Uptown Fashion:
How New Yorkers Dressed the World
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE DATES:
SUNDAY AUGUST 2 - 3pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 16 - 3pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 23 - 11am
$40.00
If you've assumed New York has always been the undisputed global capital of fashion, think again. New Yorkers spent nearly a century fighting to snatch that tiara from Paris.
New York's unique tapestry of cultures, artistry, innovation, and grit made it the iconic birthplace of Vogue, Fashion Week, the Met Gala, Bergdorf Goodman, Studio 54, hip-hop street style, and Project Runway — and that's barely scratching the surface.
Join me — a veteran producer of Project Runway — for a walk through Manhattan's East 60s and 70s, where Gilded Age mansions share sidewalks with the boutiques of Tom Ford, The Row, and Ralph Lauren.
Within these two miles, the fashions created and worn here have reflected every cultural, political, and economic shift — and quietly served as the"Cerulean Blue" moment for a whole world of people, whether they love fashion or couldn't care less.
Topics include …….
A 100-year history of New York’s culture through the lens of this epic and varied industry.
Origins of Vogue Magazine, The Met Gala, NYFW, Project Runway, department stores, full-length mirrors, and fashion labels.
The connections between style and global events like war, immigration, and technological innovation.
The relationship between the artists who create the designs, the labor that creates the clothes, and the people who wear them.
Stories about designers Christian Siriano, Betsey Johnson, Ralph Lauren, Halston, Tom Ford, Elizabeth Hawes, and more.
Really pretty pictures of dresses
TIME
2.5 Hours
DISTANCE
1.5 Miles
TOUR SIZE
12 Guests
“Fascinating and Fun. Meri was wonderful and knowledgeable, and I learned things that I'm still thinking about three days later.” — Mollie
“A really engaging, well-researched, and thoughtfully curated experience. Highly recommend!” — Adam
“The tour was well-paced and struck the perfect balance between rich historical context and fun, pop culture moments. It never felt like a lecture or serious historical talk.” — Andrea
“I learned so much! I've lived in NYC for 20+ years, and while I'm not so much a fashion girly, I am a history girly. Meri, our fabulous tour guide, interjects the tour with stories from her time producing Project Runway! She's funny!” — Marilyn
“Meri weaves all this together in such an artful, conversational way, and it feels like she's constantly adapting the info just for you.” — Paul
“Walking through the Upper East Side while hearing the stories behind the Gilded Age mansions, iconic designers, and the evolution of American fashion made the neighborhood feel completely different. “— Gary
“Her tour helped me reflect deeply on aspects of fashion I either took for granted or never knew.” — Summers
“Highly suggest this tour for anyone interested in how NYC became one of the fashion capitals of the world!” — Denise
*see more reviews on our TripAdvisor and Google pages*
Start: The Ralph Lauren Flagship Men’s Store
867 Madison Avenue and 72nd Street. The Southeast Corner entrance.
End: The Pierre Hotel
2 East 61st Street at Fifth Avenue and Central Park East.
Stops along the way…..
The Ralph Lauren Women’s Flagship Store
The Sloane and Gould Gilded Age Mansions
The Frick Museum
Central Park
The former studio of designer Elizabeth Hawes
The former studios and home of designer Halston
Former home of Gloria Vanderbilt
The Park Avenue Armory
Madison Avenue’s Flagship Row