Fashion Week has always been a magnet for brands, and even beyond the physical footprint of the Mercedes-Benz tents at Lincoln Center, the number of sponsored lounges appears to be growing. This season, the area around the performing arts campus is home to several activations, the large majority of which are new platforms crafted by fashion magazines. From The Daily (formerly an IMG-owned publication) and Hearst's newly acquired title Elle, to Condé Nast's Teen Vogue (plus the beauty-focused Allure), the temporary setups hold a host of activities, products to try out, and sustenance, proffered by brands like John Barrett Salon and John Frieda, the Macallan and Moët, BlackBerry, and Microsoft Windows Phone.
Perhaps the most unique project is that of model Elettra Wiedemann, who partnered with Ed Brown to take over the chef's in-house eatery at the Empire Hotel for a temporary restaurant known as Goodness. The idea, born from Wiedemann's dissertation on the future of feeding urban populations, was, as Wiedemann explained, "to secretly educate people about seasonal and local food," while also putting some lesser-known culinary names in front of an influential crowd. The venture, presented by The Daily, includes free Wi-Fi from mobile technology developers Orange Hat and serves health-conscious meals for breakfast and lunch. Wiedemann also plans to take Goodness to Paris's, Milan's, and London's Fashion Weeks.
Photo: Spreadhouse/MKG
<span style="font-style: italic;">Teen Vogue</span>'s "Haute Spot"
For the entire duration of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Teen Vogue is hosting a lounge inside the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' Donald and Mary Oenslager Gallery. The temporary site, dubbed the "Haute Spot," is based on the pop-up shop the magazine opened in the Short Hills Mall in New Jersey.
Photo: Patrick Butler
<span style="font-style: italic;">Teen Vogue</span>'s "Haute Spot"
Produced by MKG, the Haute Spot is designed as an interactive, experiential version of the magazine, with style boards curated by Teen Vogue editors, a photo op area from MVS Studio, a blogger lounge, D.I.Y. denim activities, live performances, and meet-and-greets with designers.
Photo: Patrick Butler
<span style="font-style: italic;">Teen Vogue</span>'s "Haute Spot"
The first day the lounge opened, Teen Vogue brought out editor in chief Amy Astley to sign copies of her new book, The Teen Vogue Handbook: An Insider's Guide to Careers in Fashion.
Photo: Spreadhouse/MKG
<span style="font-style: italic;">Teen Vogue</span>'s "Haute Spot"
One of the lounge's major sponsors is Maybelline, also a key sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The cosmetics company has its own section within the space and offered daily makeovers to visitors.
Photo: Spreadhouse/MKG
<span style="font-style: italic;">Teen Vogue</span>'s "Haute Spot"
To highlight key fall trends for its readers, Teen Vogue displays clothing and accessories in vignettes. Each tableau is dominated by a mood board, with items tacked to its surface.
Photo: Spreadhouse/MKG
<span style="font-style: italic;">Teen Vogue</span>'s "Haute Spot"
The blogger lounge allows attendees to charge their computers and log into their social media accounts. A screen against the wall displays tweets mentioning Teen Vogue's Twitter handle.
Photo: Spreadhouse/MKG
<span style="font-style: italic;">Teen Vogue</span>'s "Haute Spot"
The "Declare Your Denim" bar was where lounge visitors could create personalized looks for their jeans with stylist and P.S. I Made This blogger Erica Domesek.
Photo: Spreadhouse/MKG
<span style="font-style: italic;">Teen Vogue</span>'s "Haute Spot"
Throughout the week Teen Vogue's "Haute Spot" offers live performances. On opening day, American Idol alum Pia Toscano (pictured) sang for the crowd.
Photo: Patrick Butler
<span style="font-style: italic;">Teen Vogue</span>'s "Haute Spot"
The lounge also hosts screenings where visitors can watch the presentation of spring 2012 collections from the likes of Jill Stuart, Erin Fetherston, Tory Burch, and Phillip Lim, and chat with the designer.
Photo: BizBash
<span style="font-style: italic;">Allure</span> Lounge
Building on the pop-up created by the Ricardo Rojas salon in February, Allure built out an empty street-level inside the Empire Hotel. The first-ever Allure lounge showcases new collections from a number of emerging designers, including Gabriela Moya, Kiboots, and Marlies Dekkers.
Photo: Rob Loud
<span style="font-style: italic;">Allure</span> Lounge
Allure also brought makeup sponsor Maybelline New York to provide mini makeovers and hair-care company Tigi provide product samples.
