(Opinion - a first person narrative by a participant in the fashion show)
By Ashlee Maignan-Thompson
A Tale About Fashion Week: Sony Hall vs. Revive NYFW
Getting Invited to Fashion Week
During New York Fashion Week SS 2024, I had the opportunity of walking a show. Friends referred me to an agency (name withheld) that would possibly cast a plus size model but considered a bit more high profile.
I have a lot more experience behind the camera and did not think I could totally handle the pressures of what it takes to be in front of the camera. I was pleased to see that this agency was looking for media professionals for NYFW FW season of 2025.
I created a portfolio of all the photography and writing I have done over the years and filled out an application. Cold calling, many applications followed then I sent portfolio to about 7 other agencies.
To my surprise, the agency designated a seat for me! I couldn’t believe it! A month and a half before the show started, the agency revealed that the venue would be at Sony Hall this year.
New York Fashion Week is always a whirlwind, but my experience at Sony Hall and Revive NYFW showcased two very different sides of the industry, that felt very cut throat and exclusionary and another a little more welcoming and collaborative.
The Night Before: Adore Me’s Private Cabaret Show
On Feb. 5, the first night of New York Fashion Week, I was given an extra ticket to Adore Me’s Private Cabaret Show at Sony Hall by a friend. I had already been invited to upcoming shows at this venue as a media professional, but this one in particular was even more private and exclusive; so I was very grateful that I was able to sit in at this wonderful show!
All of the sleepwear and models alike were gorgeous! The show had a Valentine’s Day theme. But the pieces were not limited to just reds, and pinks. There were lavenders, jewels, icy whites, lace and fluffy frilly pieces to the collection too.
The show was not too long as it was the precursor to Fashion Week. The show was also live-streamed and there were many Tik Tokers present, some of whose content I LOVE online and others, while I'm not fond of others. At times, it felt like there was this ‘ you are only someone if you know someone’ sort of feel to the night. I tried my best to just shrug it off. I was just excited to be there.
I did a little networking and met some very cool new contacts. There were even a few models that I had seen in catalogs for Aerie or Victoria’s Secret. I also spotted a few actresses and reality TV personalities sprinkled here and there on the runway. Casting seemed very inclusive and I loved that. There were expectant mothers, plus size, inexperienced, and of color models walking the runway. During the intermission, an aerial dance show took my breath away. I think this may have been my favorite part. The aerial dancer was spinning, flipping and floating! The Private Cabaret Show was a great way to kick off NYFW 2025.
Me, posing for a selfie with security after detailing newly hired security and media professionals what to expect for the upcoming days of NYFW at Sony Hall. (Being messy lol)
Ashlee Rose Montague, Aerial Dancer at Adore Me’s Private Cabaret Show.
Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson.
Revive NYFW briefly before the show began. Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson
Day 2 : An Overbooked Disaster
(Remember this for later). On the train to the New York I received a notification by email inviting me to a show with Revive NYFW. I was pleased but didn’t think anything of it. I was going to NYFW at Sony Hall anyway, where celebrities
Models (unidentified) and a few street photographers (unknown during NYFW’s abrupt intermission. Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson.
or Tik Tokers were sometimes spotted. Once I had arrived at Sony Hall, the environment was not quite like the night before. It felt uncomfortable. Many independent photographers, journalists, and creatives—who were invited but lacked sponsorship from major media outlets were turned away.
There was a strong feeling to m of an “us vs. them” mentality. It felt unwelcoming. I personally experienced this firsthand as well. A photographer verbally berated me, then tried to have me kicked out of the venue simply because I was standing in the same section as her; Looking for the seat that was supposed to have my name on it. I’ve been in creative spaces for a long time, and I have encountered certain levels of pressure and cattiness before. However, nothing like this. Unfortunately, this kind of toxicity isn’t uncommon in the modeling, media and creative industry. Exclusivity and power struggles can often overshadow talent and hard work in my experience.
