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Quite the Start (2020)

Anyone else feel like its day 74 of January 2020… so much has happened in the span of 3 weeks, I forget 2020 just started. For those feeling underwater, you’re not alone. I’ve seen an increase in online support, people actually speaking out how they’re feeling. From the fires in Australia, the clear climate crisis, Trump attacking Iran with impeachment yet to happen, the Royal family changing course, Puerto Rico earthquakes, airplanes crashing, Paris on strike, Kobe and Gigi are now gone — like I said, there is a lot happening these days. It’s hard to catch a breath, plus our daily commutes in traffic, there’s too much plastic, too many unanswered emails, too many social media notifications. You are not alone! It’s a lot to take in, I know — even as I write this, I stress. We’re all in it together, life is still beautiful. I’ve dealt with a lot of ups and downs this month. Took me 2 weeks after NYE to bounce back into work, which was great for a week, up until the Kobe news — now I feel like we’re all feeling a little down. It’s hard, but we’ll bounce back. Life is short, that’s not new information, but it’s also the longest thing we’ll ever experience. Enjoy it.

“Love lasts forever no matter what happens. To help people with Alzheimer regain their memory, an exhibitor has created an interactive journey based on the Wrinkles movie ”

— Love me Hug me

What would you say to me, if I lost my memory and can not recognize you?

I had the pleasure of being invited to experience Love Me, Hug Me — a pop-up art installation in New York City. The exhibition themes as a love story of a couple whose love memory is gradually stolen by Alzheimer’s disease, and it is aimed to appeal to everyone to cherish the present and seize the memorial moment.

Will love ever be forgotten? 

Through the 7 room experience, you walk through the journey of the characters. It tells the story of Modesto and Lolis. Starting with a short love film at the start of the exhibit — you walk through Momento Terminal, Twisted Playground, Pink Station to the Secret Galaxy, eventually to find peave in Fading Zone and finally Love Crossroad. The founder, Elaine Hong, was inspired by her grandparents’ love story and the movie ‘Wrinkles’ to create this pop-up exhibition. As she grows up, Elaine wondered why her grandmother kept telling grandfather stories and walking him down the road they had been. 

Stage Seven: Love Crossroad

Stage Five: Secret Galaxy

The pop-up is what you’d call, Instagrammable, as most of us enjoy taking beautiful pictures (like Museum of Ice Cream - style), but this exhibit is so much more than photos. If you actually follow the love story, if you let yourself feel it, if you think of your loved ones — this place touches your heart. What makes me, me? It’s my memories. As someone still dealing with the loss of a parent… the biggest way I keep my mother alive, is through the memories of her. To keep memory from slipping away is a way to keep those we love with us. Needless to say, I had to wipe away tears by the 7th room.

Momento Terminal (Room 2): aka the butterfly room, represents pieces of faded memories. The sweet memories. Of a happy life, turned to butterflies.

Secret Galaxy (Room 5): a quiet space where all you see is the light within the darkness. A place for soul-mates.

Fading Zone (Room 6): to go from the serene galaxy to here, you felt the confusion. Unable to recognize a face, but be surrounded by so many, you’d feel lost.

“I think pop-up is a trendy art style and easy to understand for Millennials. I hope Love Me Hug Me would appeal to the young generation to pay more attention to Alzheimer’s group. Grasp the moment of love before memory fades away, we need to keep that in mind. ”

— Elaine

Live life with intention — understand how precious our time and moments are. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, but Alzheimer’s disease takes away piece by piece. I can’t imagine the fear. So keep those struggling with it close to you, keep your loved ones in your heart and life. If this exhibit has taught me anything, it’s that feelings are more powerful than words. and there is nothing quite like the reassurance that someone is loved and safe with you.

Which ends with Love Crossroad (Room 7): although Alzheimer’s conditions worsen, being surrounded by loved ones can help ease the fear. We can help our friends and family find meaning in life, renewed, everyday — through love.

Photos by Luis Cardona

Love Me Hug Me is proud to announce a new pop up exhibition, officially collaborated with CaringKind, a New York’s leading expert on Alzheimer’s and dementia caregiving. With interactive capabilities, Love Me Hug Me lets participants experience a touching immersive love story. It tells the story of the reoccurrence of a couple whose love memory is gradually stolen by Alzheimer’s disease.

The event debuted in New York City on December 1st at 139 Wooster St, New York, NY 10012. 

10% of ticket sales will go to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America to provide support to these individuals and families.

Tips from the girl who has only been to two seasons (lol)

— in all seriousness, I did not think it was possible for me to attend something as iconic and prestigious as New York Fashion Week. I was way too focused on my number of followers and the fact that I only started blogging a year ago, that I never gave myself credit… I mean, it’s not like it’s been Oscar de la Renta or Dior shows. Regardless, a runway show is a runway show. So in a world where the OG bloggers, with 1+ million followers, attend front row everything. I attended 2nd row with my 1700 followers — how? Because number of followers don’t equal your value. I learned my value is my voice: the power of my words, not on social media, but on this little blog you are currently reading. A place somewhere on the internet where you can google Self Portrait S/S 2019 and my blog pops up — that is the power of words and that is the press these shows want.

