makeup artist victoria stiles

Okay, so I didn’t pack light for this trip. With all of the events this week, I wanted to make sure I had some style since, well, it is Fashion Week! Thankfully I can name two times during this trip in which I may regret the fact that I massively over-packed — the climb up the stairs to a 4th floor walk-up upon arrival and once again for departure. I am proud to announce my battle with the stairway-of-doom is half over and I will not have to think about it again until the end of the week.

The upcoming week here in New York is going to be absolutely amazing. Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week Fall 2009 has officially begun (for me anyway)! I just had a brief sidewalk meeting with the Executive Editor of Beyond Beauty Basics about my schedule for this week and to receive my press pass for tent access. I am scheduled for backstage access to the Pamella Roland show on Tuesday and main tent access through the first half of this week. I will also be attending the Digital Moda Event where up-and-coming designers will be showing their designs to the online fashion publishing pros. Check BeyondBeautyBasics.com for the latest happenings here at Fashion Week and InsideTheTents.com for up-to-the minute Tweets, blogs, photos, and videos!

In addition to interviews and reporting, I will be doing makeup (that’s what I do best!) for two shows: Alexandre Herchcovitch and Rad Hourani.

For the latest on Fall trend, including makeup tips and tricks, check here on Backstage and Beyond Beauty Basics!

Style Coalition, a coalition of independent online publishers in the fashion and lifestyle vertical, is proud of the return of Inside The Tents – an exclusive look at the action – as it’s happening – from inside the Bryant Park Tents of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City. InsideTheTents.com, an initiative of Style Coalition, provides fashion fans around the world with a front-row view at what’s happening on the runways, through continuous coverage from more than 40 select bloggers and new media journalists who are in attendance from popular outlets such as SheFinds, Nitrolicious, Unbeige, Jess Zaino, FashionWindows, RunningWithHeels, TheMakeupGirl, JetSetGirls, and, recently added, my blog- Backstage with Victoria Stiles, and more!

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, scheduled for February 13-20, is typically covered by an exclusive group of magazine editors who often don’t provide extensive coverage until their spring issues hit the stands. In contrast, Inside The Tents provides an instant insider’s view - providing a fresh voice in real time through the use of the Web’s best social technologies such as Twitter, Flickr, live blogging and video streaming. Inside The Tents also provides the opportunity for fashion bloggers to engage a wider audience for their content. Coverage will include designer and celebrity interviews, feedback from attendees, overviews of the new trends, insight from fashion experts and advice for taking the runway to everyday.

In addition, this year’s Inside The Tents will also include a private event on February 17, allowing emerging designers an opportunity to showcase their designs to the online fashion publishing world and key tech/social media influencers. The event is an innovative alternative to the traditional runway shows typically seen at Fashion Week and will be part of the featured content covered online at Inside The Tents.

“Bloggers are the new media and we created Inside The Tents as an opportunity for them to be taken more seriously as valid members of the media, as well as an opportunity for fashion lovers everywhere to get closer to the action through valuable and instant content in one location,” said Yuli Ziv, founder of MyItThings, one of the most influential online fashion communities, and one of the founding members of the Style Coalition. “Our mission is to bring fashion and tech together – making fashion contributors’ news and observations easily – and instantly – accessible to an audience hungry for live coverage of this extremely popular event.”

Founding member, Ms. Yuli Ziv, was recently featured in the The New York Observer for her work with uniting Inside the Tents and Fashion Week. The story notes her efforts in getting IMG to upgrade events with more places to connect laptops in order to upload videos, pictures, information, and more. The article goes on to quote Ms. Ziv as saying, “We just want to cover their events, and help them understand the opportunities in social media. That’s what frustrates me sometimes, that we have to fight for everything as bloggers. I’m only doing this because I love fashion.”

Photography by Melissa Hribar, Wardrobe by Gilles Montezin; Style Coalition’s Yuli Ziv and her laptop

Style Coalition’s Yuli Ziv and her laptop! Photography by Melissa Hribar, Wardrobe by Gilles Montezin

Ms. Ziv’s partner in Style Coalition, Mike Pratt, had an interesting quote in the article as well. He says, “The whole industry is going through a metamorphosis, and it’s very painful for it.” He goes on to say, ”Some people will feel like their empire is being encroached upon, and fashion is queen of exclusivity.” He added, “But clearly, it’s getting out of their hands. A designer can become very successful without any blessing from the big folks.”

Founding members include two popular fashion bloggers, Jean Vouté Pratt of GiftGirl and The Style Observer and Yuli Ziv, founder of MyItThings.com.

I am personally excited to be a contributing member of Inside The Tents and look forward to reporting for my blog as well as contributing to Beyond Beauty Basics! Check InsideTheTents.com for the latest blogs, videos, and even Twitter updates from Fashion Week!

More Information
Inside The Tents
Style Coalition
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
Twitter hashtag #NYFW