Dasani water for $3.50 and other fashion week economics

Let’s not be coy—fashion week is a sponsorship extravaganza. Just look at the full title of the event—LG Fashion Week, Beauty by L’Oréal. An event like this is about the bottom line as much as hemlines, which became abundantly clear when we desperately needed a drink of water. There’s no complimentary H20, as in seasons past, so we sidled up to the bar to buy a bottle: Dasani cost $3.50 (but they put it in a glass with ice!), which is three times what they charge us at the corner store. What is this place, the ACC?

Attendees looking to pass the time between shows by getting buzzed can order a bottle of Peroni ($8.50) or a glass of wine ($7.50). If you’re not in the media or in the industry, a pass for the entire week is $475, and a ticket to one show costs $25. Free, however, are samples of coffee from the Krups Dolce Gusto pod machines. Just bring your own water; you’ll need it after the caffeine.