How to Stay Sane During New York Fashion Week
The fashion flock on both coasts has discovered meditation, and now "OMG!" has given way to "Om." Many credit Gwyneth Paltrow guru Andy Puddicombe and his Headspace app, and Deepak Chopra's and Oprah Winfrey's 21-day meditation challenge with taking inner peace to new levels.
Now, red-carpet commentator Suze Yalof Schwartz has opened Unplug Meditation in Santa Monica. "That doesn't mean I don't still love Manolo Blahniks!" she says. "I wanted to do for meditation what Dry Bar did for blowouts: walk in, walk out, feel great." Laurie David, Good Morning America producers and Gucci PR have turned up since its April opening.
New York is mellowing with increased mindfulness, too. Neuehouse, a members-only workspace collective, holds meditation seminars. Style-branding tycoon Tracy Paul says, "Our office now does it together, the only way to function when things move this fast." Branding specialist Howard Collinge (Levi's, Uniqlo) discovered Vedic meditation as taught by Thom Knoles, who holds classes with Google execs, designers and musicians. "Vedic can rid you of useless thoughts and help you access creativity," says Collinge. "It also helps you sleep better."
Schwartz offers a simple meditation for New York Fashion Week called "STOP": Slow down. Take a breath. Observe your situation. Proceed from a calmer place -- even if that place is not the front row. "If people do this," she laughs, "they won't care where they sit."
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