Fashion month is a taxing endeavor even just for those who are watching on from their laptops. But for those editors, writers, and other attendees who travel for the international shows, it’s an ultra-marathon of catching flights, racing to shows (often in high-heels), and jockeying for seats.
Nobody knows this better than Mui-Hai Chu. The veteran Flaunt Magazine editor regularly completes the full four-week circuit. For her ninth season (or, at least, she thinks it’s her ninth), Chu attended New York and Paris Fashion Weeks, enjoying the likes of Dior, Saint Laurent, Miu Miu, Loewe, Rick Owens, and Coach with her own two eyes. Chu is also a stylist, primarily for men. During New York Fashion Week, she dressed VMA-winning Nigerian rapper Rema for the MTV-hosted awards, and during Paris Fashion Week she styled YG for the Balenciaga and Casa Blanca shows.
Between packing pieces from her eccentric wardrobe (which regularly earns her a spot on Phil Oh s fashion month roundup), and looks for her growing roster of clients, Chu has her work cut out for her in the packing department. Still, she tries to put sustainability and re-wearability at the forefront of her wardrobe: “I typically only bring one or two handbags at most. I wear the same few pair of shoes for a year because if I’m really into something, I base looks off of it,” she says. “I repeat items of clothing season after season, and a lot of the pieces I wear are vintage. I think it’s important to promote wearing the same thing but styled differently and to only buy and wear things you truly believe in and could commit to for a decade, or even—ideally—a lifetime.”
Below, she shares her packing list, traveling tips, and photos from her whirlwind fashion month.
What is your hero product when you travel for fashion month?
A little bit outside of the fashion box, but my portable speaker! Gotta keep vibes high, and it’s Sexyy Red, Ice Spice, Asake, 070 Shake, Rema, YG, and Frank Ocean on repeat. But for a fashion product, I would say my earrings. I feel like I am known for my big, icy earrings. Except this time, I literally forgot my bag that had all of them and I didn’t have time to shop for new ones, somehow. So, it was interesting to get dressed without something that I’ve always considered clutch. But, perhaps a nice reminder that confidence and a good fit do not revolve around anything except one thing: yourself. Clothes and accessories don’t make you the one. It’s been you all along. More people need to remember that.
Do you have any travel hacks?
I used to not have a carry-on with wheels, but that’s become essential. I do not need back pain going into fashion month. I also wear my heaviest shoes on the plane, because [my luggage is] always edging overweight. And I must pack a heattech turtleneck, no matter what month it is, because they keep the airplanes so cold.
What do you bring now that you wish you’d found sooner?
One thing new this trip was a larger external battery pack. It was totally by random circumstance that I needed a new one but I accidentally bought a huge one—thank you to my sister for ordering it for me. Turns out, I was very thankful to have a big charger and could share the love with friends in need.
How many suitcases do you bring with you for fashion week?
I limit myself to three. Two check-in and one carry on. It just becomes untenable to travel with more than that. But also, I can’t travel with less because I like to have options. I probably pack 75 percent more than I actually wear. Dressing is entirely about feelings to me, and I just can’t anticipate my emotional response to the immediate environment ahead of time. That’s also why— while a lot of editors, stylists, and fashion week attendees borrow clothes to wear—I just can’t. I absolutely can only wear something that I would invest in because otherwise it wouldn’t feel authentic to me.
How much of your suitcase is dominated by outfits for your clients?
Luckily, all of my clients have strong personal aesthetics and style, and they pack their own essentials and go-tos. I always say this, but I could not work with anyone who doesn’t have a personal style that I admire. For one, I don’t believe in personal styling on a fundamental level. I don’t think that everyone needs to be into fashion. I would love to see more celebrities dressing on their own and people be like, “Oh that’s very mid,” and it doesn’t matter because their art medium of choice is unquestionable. And two, doing this is only interesting because of community, and the conversation and relationships that I make. But most outfits that I put together with my clients for fashion weeks are also lent by the brands. Although, I’ve learned to always pack classic white tanks and socks and a few belts (because these things are surprisingly harder to find than one would think), safety pins, Topstick, and clamps. I also always travel with the latest issue of Flaunt. Because, why not add 5 pounds of printed matter?
For New York Fashion Week, I did have to pack about 50 percent of my suitcase for a client, but luckily the weather forecasted was very hot, and summer clothing takes up so much less space, especially when you’ve prescribed into the doctrine of swimsuits as clothing.
What do you like to buy when abroad?
BUTTER. I can’t go to France without buying butter, because fat and salt are just my absolute favorite things. I also really like the Bjorg oat milk more than what is available in the US, but it’s heavy, so I limit myself to one. I also have been heavily threatening to bring back European flour, because I am gluten intolerant to the long wheat grain that the US modified after World War II. But fashion wise, I always buy myself one thing from the Miu Miu store. I’m so predictable, I know.
Do you pack differently for different cities?
Weather forecasts dominate my life a lot, so 100 percent I pack differently for different cities. I can’t bear to be cold. I am fine with sweating profusely, but I can’t be cold. But besides the weather, I do consider the vibes of each city. For NYC, it’s much more hard and “dgaf.” London is a city that really appreciates self expression, so I think this is the place to get experimental. For Milan, I don’t know why, but I love to look bratty there. And for Paris, I feel the most at home, but also mornings blend into 4 a.m., so I’ll just wear things I’d wear to go to the office, grocery store, club—you know, the usual juxtaposition.
- Matcha + whisk
- Chrysanthemum tea
- Hojicha tea
- Chinese herbal tea packs (these are a custom prescription from my doctor and is the biggest must for keeping my immune system high during fashion month when you never get enough nutrients or sleep)
- Journal. I feel naked without this; I need to write every day in order to feel my fullest
- Homemade bug spray (mosquitoes seem to be getting worse globally and bed bugs don’t like similar smells!)
- Vitamineral green powder (never eat as much vegetables as I normally do during fashion month)
- Boiron stress calm
- Silk pillowcase
- Speaker
- Chargers
- Steamer
- Topstick
- Safety pins
- Socks
- Underwear
- Jewelry
- Uniqlo Heattech
- Slippers
- Hair towel
- 2 pairs of heels
- Tissues
- Eye masks
- Mask
- Skincare haircare (YTP cleanser, True botanicals cherbula serum, Marie Veronique daily protective oil, Kinship sunscreen, Zatik conditioner); moisturizer and shampoo I buy in Paris
