CNCgoesNYC
New year. New youth. New York. Condé Nast College’s itinerary for the mid-March trip was a unique view of the Big Apple. From the quirky vintage stores to the diverse museums with distinctive styles, we could not have taken a bigger bite.
Time flies in New York, almost as quickly as the flight we took to Newark. When we entered the Condé Nast building tranquillity replaced the raw energy of the streets. Standing in the urbane lobby of One World Trade Centre Tower we had the same feeling of awe you get when admiring a priceless work of art.
The Glamour floor came first. Charismatic Editor-in-chief Cindi Leive, perfect in pale-pink Prada pleats, gave us her unique personal insight into the Glamour brand and elaborated on the latest cover lines and features for the next issue.
Then to the Bon Appétit kitchen where Creative Director Alex Grossman gave us his predictions for the next big food trends, tips for great restaurants in New York and explained how the food industry is responding to the new generation who really care what they eat. A sweet bite of the Big Apple..
Allure magazine certainly embraces and embodies its title, and when exploring Condé Nast’s largest beauty room, the many islands were adorned with hundreds of luxurious beauty products and rows of beautiful Balenciaga hairbrushes.
The effortlessly chic office of Editor-in-Chief Stefano Tonchi perfectly echoes his sense of direction for W Magazine – everything fashionable in contemporary culture. It’s piled high with iconic National Magazine Awards and fashion books. He answered all our questions with his typical wit and style.
The lunch options in the Condé Nast Cafeteria were as international as our students – every cuisine was covered. This was the perfect way to get ready for our Vogue adventure.
After lunch we were promptly tiptoed through the hallowed Vogue doors to observe the neat rows of clothes racks in the vast fashion department. What we really noticed was the silence – Anna Wintour was in.
Stunned by the sight of the signature clean-cut bob, our tour was quickly brought back to reality by the magnetic personality of Hamish Bowles, Vogue’s International Editor-At-Large, who gave us an unforgettable talk detailing the depth and texture of his fascinating career.
Next day we visited the magical exhibition at the FIT Museum where designers from Alexander McQueen to Charles James displayed their depictions of sartorial splendour inspired by fairy tales. The architecture of the museum provided the perfect canvas for the celebration the designers voice and picturesque fairy tale pieces.
On our final morning we visited photographer Kenneth Willardt’s studio, with green breakfast bagels for St. Patrick’s Day! Kenneth told us about his latest global beauty campaigns for L’Oreal and editorial for Vogue China. He stressed the importance of staying ahead of the game using digital technology. He shared the details of his own unique software developed for clients and editors to access images – a beauty business game-changer.
Despite this being my first bite out of the Big Apple – just a quick five-day trip – the Condé Nast College trip helped the Vogue Fashion Foundation Diploma class of 2016 expose and relish fashion and the unique raw culture of New York City.