Meet E!'s Front Five as New York Fashion Week 2019 Kicks Off

E!'s very own Zanna Roberts Rassi will moderate a panel featuring Rebecca Minkoff, LaQuan Smith and more

At long last, New York Fashion Week is finally here!

E! is back as the official multi-platform media partner of New York Fashion Week, meaning pop culture fanatics and fashion lovers everywhere get a backstage pass (and front row seat!) to the hottest runways, glitziest red carpets, exclusive parties and most sought after design collections. 

In addition to E!'s comprehensive coverage of all the NYFW magic, we're highlighting a hand-picked group of five of the most influential movers and shakers shaping the conversation each NYFW.

E!'s Front Five will take you closer to the action with an inside look at NYFW through the lens of an original, five-day documentary series airing on social media. Viewers will also get a chance to catch the action on E!. Following the series, E!'s very own Zanna Roberts Rossi will moderate The Talks: Meet the Front Five panel and luncheon. 

So what are you waiting for? Get acquainted with the ladies and gentleman selected by E! to take us behind the scenes of NYFW: 

Candice Huffine: This supermodel and body positivity activist is a force of change within the industry, having made history as the first plus-size model to appear in the iconic Pirelli Calendar. She's posed inside the pages of Harper's Bazaar, W, Vogue magazine and more, and in 2017 launched the activewear line Day/Won. This year, Candice has teamed up with size-inclusive retailer Honoré, which will open the New York Fashion Week festivities on Feb. 6 with a runway show unlike any other. Check our her episode here!

Rebecca Minkoff: For more than a decade, the luxury handbag, apparel and footwear designer has used her influence to effect major change in the fashion world. Minkoff is an active CFDA member and previous Forbes "40 under 40" recipient who works to bring women together through her Female Founders Collective organization and RM Superwomen podcast. Our docuseries will go behind the scenes as she prepares for her show on Feb. 10. Catch her episode here!

LaQuan Smith: It was only a few years ago that the beloved designer debuted his eponymous fashion label at New York Fashion Week. Since then, Smith has dressed style icons like Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé and Cardi B. His glamorous designs aren't limited to the rich and famous, though. In 2018, Smith launched a fêted, size-inclusive line with e-tailer ASOS. Get a glimpse into his NYFW experience when his celeb-studded show takes place Feb. 10. Catch his episode here!

Romy Soleimani: Ever wondered what it's like to create and execute the beauty looks for NYFW? Go behind the scenes as this celebrated makeup artist, who is working with Bobbi Brown this season, lends her arsenal of talents to Ulla Johnson and Carolina Herrera's runway shows. Soleimani's celebrity clientele includes Tracee Ellis Ross and Cara Delevingne, and her work can be seen in fashion campaigns for the likes of Kate Spade and Calvin Klein. Catch her episode here!

 

Lindsay Peoples Wagner: This rising force in the industry began her career as an intern for Teen Vogue, the very same publication she became editor-in-chief of just last year. Peoples Wagner's work has appeared in The Cut, Elle UK, Essence and Complex. In 2017, she won an ASME award honoring magazine journalists under age 30 and has garnered critical acclaim for her social commentary on her experience as a black woman in fashion. Catch her episode here!

Tune-in on-air, online and across mobile and social as E! gives fashion fanatics their front row ticket to all things New York Fashion Week.