Find out where the Fashion Team hang out during Fashion Week
Fashion Capital Hotspots... During the big month of the international Fashion Weeks, we travel from New York to Milan and finish off in Paris. Through our own recces and word of mouth from our fashion friends, we have come across the top hotspots in all three cities.
Here is a list of what we love in the Fashion Capitals:
NEW YORK
SLEEP The fashion team stay at Sixty Soho Hotel, which has an unbeatable SoHo address, cool restaurant and cocktail lounge, and the most incredible roof-terrace view over Manhattan (sixtyhotels.com/soho ).
EAT We can't get enough of the delicious and cool Balthazar restaurant; even though we have one here in London, it's still our favourite (balthazarny.com).
DRINK Elsa is an intimate, dimly-lit hideaway bar with a cocktail menu that features drinks like Death Of A Ladies Man to Invitation To A Beheading - let your imagination go wild with what's in them! Tables are covered in tea lights and it's the perfect spot to start our evenings before we hit the fashion parties (elsabar.com).
SHOP SoHo is the area where all the fashion girls head to while in NYC. All the cool stores from Chanel to Alexander Wang, J Crew and Coach are here. This one-time artists' haven has been transformed into the city's poshest outdoor mall! Cobblestone streets and iron fire escapes make the neighbourhood an atmospheric spot for shopping. Pop into Barney's Co-op for some great-priced designer finds. For a guide to SoHo see here.
MILAN
SLEEP Team Marie Claire stay at The Gray, which is right next to the Duomo cathedral and surrounded by all the fabulous Italian fashion haunts. It has a clean modern interior and the hotel can arrange a personal shopper to help your stay swing along (hotelthegray.com).
EAT Finger's is still our favourite Italian/Asian fusion restaurant. Here you will find buratta with your sushi - who knew it would be so delicious? (fingersrestaurants.com).
DRINK Bamboo Bar in the Giorgio Armani Hotel is our spot for a quick stop to meet with any cool new designers we are scouting during the shows. Sleek, elegant and understated, it's exactly what you'd expect from the master of Italian sophistication (milan.armanihotels.com).
SHOP The city's little hidden shopping mall, The Excelsior, is where we head for all things wonderful and extraordinary from small gifts to high-end fashion (excelsiormilano.com).
PARIS
SLEEP Head to the Renaissance Paris Vendôme Hotel for the ultimate in chic boutique hotels with a five-star treatment; it's very close to all the stores of Rue Saint-Honoré. Here we get a bit of time to ourselves with a swim in their underground pool! (marriott.com/hotels/travel/parvd-renaissance-paris-vendome-hotel).
EAT Although it's been around for a while, Café Ruc is the one place where you will find the fashion crowd day and night. It's perfect when you are on the run and need something French and fast. We don’t leave the city without a cheeseburger here! (caferuc.com)
DRINK Visit Ferdi Bar for a few drinks, it has the perfect cosy atmosphere and family-run. Regulars include designers like Azzedine Alaïa, Alber Elbaz, Nicolas Ghesquière, Pierre Hardy, Marc Jacobs and Christian Louboutin. Not bad, right? (32 Rue du Mont Thabor).
SHOP Discover the eclectic world of Colette. It’s the city's cult store, hosting an incredible selection of merchandise from toys to magazines, books, music, ready-to-wear and jewellery (colette.fr).