You can image how overloaded the schedule is for Barneys Executive VP of Marketing and Communications Charlotte Blechman, but add New York Fashion Week and the retailer’s triumphant return downtown and it’s a complete whirlwind. Here, see how the Barneys exec spends her days, from back-to-back meetings to her top picks from the new Chelsea flagship.
A Day In The Life: Charlotte Blechman
The First Thing I Do In The Morning Is…
"I generally wake up at 6 a.m. and the first thing I do is look in my bed to see who is in it. It can be anywhere from one to two kids, plus a dog and my husband—clearly I’m sleeping on the very edge of the bed. Once I'm up, I make myself a cup of coffee and go through my emails. While I try to have my husband take out our new puppy, I usually end up walking her before anyone is up to avoid an accident on the carpet (or worse, her turning my shoes into chew toys!). If I have time, which is not very often, I like to read the paper."
My Morning Routine...
"At 6:30 a.m. I wake the kids and start the long process of getting them fed, making sure they have their homework and packing all the hockey gear and dance clothes for their after-school activities. (I’ve been known to send my son to ice hockey with only one skate...oops!) Once they're settled at the breakfast table around 7 a.m., I jump in the shower and get myself dressed. At 7:30 a.m. we're out the door, and I drop off both kids before heading to the office by 8 a.m."
My Work Uniform Is…
"In the winter, my uniform consists of a pair of boots, leather pants and a sweater or blouse. Sometimes I'll throw on a dress with boots if I'm feeling a bit more girly. Since my mornings are so hectic, the less I have to think about my outfit, the better."
I Use My Commute To…
"I use my commute to put on my makeup and coordinate my kids' after-school plans and dinner with our nanny."
What I Usually Eat For Breakfast…
"I know I should eat breakfast, but most mornings I just have an almond latte from Juice Press. I drink that while I review my schedule for the day and go through any unanswered emails from the day before."
My Office Space Is…
"Pretty eclectic—it definitely matches my Gemini personality. I have photos of my kids, books, board games (for brainstorming meetings), arts and crafts that my kids made and memorabilia from past projects. I always have the requisite bottle of tequila (right now it's a personalized and bedazzled one that my team gave me for the holidays) for 'emergencies.' Ha!"
A Day Of Meetings Involves...
"If I don't have a breakfast meeting, I'm typically in back-to-back meetings from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. I try to give myself at least one free hour to catch up on emails or answer any questions from my team. People really enjoy having meetings in my office because I usually have candy or bubble gum lying around—we have enough Dubble Bubble to give everyone in the office a sugar high for a year!"
After Work I…
"I normally have work events twice a week in the evenings. On the nights I'm free, I will run out of the office to catch my son's hockey game or my daughter's hip-hop class. If neither of those are taking place, I generally go home, review my kids' homework and then pour myself a glass of wine."
I Wish I Had More Time In The Day To…
"It would be great to have more time in the day to read a book, take a spin class and sleep!"
My Top Picks From The New Chelsea Flagship Include…
"The entire store is really stunning, I don't know if I can pick a favorite part! I will admit I'm a little biased toward the shoe floor—I know I'll be spending a lot of time there."
