We're excited to share a guest blog from the Olsenboye Design Contest winner, Grace Buckley! Her NYC diary:

When I first got to New York I had no idea what to expect, I just knew that it was going to be one of the greatest experiences ever. The first exciting thing that happened? I went down to the baggage claim in LaGuardia airport and someone was holding a sign with my name on it, just like they do in movies…I kept the sign.

Within an hour of arriving in the city, I practically ran into Christian Siriano at Bryant Park! Fabulous! We had lunch there and enjoyed the heat…it was 90 degrees, much different than the 59 degree weather we came from in Maine! 

The rest of the day’s adventures included a trip to Mood Fabrics to swatch for collection ideas, a walk through Times Square, and tickets to see an off-Broadway show that night called “The 39 Steps.” (If you have a chance to see it you should, it was amazing!) We returned to our beautiful room on the 12th floor of Morgans New York Hotel. The bedroom had a view of the Empire State Building! There was also a gorgeous vase of flowers from JCPenney that were pink and green…my favorite colors! 

The next morning the driver brought us to Mary-Kate and Ashley’s showroom, home to the Olsenboye and Elizabeth and James collections. Mary-Kate and Ashley arrived and gave us a warm welcome. I must say, these girls were unbelievable. They are two of the sweetest and most intelligent people I have ever met. I practically grew up watching their TV shows and movies, and they are everything I thought they would be and more. We also met their business partner Jane, who was also a very friendly person, with a ton of knowledge about the fashion industry. The girls gave us all a tour of the offices and of the upcoming collections and inspirations for both lines. I had the opportunity to hear all about how they translate their ideas into clothing, and just how fast paced and exciting the whole process is.

If there was one piece of advice that stood out to me, it was that mistakes aren’t really mistakes if you learn from them. Everything is a learning process, and if you believe in yourself and what you are doing, you will succeed. I was so fascinated with everything that I saw and learned while I was there, and I am so grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to experience something so wonderful.

Right after meeting Mary-Kate and Ashley, we were taken to JC Penney to shop. I got a ton of Olsenboye stuff, it is adorable! After that we headed into Soho for window shopping, and then had dinner at Asia de Cuba that night. The next morning before the plane ride we went up to the top of Rockefeller Center which has an incredible view of the entire city, and it was a nice way to finish off the trip.

I never imagined I would get the chance to meet Mary-Kate and Ashley, and I still can’t believe it actually happened. The whole trip was a dream come true, and I left feeling very inspired and influenced by the girls. If I could give advice to young designers like myself it would be to advance boldly in the direction of your dreams…the hard work pays off! <3 Grace