Kicking off NYFW at Sony Hall should have been an exciting moment, but the reality was far from glamorous. The event was massively overbooked. With so many attendees crammed into the space that it made it impossible to move. The situation escalated quickly— Many sponsored media professionals were bullying and berating the unsponsored. A lot of verbal altercations. I guess someone got fed up, and the fire marshal was even called, In an effort to regain control, organizers forced unsponsored media professionals to leave the building with promises of being let back in. Many of us, myself included, were redirected to a restaurant across the street, only for that space to reach maximum capacity as well. It was discouraging to know that something that I was very interested in, ended up being such a drag. I walked for quite some time in the rain after getting off at Grand Central just to be there… After being outside for some time, I realized there was still a line of media professionals that were never let in ! They were never even given their passes. Some had been waiting for up to 4-5 hours in the rain. If I had not cut the line that day, or asked for employees that had spoken to prior, it was very likely that I would have not even been allowed in at all. It was such a big deal to me to even be granted a media pass this year. And I am so grateful for the exclusive experience I had the night before.
However, I stumbled upon the realization that in environments where these, even if you are invited…are you really even invited? For myself, I had certain privileges other media professionals did not. However, I still feel like my experience was quite messed up. A public apology was issued to the models, and the venue’s sponsors but really to no one else according to what I noticed.
The agency that I was invited through went as far as turning off all their comments on Instagram. It hurt to know that a lot of my hard work, a lot of other people’s hard work that has led up to this very moment, the photography, and the portfolios, applications, the referrals I followed through with; and the other negative experiences that brought me to where I was now… all felt discarded. I could only imagine what others that were still waiting in the rain felt…
Despite all the chaos, many independent creatives like myself didn’t want to accept the defeat. We didn’t come all the way out here for that. Another photographer turned to me and said, 'Girl…you better get out there and do what you came here to do…' We decided to do something with all that negative energy. Many of us took to the streets, transforming the sidewalk into our own runway. We started shooting our own fashion show right outside the venue, proving that true creativity thrives even in the face of exclusion.
The street became OUR runway. Onlookers, bystanders, firefighters, event staff and the police were our audience. We all began taking photos of one another, exchanging resources, business cards and contacts. I soon learned that some models even had their own personal media teams kicked out. So these very same models rushed out into the street for photoshoots! While the show at Sony Hall was still at a halt, both everyday people and models were photographed. This is what the show was! What had been taken from us and WE MADE of it. Resilience! Below is some of what I captured.
Shalini Srivastava in Vellachor’s cream lace up corset being painted by Marina Chernova. Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson.
Male model (unknown) out in the street during NYFW’s abrupt intermission.
Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson.
Revive NYFW: A Breath of Fresh Air
The next show I was invited to was with Revive Fashion Week. I was so incredibly winded from the day before and almost didn’t go. Thanks to the encouragement of a close friend, I got up and went. I’m glad I gave myself, and Fashion Week another chance. This show was in Chelsea, about an 18-minute walk from Grand Central, a bit farther from the show I attended the day before. The cold was bitter and the wind that day was brutal. Everytime the wind whipped around me, It felt like an assault. I asked myself after a few wrong turns and reroutes from Google Maps, 'Was a fashion show REALLY worth it?'
And honestly after the day before,anything would be better than what I had experienced. By the time I had arrived at Revive NYFW, I already lost feeling in my fingers. It took a little bit to find the actual venue where the show would be taking place. Upon entry, the specific studio where it was held was unmarked, and I had to use a bit of my common sense to find it. I finally go there, took a deep breath, and swung the door open.
It was quiet. I came a bit early so the show hadn’t started yet. I was greeted by the producer of the show and by some models. They were so kind, a stark contrast from the day before. I excused myself and did a quick run to the bathroom and had a brief laugh. I looked in the mirror and my eyes looked like I had been crying! I only looked like that due to the harsh wind and bitter cold outside. I joked to myself, maybe that’s why they were being so kind? It just seemed…so unlike this industry?
After about 15 minutes and a few small conversations, two production assistants escorted me to the studio where the show was going to be held. Revive NYFW felt like a completely different world. It was a well-lit venue. The studio was huge with many different giant corridors, great for some behind the scenes content. You can tell that production staff and the organizers had studio experience, which in turn guaranteed great visuals for the media professionals. I took a deep sigh of relief. I was in good hands.
