Ten years ago this month, I was covering New York fashion week for The Toronto Star. On the morning of Sept. 11, I was in my hotel room, trying to send a batch of stories, and my laptop was not co-operating. Between calls to the newspaper’s IT department, my husband rang and told me to turn on the TV. Moments later, I watched the second plane fly into the World Trade Center.
It was the worst day of my life, as it was for so many others. And for years, I couldn’t think about what I’d witnessed: the ashes that fluttered down from the sky, the traumatized survivors at St. Vincent’s Hospital, the school bus full of children who had not been picked up at daycare.
Fashion didn’t seem very important in the weeks that followed, but in time it came to be a welcome diversion and an even greater source of pleasure. I follow designer comings and goings like sports fans monitor player trades.
I look forward to analyzing the runway shows with colleagues. I delight in intricate handwork, buttery leather and perfectly matched checks. And I am always on the hunt for the next best boot. Is fashion my crutch? Maybe. But it’s a much healthier form of escape than some others I can think of.
I know that on this Sept. 11 , once again, the grief that resides deep within me will surface. But up until that day, and beyond it, I have fall’s new looks to keep me distracted. I will spend much time stewing over whether to go minimal in a boxy top and pencil skirt or mannish in a grey flannel suit. I will silently debate prairie skirts and plastic paillettes. I will try on cocoon coats and maxi slickers. And I will spend too much money on things I love.
It’s my way of staying sane.
To help in my decision-making, I will keep FASHION’s September issue close at hand. As always, our fashion and beauty teams have done a masterful job of bringing the top trends into focus. This season offers rich hues, delicious textures, punchy prints and a return to lashes and liner. And like our cover girl, Lily Allen, I highly doubt you’ll make it to New Year’s without succumbing to polka dots.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on our Trend Issue at letters@fashionmagazine.com.
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