Tatler UK - 08.2019

T

here couldn’t have been

a better place to spend

my twenties than in New

York City. Equal parts glamour and

grunge, heaven and hell, chaos and

calm, it’s the most human place I’ve

ever lived. You can be anyone you

want, including yourself, and no one

will bat an eyelid.

Having grown up between Milan

and Paris, I interned at Vera Wang

in New York during my second year

of university at St Andrews. Every

day was an adrenaline rush and the

minute I graduated, I packed my

bags and moved there. America

being the golden land of opportunity,

I was soon working at US Vogue and

never looked back.

In all, I spent 10 fabulous years in

the city, and – though I’m mourning

the closure of Patricia Field’s amazing

store – I still get that high every time

I visit. Exhilaratingly, anything goes.

Vintage in the Village

or a Martini by the Met?

Tatler’s Fashion Director

Sophie Pera on how to

make it in Manhattan

PHOTOGRAPH: TIMOTHY HURSLEY

CITY LIVING

Tatler’s Fashion Director

Sophie Pera in New York

tatler.com Tatler August 2019 117

POSTCARD

T R AV E L

WHERE TO BEAUTIFY

Hands down the best facial in

New York is SB Beauty. They do

a microcurrent treatment that

will literally – well, almost – give

you a new face. It’s cheekbone-

WHERE TO EAT glow central.

I celebrated every birthday at

Balthazar in SoHo – always

buzzing, always loud, always

fun. Another downtown staple

is Raoul’s. In the West Village,

Via Carota is a revelation, as is

Canal Street Oysters, a new

Lower East Side place that’s

bivalve heaven.

MoMa

Balthazar

John Derian

The Mark Hotel

new york doll

WHERE TO STAY

The Mark Hotel, an Upper East

Side classic, is modern and utterly

fabulous. The place to see and be

seen, where the fashion crowd

gets ready for the Met Ball – and

where the Duchess of Sussex

had her baby shower. Another

excellent option is the Baccarat

Hotel – a sanctuary in one of the

busiest parts of town, located

right near MoMa and the serious

shopping on Fifth Avenue. It’s

gorgeous – and the La Mer spa

doesn’t hurt either.

The Baccarat

WHERE TO SHOP

I’m a vintage fanatic and this

city is full of wonders, my

favourite being the Chelsea

Flea Market. Also right up

there is New York Vintage, a

Mecca for serious collectors.

A SoHo shopping day, with

stops at What Goes Around

Comes Around and John

Derian for terrific homeware, is

essential. Nomad Vintage is an

East Village treasure trove.

WHAT TO DO

The Met, MoMa, The Frick and

Neue Gallerie are essential.

Wander around Chelsea’s

amazing art spaces or listen

to music and people-watch in

Washington Square Park. No

itinerary needed: New York is

the show and just being there

you have a front-row seat.

Above, bag, £4,490,

by CHANEL. Right,

boots, £1,120,

by PRADA

08-19Travel-Postcard.indd 117 11/06/2019 16:06