Photo: Rob Loud
<span style="font-style: italic;">Allure</span> Lounge
The Ricardo Rojas salon offers hairstyling and debuted its new tango-inspired brush line. Visitors to the Allure lounge can also watch livestreams of the shows in the tents and preview Microsoft Windows Phone devices.
Photo: Rob Loud
"It Gets Better" Lounge
In support of the It Gets Better Project—an initiative created to battle bullying, especially of gay and lesbian youth—Elle, designer deal Web site Rue La La, and the Sundance Channel partnered to host a lounge on the 10th floor of the Empire Hotel. Open Friday and Saturday, the endeavor invited Fashion Week attendees to support the project's mission and sign messages to a wall.
Photo: Steve Y Gardner Creative
"It Gets Better" Lounge
The "It Gets Better" Lounge took over four hotel suites and included an oxygen bar courtesy of sponsor PayPal.
Photo:Steve Y Gardner Creative
"It Gets Better" Lounge
Another suite offered bang trims and braiding from the John Barrett Salon.
Photo: BizBash
"It Gets Better" Lounge
A big part of the It Gets Better Lounge was to encourage attendees of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week to record P.S.A.s detailing their own experiences with bullying. The section where guests could do so was hosted by the Sundance Channel.
Photo: BizBash
<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Daily</span> "Style Sessions"
Starting on Sunday, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week's official publication The Daily took over Stone Rose Lounge in the Time Warner Center for a temporary setup it called "Style Sessions." Energy drink Liquid Lightning is one of the sponsors.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/WorldRedEye.com
<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Daily</span> "Style Sessions"
Inside the Gerber Group-operated property, the bar provides an array of food for visitors.
Photo: BizBash
<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Daily </span>"Style Sessions"
International frame manufacturer Silhouette set up a booth at The Daily's "Style Sessions" to showcase new shades for editors.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/WorldRedEye.com
<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Daily</span> "Style Sessions"
As an added interactive element, Silhouette also offers a photo booth where attendees could try on new eyewear and pose for pictures.
Photo: BizBash
<span style="font-style: italic;">The Daily</span> "Style Sessions"
In addition to supplying bottles of its beer, Asahi also brought a caricaturist to the lounge.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/WorldRedEye.com
<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Daily</span> "Style Sessions"
Avon is the cosmetics sponsor at The Daily's effort, highlighting its newest skin-care products in a lounge within the venue.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/WorldRedEye.com
<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Daily</span> "Style Sessions"
Hairstylists proffer blowouts and other treatments with John Frieda's Frizz-Ease products.
Photo: BizBash
<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Daily</span> "Style Sessions"
BlackBerry flaunts new devices, including its recently released PlayBook tablet, and also provided free Wi-Fi.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/WorldRedEye.com
<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Daily</span> "Style Sessions"
Whiskey brand the Macallan has its own bar, from which it offers tastings of its single-malt Scotch.
Photo: BizBash
<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Daily</span> "Style Sessions"
Equinox provides complimentary spa services including massages and brow shaping.
Photo: BizBash
Goodness Pop-Up Restaurant
Open from Sunday through today, the Daily-sponsored pop-up restaurant from model Elettra Wiedemann took over chef Ed Brown's restaurant at the Empire Hotel.
Photo: Abe Shaw
Goodness Pop-Up Restaurant
The concept for the temporary eatery is to promote local, healthy, and sustainable food, as well as emerging culinary talent. Guest chefs, including Nick Wilbur of the Fat Radish (pictured, left, with Wiedemann), Whitehall's Christopher Rendell, and Rob Newton of Seersucker, create daily menus for the restaurant.
Photo: Abe Shaw
Goodness Pop-Up Restaurant
Goodness serves dishes for breakfast and lunch. On the menu are items like swordfish with grilled corn and zucchini succotash (pictured), chilled cantaloupe soup, and a wild mushroom omelet with tomato fricassee, watercress, and multigrain toast.
Photo: BizBash
<span style="font-style: italic;">In Style</span> Lounge
For the second year, In Style fashioned a lounge inside Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The space, which opened Friday and will run through tomorrow, was produced by Caravents and filled with custom furnishings and elegant floral arrangements.
Photo: Zachary Repko
<span style="font-style: italic;">In Style</span> Lounge
Designed as a place for visitors to meet, eat, and recharge their electronic devices, the In Style lounge also offers concierge services from Quintessentially.
Photo: Zachary Repko
<span style="font-style: italic;">In Style</span> Lounge
Computer stations provide convenient and free access to the Internet.
Photo: Zachary Repko
