MICHELLE LAFF THRIFTS

Fashion Week is many things to many people, but for a select few traveling across the Atlantic to New York those early days of September provide a rare opportunity to sample vintage wares otherwise unattainable. Enter Michelle Laff, precocious German beauty who began her career as a Louis Vuitton exclusive for three seasons running.

Today she’s perusing the showroom of James Veloria, nestled on the second floor of the mall at 75 East Broadway, for something unique, a piece that tells a story. “I like something that makes me feel like a strong, independent woman.” Michelle pulls many selections, jackets with strong shoulders, smartly tailored shirts, but ultimately falls in love with a 1990s Vivienne Westwood top she simply cannot resist. What seals the deal for Michelle is how seamlessly the new article completes the look she wore into the showroom…and after purchase she wears out into the streets of Lower Manhattan.

With serious aspirations to one day work as a stylist, every waking hour for Michelle spends modeling is an opportunity to learn and absorb the wisdom of the very creatives she’s cultivated since making her start. Come what may this Fashion Week, Michelle remains in a class all her own.