Catwalk

New York

The vibe: Polished glamour

New York is the city that never sleeps but still manages to look polished, as epitomised by all those Park Avenue Princesses, with their Oscar de La Renta dresses and Jimmy Choo heels.

Where to stay:

The iconic Philippe Starck-designed boutique hotel The Royalton, has a modern minimal style and is fully booked for fashion week! Other fashion favorites are The Mercer and Ian Schrager's Gramercy Park Hotel, which even though very pricey, is the ultimate treat - with a stunning collection of Warhols, Hirsts, Twomblys and Basquiats lining the walls.

Where to eat:

Enjoy spaghetti alle vongole at Morandi, the place to see and to be seen - it's a traditional rustic Italian trattoria, favored by Gwyneth Paltrow, Cindy Crawford, Uma Thurman and Madonna. For dinner, head to hotspot Wakiya at the Gramercy Park Hotel for some Peking duck and Sichuan chicken. However, there is a two hour limit for every table. (Luckily the delicious food and stunning décor is worth it!)

Where to go out:

Socialista, the Cuban-themed club (Margherita Missoni's favorite) and Amy Sacco's Bungalow 8, are the number one choice when it comes to NYC night spots for Hollywood's elite including Lindsay Lohan and Scarlett Johansson when they are in town.

The Look:

Polished with a twist.
On one hand there are the up town Park Avenue socialites with their classic Calvin Klein aesthetic, Prada heels, glossy hair and minimal make-up, think Charlotte York in SATC; while downtown the look is Chloe Sevigny meets Sofia Coppola, all Marc Jacobs and vintage finds. What they all have in common is an appreciation for easy-going, unpretentious, wearable elegance, also expressed in the wave of new NY designers taking over the fashion world, like Proenza Schouler, Zac Posen, Doo.ri, Thakoon and Phillip Lim.

The Gramercy Park Hotel

The ultimate treat

Morandi

The place to see and to be seen

Bungalow 8

World Famous

Chloe Sevigny

Where to Shop:

Besides the Marc Jacobs boutique on Bleecker Street, which is obligatory when visiting New York, or Prada's Soho store - to marvel at the Rem Koolhaas architecture. Head to one-time model Jane Mayle's boutique Mayle at 242 Elizabeth Street, while Opening Ceremony (35 Howard St between Broadway and Lafayette St) is so hip that Chloe Sevigny chose it to debut her new line late last year, and it was the first store in NYC to stock Topshop. For Manhattan polish, head to Intermix, another New York staple packed with American labels like Catherine Malandrino, Habitual and Notify.

Don't leave without:

Tasting a Magnolia bakery cupcake then picking up a dollar treat next door at the Marc by Marc Jacobs store. Or stop by Pop Burger on ninth Avenue for a mini cheeseburger, especially good after a night out - it's open 24 hours.