(Our NYFW correspondent, Lauren V. weighs in on Fashion Week’s new home at Lincoln Center and all the festivities surrounding it)

As New York Fashion week closes, and London Fashion Week has commences, we thought it was an appropriate time to look back on what has been a truly magnificent week inside the Lincoln Center tents.

Many of the New York Fashion Week pioneers did not know what to expect with the new location at Lincoln Center. Stepping into the unknown, and leaving behind their beloved Bryant Park of the Fashion District, was sure to be an interesting transition.

Having personally attended fashion week at Bryant Park for a few years, the venue has held a special place in my heart and I was not keen on parting with it. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised with the changes that came a long with the move to Lincoln Center. The new venue is truly beautiful in all of its historical glory. It has been epicenter of art and culture for over 50 years; having fashion week take place there demonstrates the magnitude of NYFW as such an event in our popular culture season after season.

On the first day of fashion week, I stepped into the new lobby, and was surprised to find it didn’t look all too different. Of course it was missing the beautiful Bryant Park fountain as it’s centerpiece, but it had definitely grown in size – not a bad thing. Looking around, I spotted the logos of familiar sponsors of the past: DHL, Starbucks, Figi Water, TRESemme, Maybelline New York, American Express, and of Mercedes Benz. Maybe things wouldn’t be so different after all?

The busiest stations of the lobby, were the AOL media lounge which the best example of how fashion week has evolved.

Providing a media shelter for the large numbers of photographers, writers, and bloggers, the lounge was often crowded and buzzing with energy and excitement.

Beauty sponsors were all about promotion as they pampered guests within the tents. TRESemme offered a salon where their stylists would provide complimentary styling and touch-ups. Maybelline had their beauty experts near by while well Essie offered guests free manicures.

For a breath of fresh air, Lincoln Center had a courtyard located right in the middle of tents. With a mixture of outdoor sofas, benches, and umbrellas, it was an awesome place to sit and socialize, while taking advantage of the great weather. Aesthetically pleasing and functional, it was one of the best features of fashion week’s new location.

A great addition to the New York Fashion Week tents was The Box presentation space. Many in the industry desired a 4th venue for the tents, and this provided a venue for smaller live/still life presentations. With it’s simple black interior, it was a great canvas for many of the designers who had presentations there such as Yoana Baraschi and Rebecca Moses.

In terms of checking into the shows, the Fashion GPS system made the check-in process a lot more organized and time efficient. Embracing new technology, many designers made the switch to handling their invites electronically. Using a printable bar code, attendees could self check-in and spare themselves the waiting in lines. Check-in was noticeably less chaotic and time consuming.

Whether for or against the relocation of New York Fashion Week to Lincoln Center, no one can deny the advances in both technology and physical space. It may be very different from the past, but New York Fashion Week is certainly making itself at home at Lincoln Center.

-Lauren V.