Behind the scenes of NYFW 2026

I got it wrong.
Perhaps it was the ninth “The Devil Wears Prada” rewatch which put the idea in my head that the fashion world had no room for kindness, or that the only people who could succeed were those who didn’t mind stomping over others in their Louboutins.
But I am glad to say I was incorrect. How an anonymous nineteen-year-old ended up backstage at New York Fashion Week is a necessary question, and the answer lies in my employer, Melanie Bond.
A jewellery designer, boutique owner, and indomitable force, Melanie proves daily that your dream is limited solely by your imagination. NYFW was simply the next step in her imagination- and she was kind enough to invite me along!

For those up-and-coming designers, New York Fashion Week hosts a collaborative fashion show, put together by a flawless team, to showcase the clothing, bags, shoes, and jewellery of 101 designers from across the globe.
The event is organised by Flying Solo, a retailer and PR brand based in New York City that actively seeks out innovative and unique designers, hoping to lift them out of their local market and onto the international stage.

Meet-and-greet: My misplaced preconceptions were swiftly debunked at the welcome event as I watched the herd of creatives greet each other, old and new faces alike. Compliments flowed faster than champagne, and the air crackled with anticipation, waiting to hear what the following 48 hours would entail.
The organisers themselves cemented my new, positive understanding of the community and partnership we were entering. Between explaining the specifics of the show, they assured us: “You may get overwhelmed, but just come talk to us because we have all been there.” Many of those in charge, from the Executive Producer to Backstage Director, were designers too, and their determination to see the show succeed, as if their own creations were part of it, was evident.

Fitting Day: The kind of chaos that leaves your eardrums pulsing with pressure (and not because you’re in a skyscraper forty floors up!)
It’s the first test to see whether months of creating and styling can come together beautifully. Each clothing designer must be paired with accessory brands that compliment the overall look. The designers sent in sketches and photos of their work in the months prior, and the styling team arranged a fitting schedule based on what potential matches they see. The day has one precaution… you may be here a while.
The clothing designers have a specific slot for model fittings, after which they're free to leave. The accessories, however, must wait until their corresponding clothing designer has been fitted and selected officially as a pair. For some, the wait took nearly five hours, an inevitability no length of planning could avoid. Ours was blessedly less, and we would have waited all day if it meant getting as perfect a match as Melanie Bond Jewellery received. The dresses exuded elegance and precision, exactly what was necessary to compliment Melanie’s eye-catching collection, twenty-seven pieces in all. Once again, I was reminded of the warm community as the models crowded round, enthusiastically chattering about the pieces they were wearing, and Melanie traded stories with the fellow designers nearby.

Showtime: Unprecedented rain, a rooftop catwalk, and a hundred aesthetic umbrellas. The Flying Solo team proved, once and for all, they were in charge. Also, a new opportunity for anyone looking to work in fashion: you can apply to be a dresser, make-up stylist, and so many other backstage roles for Fashion Week! Melanie’s dressers were college students from Mexico studying fashion design, and they worked with absolute precision to ensure each model looked perfect. Despite last-minute breakages, a missing earring, and a frantic lineup repair, each model stepped out wearing designs from this little island.

The dream keeps going, even if Melanie Bond is back in our timezone (for now!)
For all the entertainment Andy Sachs brought to our screens, her experience with the fashion world is perhaps not the blueprint. I experienced a community centred on uplifting one another, encouraging creativity, and sharing a passion and pride in what you make. Even Miranda Priestly could not argue with that.