You can’t google my Instagram stories, you can’t learn about the show from my outfit post— unless you have a large enough following, but even then it’s the press you bring with you that matters to the brands. [Gossip Girl moment] for those of you who have watched the show, remember when Elenaor Waldorf was prepping for her show. Serena becomes friend with Poppy Lifton and Jenny suggests they seat them all front row, because and I quote: “these girls bring press”. Yes, the OG bloggers changed the game because they are their own press and bring press. A blog (aka website) is press, especially one you consistently write on. It may not be Vogue, but I treat it like a professional website to remind myself that this is what I bring to the table. This right here — www.simplygharib.com

1. Request Invites 

1 month before NYFW

About a month or so before the shows (This coming 2020 New York Fashion Week is Feburary 7-12th) you’ll start seeing the schedule fill in for what shows are when during NYFW. You can literally just google “NYFW (insert season) Show Schedule” and you can find it that way. My go-to resource has always been CFDA and Modem Online. This site has everything you need to know about the fashion show schedule (and not just New York), trade shows, and of course, press and showroom contacts. So be ahead of the game and stalk the website so that you can request invites as soon as the schedule is listed on their site.

So what do I mean by “request” when it comes to NYFW? Like I said, unless you’re an OG blogger or a magazine editor, chances are you’re going to have to request your own invites to shows. Now, some shows do their NYFW ticket requests in-house (i.e themselves) and some brands hire PR agencies to manage their attendee list for NYFW. Basically, the best thing to do is to email everyone. It’s a long process and there’s no one way to do it.

So, EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL — I must’ve sent like 100+ emails this season. Personalize it but don’t overdo it, remember they’re receiving hundreds, if not thousands, of emails everyday. Try to keep it short and sweet, I keep mine generic so I can send the same email to a bunch of brands, but for shows that I’ve attended to in the past, I personalize it. (maybe skip the “it’s been my dream since I was a little girl to attend…”). Personalize it meaning, “thank you for last season’s invite”and link the post you wrote for them. Try to find their name. Put in the effort, even some light internet stalking should come up with some results (i.e linkedin “who is the brand’s PR person?”)

2. Follow-Up

2 Weeks Before NYFW

Follow up! I can’t stress it enough. I get more responses from my follow-up emails, usually because (given I’m new to the scene) it’s after they’ve made their seating charts and now have space for extras. Every single ticket request you sent (if they didn’t respond) should get a follow-up email. And every request that said ‘no’, politely thank them for taking the time to reply to you (most of the time they just don’t respond at all).

Once you start getting invites to shows/presentations, make sure you don’t RSVP YES to something that you know you won’t be able to attend! Brands know when you’re a no-show. When you check-in they cross off your name on their list, so only say YES to things you know you’ll be at. Which brings me to the process of checking-in, usually when you arrive at the shows, you’ll need to scan your barcode, which can be found in your email OR right in the Launchmetrics app. It’s foolproof and makes life a lot easier. Majority of brands use this app to send ticket requests and seat assignments. It’s also where you can request RSVPs to shows directly.

Other ways to attend (which I haven’t explored) is reaching out to beauty PR companies — like Tresemme or Maybelline .You can ask if they will be sponsoring any specific shows during NYFW, and allow you to cover their backstage work. If you’re already “working” backstage an hour before the show starts it’s a pretty good chance that you can ask for a seat at the show. Or you can just quietly slip into a spot in the back of the room. If you keep quiet and act like you belong, no one will question your existence.

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Today was new, fun, & strange all at the same time. #NYFW

A post shared by Nora Gharib (@noritagharib) on Feb 7, 2019 at 5:42pm PST

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The sleeves made me feel like a character in a Shakespeare play 🎭 Outfit for the @noonbynoor show.

A post shared by Nora Gharib (@noritagharib) on Sep 12, 2019 at 9:01am PDT

3. Do the work

I started small, first season I attended were shows who sent invites 3 days ahead of time — these were standing room tickets and last row tickets, but I wrote about them anyway! By the following season, I was able to get 2nd row seats. Shows that said ‘no’ were saying ‘yes’ — why? Best thing for me to write in an email is “my past New York Fashion Week coverage can be found here: (include a tag URL of your previous coverage)”. Meaning, DO THE WORK! Adopt a “face it until you make” attitude and write about the shows that you want to get an invite to as if you were there, write about the shows as if you were sitting front row, add your perspective, your personality. Post it on your story!

Getty images now have a downloadable computer image feature so it’s easier to get exclusive images. These days are easier for us because everything is live streamed. You can also email/tweet/DM the designer and send your post coverage to them. You have to make people see you. But you’ve gotta do the work first!

4. NYFW Outfits

1 Week Before NYFW

You know how some bloggers get showroom “picks” for their NYFW outfit planning. Well those are usually on loan too, and it always looks so amazing. Honesty, my absolute favorite way to plan NYFW outfits is through Rent The Runway! It’s my version of “pulling” outfits, by just walking into the RTR store on 15th street, picking out and wearing designer rentals (sometimes even the brand itself for the show ). Then all I have to do is pick shoes to go with my outfit. Don’t forget, February shows are cold, September shows usually bring rain, so you’re going to need loads of layers and coats — if you need coats, RTR has a ton. Which helps if you’re traveling to New York. And honestly, my new vow for any future NYFW trips is to always dress comfortably! Forget the heels, forget the fancy dresses, just be yourself. In a sea of a million bloggers …it’s refreshing to stand out by being your true-self.

I’ve been a member since 2017. If you use the code RTRNORA it’s $59 your first month instead of $159 — which is something I didn’t have when I first joined (lol).

5. And lastly…

DON’T GIVE UP! You’ll get a a lot of no’s before you get your first yes, and the yes’s only continue to grow the more experience you get. I know everyone says this but I promise you, I’ve experienced it. It takes time. Time to build trust with the brands and PR managers or to build trust with the industry in general. So, network and enjoy the coffee dates because it can be the beginning of a long relationship!

Email your PR contact your coverage. Add them on Instagram, keep in contact, tag them in your stories even. Be memorable, be you!