I landed in Paris this morning, grabbed my tickets and pranced through Paris' gloomy rain to the Boulevard Faubourg de Saint-Martin for Gareth Pugh's Fall 09 show. There, a surprisingly small group of people stood behind a curtain in a tiny black room before being ushered into a make-shift movie theatre.
I knew something was up when they handed me a credit sheet declaring, Model: Natasa Vojnovic. Natalie emailed, "Is she listed for every look?" Before I could respond, I realized I'd be watching the same video that everyone around the world (or every fashion obsessed person around the world) would be watching live on ShowStudio.
Granted, I was watching it in a mini-warehouse, full of three white benches, Suzy Menkes, Sally Singer, Lauren Santo Domingo, Jefferson Hack, Pugh-wearing London kids, Rick Owens and loads of dry ice-induced smoke. People actually smiled during the video, so impressive were Natasa's warrior dance moves, not to mention Gareth's collection, before hopping to the back room to congratulate the soft-spoken designer on a kind of historical fashion moment.
We finally left to grab a bite to eat in between the show and the party, our only regret that we wouldn't get to see the nailed bodices and pleated trousers in person - until Natasa Vojnovic turned the corner, charging across the cobblestones, arms linked with Kate Lanphear and trailing a Gareth cape - which means Paris Fashion Week is off to a grand start.
