Back in 2006, UNIQLO opened a flagship store in New York’s Soho; at the time, it was the largest UNIQLO in the world. While Soho may have lost that distinction to 5th Avenue a while back, it was still an amazing location to view the UNIQLO and LEMAIRE Spring/Summer 2016 collection during a private event on March 4th.
Blogger Babes Ambassador Ruthie Stephens of ruthiedarlingblog.com was there to give us some insights—both into the new line, as well as how to work an event like this one.
WORKING ON A FASHION EVENT AS A #BBAMBASSADOR
- Arrive early. Give yourself time to become comfortable with your surroundings. What is the space like and where do you suspect people will gravitate? (Likely the food and drink areas!) Are there spots that are too loud to have a comfortable conversation? (You’ll want to avoid those.) Are there places that are better to take photos? (Hint: Better light makes for better photos.)
- Talk to people. Don’t do it with the agenda of networking, but with an open mind that allows your personality to attract the opportunities. Ruthie found herself having a fun conversation with a stranger… 20 minutes later, she found out that he was the stylist of the collection. They exchanged information and may work together in the future. The lesson: Be yourself, put yourself out there, and good things happen!
- Take photos. In general, people who attend these sorts of events want to see and be seen. Of course, make sure to ask before you take a photo. That’ll also give you the opportunity to ask for their information so that you can share the photo with them and their social media followers. Ideally, their followers will be interested enough to start following you as well. Consider it instant access to a wider audience.
THE UNIQLO/LEMAIRE SPRING/SUMMER 2016 COLLECTION
If you agree that less is more, UNIQLO should be your go-to store. Known for its price-friendly basics, UNIQLO is now adding a level of modern style to the mix. The pieces are so streamlined and clean that you don’t even have to limit yourself to the womenswear side—you can pull from the menswear racks as well.
Here’s Ruthie in a women’s sweater paired with menswear pants:
We loved the ease of the trapeze dresses that look great and will help us move from any holiday pounds to summer litheness. And the mostly monochrome fabrics are terrific for mixing and matching—UNIQLO focuses on wearable neutrals, which is superb, although it may leave some wishing for more color options in the collection. Since the event had amazingly colorful food and drink like watermelon, lime, and other vibrant fruits, we found ourselves wishing for some great shirtdresses in maybe a pomegranate.
Almost the entire collection is done in a seersucker fabric, which was a refreshing juxtaposition to the stylish New Yorker gathering in our wool coats, scarves, and boots. Clearly we’re ready for spring to just, well, spring forward already! Wouldn’t you love to have a reason to start wearing a crisp white suit from UNIQLO?