Philly Fashion Week’s Winter Wonderland Party Wears It Well at Fashion District Philadelphia

This invite was inspo for my crushed-velvet silver ‘holiday glitz’ dress.

Mel Campell wrote that Zadie Smith is today considered something of a fashion icon, but as a bookish youth, she told The Rumpus in 2013, she ‘just wanted to live in the library and wear a sack’. Only when she went to Italy, ‘where beauty is taken seriously and enjoyed and it’s okay to enjoy it,’ did she come to ‘appreciate the idea of a beautiful fabric or a nice dress. I never cared about those things when I was young.’

Story, photos by Sharon Kozden

I cannot tell you how much my writer self identifies with Zadie Smith’s 2013 comment in the above quote. Truth be told, and even when on the social scene while appearing as if I’m somewhat put together style-wise, my chosen daily wearable is something akin to a sack. Comfort trumps everything. Virginia Woolf referred to such writerly self-presentation as “frock consciousness.”

Most days, I present in a slouchy, over-sized sweater with sleeves so elongated I could pass for evolution’s missing link. As a newly minted adult orphan, it’s my Grief Cardigan, and I wear it well. At least I do while continuing to push through those grief-y times. And that’s okay.

Still, if the place I go to when I write–my interior world–qualified as fashion-forward, I’d be rubbing elbows and seated front and center with Anna Wintour at Paris Fashion Week. My grey matter’s narrative trajectory is tres a la mode and my imagination highly pret-a-portray [sic]. My exterior presentation is more like dog-groomer’s apron meets muumuu.

Which brings me to the question of just what in the Samantha Hill I was doing early December in Fashion District Philadelphia at the Winter Wonderland Holiday Party for PFW (Philly Fashion Week)?

Maybe it was because my editor extended me her invite when she couldn’t attend. Perhaps and because, although I’ve been writing and covering events in Philadelphia and its suburbs for some seven years, I’ve never once expressed interest in any fashion-related assignments, but there’s a first time for everything. Never say never is one of my codas for living.

Better yet, and in keeping it simple: the idea of a party at Christmastime with nothing more expected of me than showing up (read: having fun) was the source of the invite’s acceptance-appeal.

I RSVP’d in the affirmative … then saw the description of preferred attire as holiday glitz. I froze. It sounded like the antithesis of a muumuu. Call me immediately unnerved. Did I even own a pair of heels? Or remember how they work? Could I locate a tube of lipstick that wasn’t expiry-rancid?

As it turned out, I was able to cobble something together, after all. Maybe there’s something akin to muscle memory, wherein all my previous years of covering galas or living the boujee-slash-posh life maintained some lengthy half-life. Like riding the proverbial bicycle.

I arrived early and was amazed at the creativity in the conversion of open mall prairie-like space into a cozy scene divided into essential party sectors. Check-in station. Check. Holiday decor scenes staged for photo ops. Check again, and this includes a 360-degree photo booth along with strategically placed cubes on which models posed while partygoers enjoyed the fashion show.

City Winery was in the house, occupying a sizeable section of party real estate. Two drink tickets bought you a glass of red or white or the evening’s themed cocktail.

The food stations were a focal point for their magnificent arrangement and layout that appeared to stretch a city block’s length. Classic black skirting on tables was topped with loosely cascading silvery-sequined material. Accents of frosted evergreen, pinecones, green kale, bright red poinsettia plants and all manner of precious ornamentation were spaced perfectly around dessert and food attractions such as hearty meatballs in sauce and tempting, flavorful pasta offerings plentiful in domed chafing warmers.

We listened to PFW principals’ remarks, and a guitarist accompanied singers belting out tunes. A trio of models made a grand entrance and regaled all with their presence, beauty and a la mode ensembles. A regal stilt artist emerged like some angelic winter wonderland high priestess, redolent in gossamer fabric, decked from hair to twiggy legs in white and silver. Making her way through the crowd, she twirled, spread and dipped her wings for grand effect. Even her eye shadow and lips were coated in a frosty white palette.

In order to catch my train for home on time, I had to leave the party a bit earlier. Alas, I missed Santa’s arrival. But this much I know from my brief exposure to the fashion-y world–it’s alright, really.

