Last week I got to go behind the scenes to one of Philadelphia's most iconic events: Philly Fashion Week. Taking place in the heart of Center City, the shows were held every night beneath a pop up runway in City Hall featuring designers like Jacinta Ligon, Hijabified, J Pratt, Chuks Collins (you could definitely see Zac Posen in his work),



Not only did I get to experience walking the runway pre-show, I was also granted access to the VIP booth. They had smoking cocktails (literally, dry ice and everything), models, designers, and more!

The main stars of course, were the designs. Every piece was so different and took such a bold step toward changing the way we see fashion. Check out Elisabeth Delgado's deep emerald showstopper. Jaws hit the floor when she spread her wings.


One of my favorite designers was Janne Prince - she had a beautiful "Under the Sea" fantasy vibe with lots of pearlescent mermaid feels. I was ready to start singing Part of Your World!

All in all, I am thrilled to have been part of the show's media group and to have connected with many of the designers and models. It takes so much work and effort to not only put on a show like this but to share your creations as a designer with an audience. In a sense, you are sharing a piece of yourself with the rest of the world. Thank you to the artists and to the hosts. And who knows? Maybe next year I'll make my catwalk debut in front of the camera! ;)

This weekend was unforgettable. My friend Priyanca (@priyanca) and I went to FearlessCon, a convention for ambitious women who get SH*T done.


Started by Melissa Alam (@ringthealam), CEO of Femme & Fortune, the conference is a gathering of strong, intelligent, driven women who are #borntobefearless. In contrast to the multitude of business and work conferences filled with rigidity, formality, and overall lack of diversity, FearlessCon was established as an educational forum filled with open-minded and open-hearted successful women who were relatable, approachable, and knowledgeable.



As stated on the website, "from creative entrepreneurs to corporate 9-5'ers, FearlessCon provides an inclusive space for multicultural and multi-passionate women to come together for a weekend full of inspiration, empowerment, and connection."

We went to workshops at Seer Interactive on Day 1 varying from topics on how to build a community rather than "networking" (Stephanie Newman @writingonglass) to how to get paid what you're worth. Along the way, we connected with women just like us, in fields ranging from medicine and technology to economics, engineering, and art.





Day 2 took place at Bok (a high-school turned conference center). We had the opportunity to listen to a variety of powerful women including the founders of Nasty Woman and @thestudentloandoctor.



They spoke about the trials and tribulations in finding their own place in the workforce as well as in life. The topics explored creativity, achieving the American Dream, mental health and our current political climate.



My favorite story was of Lindy Li, a TV host and political activist who graduated from Princeton University in 2012. She was valedictorian of her class and excited to give her speech on Commencement day. However, the day of graduation, she was told her speech (unlike the guest speaker's) would be cut due to time constraints and weather. She had spent four years to get to that moment in her life and she refused to back down. She was not letting anything, including the weather, rain on her parade. Ms. Li stood up for every woman who has ever been silenced. She marched to the microphone and without hesitation gave her entire speech. Hearing her open up about that experience, I could not have applauded louder or been more proud of her determination.


A big thank you to Melissa Alam for putting this conference together as well as to all the sponsors, speakers, and panelists.



Of course none of us could have survived without the amazing caterers (Namaste Nourish, SweetGreen, The SoulFull Project, PS. Snacks, Hungry Harvest, Red Bull, and so many more). Thank you for providing a delicious assortment of healthy snacks and meals.







 Read more about the conference here and don't forget to check FearlessCon's website so you can sign up next year.