Ben Sherman Interviewed Me About New York Fashion Week For Its Blog!

During New York Fashion Week, Ben Sherman interviewed three dudes — Kurt from Esquire, Jay from Nylon and myself from AskMen — on our experiences during the week. Here’s what I had to say (find the original posting here):

Ben Sherman: Would you ever buy a look straight off the runway? Or do you prefer to mix and match, to make your own?
Sachin Bhola: The popular answer here is: No, I’d never buy a look straight off the runway, because that’s unoriginal and uninspired. But I disagree with that. You know, there are a lot of designers and stylists who I look up to, so it doesn’t surprise me to see a runway look that I’d wear head to toe, because a lot of us are on the same page aesthetically. It’s also a way of supporting talent in my community.

Of course, the editor in me can’t deny how important mixing and matching is. Most men are in different places in their lives (starting their careers, looking for ways to dress on a first date, earning different salaries), so individuality is a key message for our readers.

BS: What is your daily prep for fashion week?
SB: Remember the last time I answered this question with “getting lots of sleep”? Neither do I. That’s because, frankly, I never understood how people in fashion, of all times, wouldn’t stretch themselves during fashion week. Sure, starting your day at 6:00 a.m. and ending at, well, 6:00 a.m. is exhausting, but running from show to interview to press event to after-party in one day is our job — and it’s the best time to land a story. A few seasons ago, I met a model backstage at the Duckie Brown show who had been mugged on his way to the fitting. The muggers had attacked him, and he ended up walking the runway with a black eye. Poor guy. But cool story.

Some of the things I do are pretty standard, like making sure my clothes are laid out the night before so I can get going quickly in the morning and making sure I have snacks on me because I always forget to eat during fashion week.

Also, regardless of how much I know about a designer, I do a little bit of homework before the show: what did the collection look like last season? Has anything changed at the company’s corporate level? Have they opened up stores internationally? This helps me connect the dots and places the collection in the context of a broader narrative, which I know our readers care about.

Finally, as challenging as it can get, I try to be on time (even early) for fashion week events. The best time to network or catch up with friends who are also in the industry is when everyone’s waiting for a show to begin.

BS:  Who is the most interesting person you’ve seen at fashion week?
SB: At a well-established designer’s show, I once sat beside a VP of a large, influential department store, who said to me, “The longer the runway, the bigger his ego.” I thought that was funny.

BS: What’s the best men’s accessory you’ve seen on the runway?
SB: I liked the leather bandanas. It had this Fight Club/Simpsons/’90s look that I know is definitely not for every guy, but that I thought was rad.