Consumer Culture: Snacks From Fashion's Favorite Showrooms

Home-cooked meals at Acne Studios, anyone?

When we think of fashion week, the following images instantly pop into our mind: glitz and glamour...flashing lights...photographers...models...parties.... But as buyers, we are often subjected to both the sweet and the sour parts of this chaotic week/month. I think I speak on behalf of all buyers when I say that, for us, it's a mixture of some sort of fashion starvation and madness. It's a nonstop marathon-survival of the fittest! Running from showroom to showroom, I seldom have time to stop and have lunch or even dinner. Now if that meant losing a few kilos, I wouldn't complain (especially after seeing those gazelles with their endless legs strut their stuff on the catwalk), but it usually leads to mindless snacking at the showrooms. I have always secretly wished that showrooms would offer healthier alternatives to crackers, M&M's, sour tape, jelly beans, chips, chocolate, and more chocolate (although that does sound like a dream...); it would be more appropriate to drink our green juices and nibble on our chia seeds when surrounded by all those 6-foot models, right? Yeah, I thought so, too. After all, fashion and health do go hand in hand... Happily, my wish was partly fulfilled by The News showroom in New York, which offered mini cold-pressed juices that loaded me with much-needed vitamins to survive the week. The Kenzo showroom was also impressive in its attempts to go healthy, serving up gluten-free power bars from Noglu and Vikwäl super-smoothies for breakfast. Had I known, I would have booked my appointment for lunch, as I'm sure it would have been delicious! Now the Acne Studios showroom in Paris...where do I begin? There were raw nuts and fruit smoothies and healthy Swedish candies and home-cooked lunches whipped up by Magnus, who comes all the way from Sweden and brings his gorgeous plates, flowers, and cutlery. And if that weren't tempting enough-wait for it-he cooks everything sur place! In fact, it's fair to say that he has become my fashion week food hero. His work is so full of his own unique charm that I often end up taking photos of everything, and I always make sure my Acne appointment is during lunchtime.

When it was my time to show my last collection for Ç x Façonnable, I thought to myself, Better put those secret wishes and dreams into action. I offered cold-pressed juices from Juice It (may I add that they were so delicious, with a wide variety of choices); gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free brownies, muffins, and banana bread; as well as some delicious and super-healthy salads. I even threw in some power bars, which buyers and press gladly took with them to help them get through their heavy schedules. Seeing the joy it brought them to eat such delicious, nutritious food, I was relieved to realize that I'm not actually the only one on a constant search for healthier treats during this strenuous month.