It is a strange and maybe contradictory annual tradition—the celebration of Valentine’s Day has now coincided with the unforgiving pace of New York Fashion Week for the third straight winter. In honor of this we decided to quiz some designers, models, and other chic romantics that will be plenty busy on Monday the 14th about their holiday plans and some of their fondest amorous memories.
1
“This Valentine’s Day will start with my daughter and I making felted hearts, instead of cheap cards, to hand out to her class mates. And I will not sit on the couch and watch “Singles” for the second year in a row! Instead, I will celebrate that I now live in the city and relish in being single and actually have fun. I’m hoping the dinner that Victoria Beckham is having for Linda Wells at Minetta Tavern, will be worthy of me ditching my single girlfriends’ ‘Valentine’s Day Sucks Party’, and investing in some sexy, red La Perla lingerie and wearing my favorite Classic Red lipstick from Estee Lauder.”
2
“Valentines Day is somewhat new in my life – we don’t celebrate in full in Russia, where I’m from. In the beginning I thought it was a bit cheesy to be honest – but then I decided to take it as it is. Me and my boyfriend, Salvatore [Morale] always finds an excuse to make sure we have dinner together that night. We are both foodies so we eat a lot! But it’s not very romantic if you think about it, we spend over two hours having dinner, and because it’s always in the middle of Fashion Week I have to run to bed to get some rest. “
3
“This season, my show music has female voices in French and Portuguese, a way to honor to Valentine’s Day. Last year my girlfriend Ana and I, we were heading to dinner in Brooklyn and there was a street musician playing guitar and we danced a bit on the street—it was one of our most memorable moments. This year, our plans are for Ana to cook something for us and after dinner and then to go out to dance and enjoy the night together. The after-show celebration will be just the two of us!”
4
“I’m so lucky because in Brazil, Valentines Day is in June – so basically I get to celebrate twice a year! This coming Valentine’s fortunately I will be shooting in Los Angeles which is great – I can be with Jamie [Mazur]. These dates become a real challenge once we get more mature and our careers become serious. But I still love receiving chocolate, balloons and having romantic dinners. Just sayin’.”
5
“As opposed to being in the city for Fashion Week, I will be in Los Angeles during Award Season. I will work at Decades during the day and in the evening, look forward to a home-cooked meal and definitely a piece of dark chocolate. I do need those anti-oxidants. Although Valentine’s Day is really just a Hallmark holiday, I will still probably wear my red Faconnable corduroy suit that is very appropriate for the 14th!”
6
When I was young, my parents never sent each other cards and I thought this was terrible. So I always fabricated one for each from the other. I think they knew! I still love Valentines Day. I love to send cards and flowers to people I love like my kids and my friends.”
7
“I prefer group activities on Valentine’s Day. This year Rose [Dergan] and I are going to Designer Robert Lighton’s home in the West Village where he periodically puts together a group of musicians to play a really wide variety of totally unrehearsed music. Last time it was everything from Conrad Harris playing Iannis Xenakis to freestyle hip-hop. I played a bluegrass tune on banjo and Gordon Gano [of the Violent Femmes] sang an excellent version of Silent Night in German.”
8
“I usually help my eleven-year-old daughter with filling out the Valentine’s cards for school the night before. I also now enjoy sending her flowers and other Valentines so she knows how loved she is. I have a lot of fun with it.”
9
“I’m spending a romantic night at a hotel with my husband: couples massages, room service, a post-show perfection! And I used to hate Valentine’s Day. But then Eric surprised me with a trip to the Bel-Air hotel and a proposal in a room filled with roses. Now I love it.”
10
“Valentine’s Day falls the day after my show so, assuming I have roused from my coma by then, I will probably have dinner with my boyfriend at our favorite restaurant Quatorze! To be honest though, I think I definitely associate V-day more with Fashion Week than anything else!”
11
“I’m going bowling with my boyfriend and a group of friends! We’re doing a non-Valentine, non-fashion day.”
12
“Unfortunately my cute fiancé loves a good surprise and won’t spill any details of our Valentine’s Day plan. I hate surprises but I am patiently going along with it.”
13
“I love that my Fashion Show date falls on the holiday, even one as dubious as Valentine’s Day. I think it adds an undercurrent of romance, for sure. All the singles can meet each other at the show and maybe go on the dates right after. But I’m personally down with an apartment camp-out with delicious delivery. Every restaurant in the city is booked up for weeks in advance!”
14
“I’m against celebrating Valentines Day! I ‘m lucky to have an amazing boyfriend that treats me like a princess every day – and I don’t want to give him the opportunity to think he could have picked one day of the year to be romantic and treat me in a special manner. He comes from a country where Valentine’s Day isn’t very big so I will leave it like that!”
15
“For me, Valentine’s Day is a time to show appreciation to the people you love and to the causes you care so much about. It’s a day to embrace and let your heart fully express itself in every way possible.”
16
“My goal will be finding a lover quickly so I have someone to celebrate it with- or my friends will have to assume the role.”
17
“I’m not a big sucker for Valentine’s Day. My best one so far was last year when we had a huge single party were we all gave each other red roses and had lots of drinks. This year I think I will hopefully spend the morning in bed with my boyfriend. He’s off to Sweden in the afternoon so I might hit the singles party at night. And get the best of both worlds.”
