This Editor’s Memory Of A Front-Row Collapse Is Amazing

When said out loud, "Fashion Week" has a double meaning — and for anyone who's ever been a part of all the action, feeling weak is not only par for the course, it's often the reason we love fashion to begin with. So, in honor of the moments of chaos, beauty, and excitement that made us feel weak, we present My Fashion Week-ness: a compilation of accounts from some of the industry's biggest players. They're spilling their most memorable stories from Fashion Weeks gone by, and the ones that keep them coming back for more. Thanks to Instagram, editors, who once were relegated to behind-the-scenes status, have significantly increased their visibility in recent years. But within the industry exists a couple of secret weapons who, though they remain mostly out of the spotlight, deserve a shout-out. Gabriele Hackworthy is one of those, as the fashion editorial director of Net-A-Porter and the fashion director of its bimonthly magazine, Porter. Her career has been just as strong as her style, and even the abridged version is a mouthful, with stints at Harper's Bazaar UK, Vogue Australia, andVogue Japan, to name just a few. And though she's ridiculously talented, even the best take a fall every now and again — but not in the way you might think. "Balenciaga spring 2012: [The] front benches collapsed before the show had even started in Paris," Hackworthy remembers. "Everyone — including Anna Wintour — came tumbling down, forcing the front row to stand throughout the rest of the presentation. One went down, then another went down, then we were all like sitting ducks. I guess the benches weren't erected properly? "Carine's [Roitfeld] bench went first. She said something really witty about it not being fashionable to sit or something. It was hilarious," she said. "While there aren't many designers who can command a standing ovation for an entire show, [former Balenciaga designer Nicolas] Ghesquière is a designer for whom the audience will always stand, as he is guaranteed to deliver an extraordinary collection." You really have to see the footage to believe it.