Mind you and from the perspective of one whose idea of high fashion is said groomer’s apron, which I don while working part-time at Cleopetra’s Dog Grooming in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, alright is haute praise. Mayhap becoming more acquainted with the couture world will kindle in me something akin to what writer Zadie Smith experienced when she went to Italy, as mentioned in the opening quote of this piece. Hope, after all, springs, n’est-ce pas?

What if … just what if … I metamorphose from a library-sack lady (not that there’s anything amiss with that!) in favor of some exquisite cut of fabric that classically, elegantly and sensually drapes my body and, in so doing, transforms my perception of the fashion world? Better yet, imagine me and my editor Cassie being invited to some major fashion house’s S/S or F/W campaign and jetting off on assignment to foreign locales!

And I can tell ’em my journey began at the fabulous 2023 Winter Wonderland Holiday Party for Philly Fashion Week (PFW) at Fashion District Philadelphia. Thanks to my gracious host and PFW co-founder Kevin Parker!

To support Philly Fashion and see what’s new/next from Kevin and Team, check out phillyfashionweek.org

I’ve been using my transit work perk a lot this holiday season; JAWNT enables me to frequent Septa’s Wynnewood Station to attend events in Philadelphia.

I stepped off the train at Jefferson Station to find this beautiful sight of the season. It’s my favorite SEPTA station for its cleanliness and style. Very freshie.

Advert installations such as this are informative and a fun fit within the station. I’d arrived at the Fashion District ready to party.

This was the scene at the party’s entrance and central gathering area inside the mall that is Fashion District Philadelphia located along Market Street.

From Left, statuesque PFW regular Karen Cox shimmers in emerald tiered Grecian gown, while writer Sharon Kozden wears a ruched, crushed-velvet and thigh-baring silver number.

The universal language of music is an entertainment must at such shindigs.

Included with my invite were two drink tickets. I wasn’t staying long, so I opted for my go-to white wine–a chardonnay from City Winery, which is another venue I need to discover with a train hop one day.

The heels I wore just weren’t conducive to me attempting the 360-degree photo booth photo-op, so I watched others create videos.

Partygoers pause to pay attention to event specifics and relevant information delivered by notable speaker.

She appeared seemingly out of nowhere, this vision in silver and white, swirling her cape like some angel with wings.

Dancing Stilt Artist entertains the crowd with her towering talent.

A repast of plenty keeps pace with the party’s predominant silver hues, featuring a creative silver-sequined tablescape with frosted evergreens and pine cones.

A holiday staple, a gingerbread house draws attention in this long shot of the food fest.

A trifecta of domed chafing dishes accented with leafy kale keeps warm their contents adjacent to large loaves and a heaping bowl of salad ft. red, green and white ingredients.

I needed a close-up of that gorgeous ensalada and accompanying loaf. Did you knead to know that it is said that bread (and guns) was introduced by the Portuguese when they became shipwrecked off the coast of Tanegashima Island. As a result, bread is commonly called “pan” in Japan, which is derived from the Old Portuguese word for bread. Well, I neva, although I do now.

Holy Mother of Charcuterie! How many of the delicious foodstuffs can you identify that make up this gloriously dee-lish board?

This flavorful pasta was sumptuous in taste and presentation.

A moist, soft and creamy Brie or Camembert cheese wheel looks mouth-wateringly tempting among the other also luscious charcu-treats.

Would you expect anything less at a Winter Wonderland affair than hot chocolate with whipped topping and icy blue cake pops? Exactly.

Impressive is the choice of both mini- and standard-sized marshmallows in this setting ft. sweet-treat toppings of slivered almonds and pecan pieces.

Peppermint striped candy-cane spoons, Hershey’s Kisses and bon-bon chocolate poppers encircle a festive package containging … ? Dunno: I’m distracted aplenty by the sugary goodies.

Someone thought of everything with this duo of melt-in-your-drink swirling spoons. Mmm …

Wetzels Pretzels delivers the S’mores Bitz and dips in this dessert combo that raises my A1-C level just photographing it. But everything in moderation.