Editor Cindi Leive has been to “thousands” of fashion shows in her 12 years at the helm of Glamour magazine. “I actually tallied it up once,” says the 46-year-old über- stylish mom of two. “I’m always running around town doing the headless chicken act — but it never gets old.” Since Fashion Week’s kickoff on Thursday, Leive has attended dozens of shows, appeared on a behind-the-scenes fashion segment on the “Today” show, and hosted a party in honor of Glamour’s October cover girl, Kerry Washington. Here is her Fashion Week New York.
1. Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave., at 49th Street
If I have any last-minute fashion emergencies, I turn to personal shopper Fay Ricotta, who works at the third-floor lounge at Saks. She has great taste and is fun, funny and fast — and will not blink if I call and say, ‘Oops, I’m at the office and have forgotten I have to go to a black-tie event in an hour and a half. Whatcha got?’”
2. Mitchell Behr and Patrick Danek, 145 W. 27th St., at Seventh Avenue
“Mitchell does such a great job that my husband only found out a month ago I’ve been highlighting my hair for the last 13 years. He said at a dinner party,‘Well, Cindi doesn’t have any gray hair.’ I had to stop him and say, ‘Um, sweetie . . . ’ Mitchell is that good! And I’ve been getting cuts at Orlo Salon [34 Gansevoort St.] for seven years. Orlando Pita is the best — period!”
3. The Plaza in front of Lincoln Center, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza
“This is, by far, my favorite place to people-watch during Fashion Week, because you see anything and everything against the backdrop of this beautiful, grand New York City landmark. I’m amused by all of the peacocking. I love the democracy of it and watching people who are not necessarily quote-unquote ‘fashion professionals’— art students, bloggers, kids from all over the world who love fashion — get dressed up to stand outside, hoping to be photographed. It’s incredibly fun and totally New York.”
4. The Armory, 68 Lexington Ave., between 25th and 26th streets
“It’s the best place to see a [fashion] show — and that’s only because Marc Jacobs has his show here every year. Marc Jacobs always starts at 8 p.m. on the dot. I cannot express to you what an anomaly punctuality is in the fashion world — usually you are sitting around for 40 minutes wondering when the hell things are going to get going! His show is always nine minutes of pure brilliance and is one of my biggest highlights of Fashion Week.”
5. Tracie Martyn Salon, 101 Fifth Ave., at 18th Street
“I got my first Tracie Martyn facial about two years ago, and was immediately hooked. I used to roll my eyes at facials. I thought facials were just somebody pushing your skin around. Big deal! But you look in the mirror after one of Tracie’s facials and you’re like, ‘Oh man! That’s a big improvement!’”
6. Great NY Noodletown, 28 Bowery, at Bayard Street
“One of my favorite places to grab dinner on my way home is Great NY Noodletown. My husband and I actually had a late-night dinner there after our wedding, so I’ve always had a soft spot for it. There’s nothing like the salt-and-pepper squid and a really good sizzling noodle dish. It’s very satisfying and not at all Fashion Week, so if you need a break from all of the Fabulous with a capital F, this is your place.”
7. The Lambs Club, 132 W. 44th St., between Sixth Avenue and Broadway
“There are a few power lunch places that I love, like Michael’s or the Four Seasons, but the Lambs Club is 28 paces from the door of the Conde Nast building. It’s a great room and has a really good menu and the kind of fast service you really need. I especially love the Richard’s Soup, which is a delicious soup named after Richard David Story, the editor-in-chief of Departures magazine. That’s a good New York goal: Get a soup named after you!”
8. Cookshop, 156 10th Ave., at 20th Street
“I’m a big breakfast fan. I’m definitely not one of those people who’s like, ‘Oh, don’t worry about me. A slice of plain toast, and I’m good.’ No, I need eggs to be a happy camper! So if I have fashion shows on the West Side in the morning — and a lot of shows tend to be in that neighborhood — I love being able to go to Cookshop. They are known for their baked goods, but eggs and bacon are more my jam. I like cheesy eggs with sliced tomato on the side and a good smoked meat side dish.”
BROOKLYN
Prospect Park
“At least three times a week, I like to start my day running for an hour in Prospect Park. It’s like free antidepressants! I’m running the New York City Marathon this year on behalf of Jump Start — a really great kids’ literacy organization — so even though I’d love to take the next few weeks off, I think I’d be paying for it in November. So I’ll be doing early runs before work even during Fashion Week.”
La Vara, 268 Clinton St., Cobble Hill
“When I want to unwind after Fashion Week, I meet my husband here at this Spanish tapas restaurant, which is one of our go-to places. A nice glass of rosé at the counter with a bunch of little plates and great conversation is the ultimate way to decompress.”
Café Pedlar, 210 Court St., Cobble Hill
“I have a borderline addiction to Stumptown Coffee, which is what they brew here. It’s the one thing I’m a complete snob about. I brew it at home too, but when I can get to Café Pedlar on the way to work, I grab an iced coffee, and it makes me at least 13 percent happier on a daily basis. Coffee is my ally in life. I couldn’t go through a day without it!”