The space was intimate and professional, an environment where designers, models, and all media professionals could actually connect and collaborate. No one was placed on a higher pedestal than the other. Instead of the cutthroat competition I felt at Sony Hall, Revive encouraged a sense of community. People smiled, were kind, supportive, and genuinely interested in working together. The collections felt more personal and experimental, highlighting emerging designers who brought fresh perspectives to the runway. Vellachor’s collection was my personal favorite. I think it is safe to say that her pieces left everyone’s jaw on the floor…or should I say runway?
It was so incredible to see such a detailed, diverse collection from such a young designer. She even had a performance artist, Marina Chernova paint on one of the corsets she had designed! Live! One of the main influences that Vellachor pulled from was artwork during the Italian Renaissance, with a modern, fairy tale twist. There was one look in particular that reminded me of the Birth of Venus. I couldn’t believe I got to witness such a beautiful collection in such a picturesque, open, and airy environment. It was everything that I had imagined and more.
The lighting, organization, and overall energy of the show made it clear that the team behind Revive prioritized both the designers and the guests. Everything looked so fresh, and avant garde, more of what I was initially anticipating for Fashion Week. Encore!
Runway Model, @floss33d during a BTS shoot for Vellachor wearing her green lace up corset. Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson.
Raquel Fuller on the runway showcasing Vellachor’s groundbreaking piece. Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson.
Kaitlyn Yuan and @floss33d during a quick BTS shoot for Vellachor. Both are wearing two different variations of Vellachor’s green lace up corset. Photographed by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson.
Runway Model, @floss33d during a BTS shoot for Vellachor wearing her green lace up corset. Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson.
Model, Shalini Srivastava walking the runway in Vellachor’s cream lace up corset. Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson.
Final Thoughts: The Industry’s Two Faces
After the wonderful show I experienced at Revive, I noticed the agency that originally invited me to NYFW at Sony Hall sent me an extended media pass for the entirety of Fashion Week. I was appreciative, and decided to give them another chance. I returned just to check out the scene. They were on the way back home anyway. I was not very surprised to see the very same ordeal was going on. It was not as severe, but wait times seemed identical, about three to four hours. Some media professionals went as far as starting arguments with security guards, even though they were not getting communication about what was going on inside either. Many were still waiting for media passes that should have been given to them the day before and for some folks, days before. It seemed like the kind of place where you had to be loyal through many bad experiences just to have a half decent one, and maybe you’ll get noticed. It wasn’t worth it to me. I was disappointed but not very surprised.
Runway Model, Raquel Fuller during a quick BTS shoot with fellow model, Capree Daniels. Both are wearing Vellachor’s new spring collection. Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson
Me, posing for a selfie with a security personnel after detailing newly hired security and media professionals what to expect for the upcoming days of NYFW at Sony Hall. Photo by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson
My experiences at these two events were a stark reminder of the two extremes that exist in the fashion, creative, and media industry. Spaces like Sony Hall, despite their prestige, often prioritize exclusivity over creativity, making it difficult for emerging and sometimes even established talent to gain access and grow. Environments like these don’t foster success in my opinion—they just create barriers and make it harder to succeed.
While it is the personal choice of the individual of what kind of agencies and business to support, it is very important to keep in mind everything is not what it seems. Just because a place holds prestige doesn’t mean it holds value for you. Some of the most sought-after spaces are built on exclusion, competition, and ego, not creativity, kindness, or growth.
On the other hand, events like my experience at Revive NYFW reveal there are pockets of this industry that can be inclusive and provide opportunities for creatives to thrive, and still be high quality.
This Fashion Week was a learning experience for me. It is easy to feel jaded. However, it is also important to never give up. Sometimes, negative experiences are there to help you appreciate the good ones out there. I would not have attended Revive if I allowed the earlier experience discourage me. While I’ll continue to navigate these spaces with an open mind, I now have an even better understanding of what kind of environments truly support artistic growth and which ones are best left behind.
The Runway at Sony Hall. Photographed by Ashlee Maignan-Thompson.
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