It’s no small feat to survive and thrive in our beloved but, let’s face it, tumultuous industry. We asked our favorite Front Row-ers how they’ve done it…
ROOPAL PATEL
Fashion Director, Saks Fifth Avenue
TENURE: 21 years, but my love affair with fashion began as a child.
WHY I MADE IT: I love what I do! I wake up every day feeling blessed to work in fashion. I see beauty everywhere, thanks to the magic and creativity of the talented people in our industry.
FAITHFUL FRIENDS: Meredith Melling, Robert Burke, Tracy Margolies, Thom Browne, George Sotelo, Linda Fargo, Jason Wu, Nick Wooster, Elizabeth von der Goltz, Adam Lippes, Francisco Costa, and Christian Langbein.
INAUGURAL SHOW: It was either Isaac Mizrahi or Marc Jacobs. I remember I wanted the show to go on and on.
FAVORITE HIGH: Finding new talent. We saw Brandon Maxwell’s collection last season, and it’s now launching into our Beverly Hills store for spring.
GO-TO LOOK: I love dressing up for Fashion Week. It always feels like the first week of school. I have a little help from our amazing team at the New York store. Our Fifth Avenue Club has an incredible team of personal shoppers.
Find all your “Survivalist” essentials at Target.