New York Fashion Walking Tour of the Upper East Side
Description
Join a veteran producer of Project Runway and discover the fascinating journey of New York’s fashion history on this guided walking tour through Manhattan’s East 60s and 70s - where Gilded Age mansions share sidewalks with Tom Ford, The Row, and Ralph Lauren boutiques. Explore the blend of cultures, artistry, and innovation that shaped the world of fashion. Find out how and why New York became the birthplace of Vogue, Fashion Week, the Met Gala, Bergdorf Goodman, Studio 54, hip-hop street style, and Project Runway. We'll talk about designers like Halston, Betsey Johnson, Christian Siriano, Ralph Lauren, and more. At the end of the tour, you'll be conveniently close to Central Park, Bergdorf Goodman, The Plaza Hotel, Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co, The Museum of Modern Art, Rockefeller Center, Mood Fabrics, and more.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Ralph Lauren's Menswear Flagship. One of the most successful New York and American brands in history housed inside an original 1890's Gilded Age mansion.
New York's playground and unintended style runway since the 1850's.
We'll see a huge collection of stunning Gilded Age mansions including those of Henry Clay Frick, Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo, Henry T. Sloane, and Oliver Gould Jennings. We'll also see the mansion that was former home of fashion icon Gloria Vanderbilt and her journalist son, Anderson Cooper.
The only armory in America paid for by private funds with a long, interesting history and many New York Fashion Week shows in its recent history.
Home to the most fabulous windows in New York including Tom Ford, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta and more.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(20)
Super fun!! I used to live in NY and never spent much time in this neighborhood but by the end of the tour I couldn't believe there was so much I didn't know. Our guide Meri was amazing - you can tell she really likes giving this tour. Definitely recommend.
Knowing the annual Met Gala fashion event was in the city I was curious about the fashion scene. Wasn't sure what to expect. Glad I booked the tour. Guide Meri was charming, personable and welcomed questions. I enjoyed hearting about her fashion background and experiences with the Project Runway reality program. Happy to recommend to others.
Had a great time! Weather was perfect for a walk and our guide Meri was funny and charming and knowledgable. Been to NYC many times and love to find these little tours that show a part of the city lots of people don't see. Thanks Meri!!
I really enjoyed this tour. I have been a fan of Project Runway for years, and it was fun to get to hear about the show from someone who worked on it and also amazing to see how much fashion knowledge the people behind the scenes have to have! I learned a lot about fashion – and I didn’t even think I liked fashion that much. Meri was a great guide!
This was a really great tour! I love fashion and it was so cool to get history about how it all got started on the UES. Our tour guide, Meri, was so knowledgeable and you can tell she’s truly excited about the history. I’ve walked around Madison Ave and Fifth ave a million times and now I have the stories behind these famous fashion houses. I highly recommend this tour!
Absolutely delightful! Meri’s passion for fashion and New York was palpable and infectious as we walked around the city. Her historical and archival photos of the New York landmarks we visited and the clothing we talked about added a level of context that took the tour to the next level, especially as a native New Yorker who has walked by some of these buildings hundreds of times. There were mind blowing takeaways and a themes that I will be reflecting on for weeks to come. Fashion is at the heart of not only culture, but politics, history, reform, all of it. Thank you so much, Meri! Can’t wait for the next one
I've been on dozens of NYC tours and this is easily one of the best guides and tours I've experienced. First off, this isn't necessarily a tour about fashion -- it's a tour about NYC and the gilded age, and pop culture, and immigration, and creativity -- all THROUGH fashion. It feels like a broad overview and a deep dive all at once! Meri weaves all this together in such an artful, conversational way and it feels like she's constantly adapting the info just for you. It never feels plodding or showy or pedantic. Highly highly recommend!
Thank you Paul for this great review and for coming! I'm so glad that the history part emerged and entertained! it's everything!
I absolutely loved this tour! The combination of fashion and NYC history, along with designer and architectural references is quite compelling.
Thank you so much for coming and this review! Happy to hear that the mix of information is compelling!
Such a fascinating way to experience New York through the lens of fashion. The tour weaves together the history of the city, society, architecture, and American fashion in a way that is thoughtful and accessible. Moving through the Upper East Side and seeing the actual places connected to figures like Ralph Lauren, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Halston really brings the story to life. What I especially loved was the sense of timeline, from the influence of French fashion and Gilded Age society to the emergence of a distinctly American fashion identity and how that continues to evolve today. We learned so much and came away seeing familiar parts of the city through a completely different lens. A really engaging, well-researched, and thoughtfully curated experience. Highly recommend!
Thank you, Adam! Thanks for coming, thanks for this thoughtful and flattering review, but also thank you for being a part of what made the chemistry for the day so great!
I really enjoyed this walking tour. It was a fascinating look at how New York gradually emerged from Paris’s shadow to become a global fashion capital. Walking through the Upper East Side while hearing the stories behind the Gilded Age mansions, iconic designers, and the evolution of American fashion made the neighborhood feel completely different. Meri is an engaging storyteller who clearly knows her subject, and the tour struck a nice balance between history, fashion, architecture, and culture. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys New York history, even if they don’t consider themselves a fashion person.
Thank you, Gary! It was intimidating to have a designer along for the tour, but since you gave this nice review and didn't leave -- I'm now very grateful you came! Thank you so much for all of it!
