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Fashion Insiders Reveal Their Fashion Week Essentials, Hidden Talents, and More

Fashion Week Fall 2012 Designer Interviews

Fashion Insiders Reveal Their Fashion Week Essentials, Hidden Talents, and More

February 8, 2012 by Chi Chau

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With New York Fashion Week starting today, we can only imagine the frenzy that comes in the weeks beforehand. If you've ever wondered how fashion insiders stay sane, beautiful, and calm during this hectic month (maybe they don't), listen up. We spoke to some of New York's most tenured about their Fashion Week essentials, beauty product go-tos, and, for our pure curiosity, their special hidden talents. Just click the slideshow to get up close and personal with Olivia Palermo, Rachel Roy, Rebecca Taylor, and more now.

Olivia Palermo, co-founder and executive editor of OliviaPalermo.com
Three words to describe your style: Polished, colorful, accessorized.
What's your hidden talent? I'm not sure I have a hidden talent, but Johannes [Huebl] and I really enjoy a good tennis game, or a solid run on the slopes
What are your three fashion essentials? My iPad, Mulberry planner — I love crossing off the "to-do list" — and my Miss Dior blue tote bag.
What's your favorite Winter comfort food? I really enjoy the different seasons of vegetables. In the Winter, I have a soft spot for pumpkin; we are fairly healthy in our house.
How are you planning to de-stress and relax after NYFW? The key is to try and stay rested, drink water and tea. It's always nice to get a mani, pedi, and just relax.

Rebecca Taylor, designer
Three words that describe your Fall '12 collection: Modern, feminine, and beautiful.
What's your hidden talent? I can whistle really loud with my two fingers.
What are your three fashion essentials? Dior Show mascara, Chanel bag, and Rebecca Taylor cropped leather jacket
What's your favorite Winter comfort food? Fried chicken from Kiwiana in Brooklyn
How are you planning to de-stress and relax after NYFW? I am going to Turks & Caicos with my family for some R&R.

Chris Benz, designer
Three words that describe your Fall '12 collection: Festive, fanciful, parties.
What's your hidden talent? The Grease hand-jive.
What are your three fashion essentials? A navy blazer, white tee, and NY Yankees cap.
What's your favorite Winter comfort food? Spaghetti bolognese, for obvious reasons.
What beauty, grooming products, or spa treatments do you use before, during, or after Fashion Week? Lancôme Généfique serum, every day!
How are you planning to de-stress and relax after NYFW? Off to Paris the day after the show, then jumping right into Spring/Summer '13 fabrics.

Rachel Roy, designer
Three words that describe your Fall '12 collection: Modern, landscape, and architecture.
What's your hidden talent? Making people laugh. I like to make people smile.
What are your three fashion essentials? A classic trench or pea coat, a thin tight-fitting turtleneck, and a genuine smile.
What's your favorite Winter comfort food? Anything from ABC Kitchen because it's so clean, beautifully presented, and exactly what my palette always desires.
What beauty, grooming products, or spa treatments do you use before, during, or after Fashion Week? I use Jo Malone candles everywhere I can from the office to the bedroom to the living room. They burn at least half the day and into the evening until I go to sleep. When I'm home, I don't use artificial light, only candlelight. Bubble baths are an everyday indulgence for more — sometimes I take two a day. I use either Jo Malone bubble bath or lavender-scented organic bubble bath from Whole Foods. My other must haves are light green Tic-Tacs for all of the different people I meet up close and personal.
How are you planning to de-stress and relax after NYFW? Take a breath, thank my staff, and then off for some R&R. First I sleep and then I have a proper meal since I'll have been living off coffee and sugar for the past two weeks preparing for the show. I'll spend some quality time with my daughters and then it's right back into designing the next collection!

