend my future, days and nights. Creating, aspiring and building a future. I want to paint my future and know where I’ll be, and that’s New York. 

             5th Avenue. I visited all these high end stores that 5th Avenue catered to in Soho and it was all over the ideal 5th Avenue. Can you believe it, Saks 5th Avenue was 10 floors! It was like Macy’s at Christmas times 1000 walking in there. Every floor had people amongst people, employees amongst employees. It was your Christmas department store movie. I could spend a whole day in there and still feel like I haven’t seen everything. It had everything from makeup, to purses, to shoes, to clothes, all designers. If you’ve made it in Saks, you’ve made it. All over 5th Avenue I’ve seen stores on stores that I’ve seen smaller versions of before at King Of Prussia mall but now the real deal of 5th Avenue shopping and it all fell into place. I was like a kid going to Toys R Us for the first time visiting the shops of 5th Avenue. Already making my Christmas List. And from right there I knew I needed a pair of Jimmy Choo's on my feet, shopping bags in both my hands and fitting my wallet some how in there as well. Maybe I’ll go broke from shopping the trends, but at least I’ll be happy and in style. But for now I am a broke college stupid who shops the sales racks, my trip expenses had covered clearance items at Bershka's pop up shop and Urban Outfitters and looking for deals online. I had to pay my way back into Philly so sadly, Jimmy Choo's weren't happening tonight.

Love,

Jackie XX