W Chic

What's better than the myriad of designer collections on display during Fashion Week? How about an ultra-chic lounge to house the glamorous after party? Resembling a giant kaleidoscope, the W Hotels VIP Backstage Lounge marked the W brand’s 10th season as a major sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week with its debut on Sept. 5. Manhattan-based design firm ICRAVE exclusively designed the W Hotels VIP Backstage Lounge, which was actually built off-site and transported to Bryant Park for re-assembly.

The lounge featured a series of custom-designed mirrored acrylic boxes lining the ceiling, which reflected all materials and figures below to create the illusion of a kaleidoscope. Fashion ensembles and crowd size allowed the ceiling to act as the “vessel” and the people as the “objects” being used to form the kaleidoscopic image. How cool is that!? Lounge guests provided the colors and patterns within the space.

The white glossy walls and seating areas sleekly contrast with the graphic ceiling. As a sort of secret treat, paneled walls open up to reveal something beyond--everything from a plasma screen TV, a product display or W Hotels property graphics. Guests are welcome to open or close the panels, another way in which the space was designed to perpetually change in color and appearance. Stadium platform seating and a raised DJ booth recreate the feel of the catwalk.

As if I needed another excuse to fantasize about sneaking into one of the big tents at Bryant Park (sigh). Did you get a peak of the W Hotels VIP Backstage Lounge first-hand last week? If so, tell us about it here!

--Jessie Bove

Photos: Christopher Draghi