Max Azria, designer
What's your hidden talent? I would prefer to keep it hidden.
What are your three fashion essentials? A crisp shirt or tee, loafers, and a black jacket.
What's your favorite Winter comfort food? Schwarma on baguette.
What beauty, grooming products, or spa treatments do you use before, during, or after Fashion Week? I like to get massages.
How are you planning to de-stress and relax after NYFW? Sleep. Travel. Repeat.

Tracy Reese, designer
Three words that describe your Fall '12 collection: Vibrant, baroque, and bold.
What's your hidden talent? I love to paint — on canvas or even furniture. I even have a little studio set-up in my house upstate.
What are your three fashion essentials? Piles of necklaces, comfortable yet stylish shoes, and a go-to dress you feel confident in.
What's your favorite Winter comfort food? Soup. I have soup almost every day for lunch.
How are you planning to de-stress and relax after NYFW? After the chaos, I spend the rest of the day with my father and siblings who come to support me every season. I try to get a nap in before we go to a lovely dinner.

Erin Fetherston, designer
Three words that describe your Fall '12 collection: Ethereal, electric, glamorous.
What's your hidden talent? I've always joked that I could have a back-up career cutting hair. I've learned from the best! Edward Tricomi (Warren Tricomi Salon) taught me how trim my bangs in between visits to him at the salon. I've since cut bangs on several of my girlfriends!
What are your three fashion essentials? Erin Fetherston little black dress, YSL tribute pump, and MAC black eyeliner.
What's your favorite Winter comfort food and why? I love pureed vegetable soups. They are filling and warm you up on a cold Winter's day.
How are you planning to de-stress and relax after NYFW? I'm going to Hawaii for a long weekend.

Yigal Azrouël, designer
Three words that describe your Fall '12 collection: Effortless, chic, something a bit masculine. The woman I'm designing for is very strong.
What are your three fashion essentials? I need to chill and relax. I think the most important thing is to enjoy what I'm doing and to enjoy Fashion Week. Everyone is running around, they forget what it's all about. It's a celebration. For me, I'm just really trying to enjoy it all.
What's your favorite Winter comfort food? I just discovered that I'm gluten-intolerant so I'm really missing all the bread and pasta! Instead, I eat a lot of meat. I love meat.
How are you planning to de-stress and relax after NYFW? I go surfing, it's the best thing to do. I surf in Costa Rica, which is where I'm building my house. I was just there for New Year's and I'm looking forward to going back. It's a great way to de-stress and work out.

Lubov Azria, designer
Three words that describe your Spring '12 collection: For BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway, harmoniously synthesizing shape. For Hervé Léger by Max Azria, restraint, seduction, and control.
What's your hidden talent? It's not such a "hidden" talent . . . but I love to dance!
What are your three fashion essentials? A great dress, a pop of color, and confidence.
What's your favorite Winter comfort food? I like to fuel up with raw food and of course caffeine. Both keep me energized as we prepare for the BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway and Hervé Léger by Max Azria shows.
How are you planning to de-stress and relax after NYFW? A trip to the Korean Spa.

Steven Alan, designer
Three words that describe your Spring '12 collection: Modernism, Mexico, folk.
What's your hidden talent? Scoping out amazing restaurants in cities I've never been to.
What are your three fashion essentials? My shirts, English leather briefcase, and my glasses.
What's your favorite Winter comfort food? Smoked fish and bagels. Reminds me of Sunday mornings being a kid.
What beauty, grooming products, or spa treatments do you use before, during, or after Fashion Week? I go to Spa Castle or King Sauna. I get a body scrub and lie in several heat rooms.

Elie Tahari, designer
Three words that describe your Fall '12 collection: Luxurious, sexy, and confident.
What are your three fashion essentials? Jeans, a great outerwear piece, both from the Elie Tahari Fall 2012 men's collection, and a pair of sneakers.
What beauty, grooming products, or spa treatments do you use before, during, or after Fashion Week? A massage before Fashion Week and then I return to my daily routine of yoga.
How are you planning to de-stress and relax after NYFW? I will be spending time with my two kids over their Winter break.

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