MACHETE NYFW Staycation: Inside Our Weekend at The Bowery Hotel

For an event like this, the guest list matters. We wanted the Staycation to feel intimate, but we also wanted to bring together people whose perspectives and influence reflect the world MACHETE exists within. The result was a room filled with people who approach fashion, beauty, culture, and personal style from different perspectives, but who share an appreciation for thoughtful design and products with a point of view. Rather than trying to create the biggest possible gathering, we focused on creating the right environment for a smaller group to spend real time with MACHETE. That distinction became one of the most meaningful aspects of the experience.

At The Bowery Hotel, the setting itself helped establish that feeling. There was no pressure to make every interaction feel like a formal brand presentation. Guests could settle in, explore the products, talk with JJ, and experience the world of MACHETE in a way that felt personal. The brand could be discussed rather than simply presented. And that gave everyone a better understanding of the story behind the pieces they were seeing and wearing.

One of the biggest takeaways from the MACHETE Staycation was the value of time. Traditional events can create an immediate spark, but they are often designed around a very short interaction. A guest arrives, sees the collection, takes a few photos, catches up with friends, and moves on to the next stop. That format can be effective, but it does not always leave room for someone to really understand what makes a brand distinctive.

The Staycation gave us the opposite. By deliberately keeping the experience intimate, guests had more meaningful opportunities to interact with the product and with the people behind MACHETE. They could look more closely, ask questions, discover pieces organically, and return to the collection throughout their time at the hotel. That extended interaction changed the nature of the experience. Instead of asking guests to understand MACHETE in a few minutes, we gave them the opportunity to spend time inside the brand.

There was also something fitting about choosing a Staycation during NYFW. Fashion Week is inherently about discovery, but discovery does not always happen at the fastest pace. Sometimes the most memorable brand experiences are the ones that give people room to look around, ask questions, have a conversation, and simply spend time together.

That was the thinking behind bringing MACHETE to The Bowery Hotel. Rather than competing with the energy of Fashion Week, the Staycation created a different kind of moment within it. It offered an opportunity to step away from the constant movement of the week and into an environment where the brand could be experienced more naturally.

For MACHETE, this was especially important because the products lend themselves to that kind of discovery. Accessories can be incredibly personal. A pair of sunglasses, a hair clip, a pair of earrings, or a sculptural piece can completely change the feeling of an outfit, but the appeal often becomes clearer when you see the product in context and have the chance to try it for yourself. The Staycation allowed those moments to happen organically.

During a week as crowded and fast-moving as NYFW, creating an intimate experience can make the brand feel more memorable precisely because there is room to breathe. The most valuable part of the Staycation was not simply bringing an impressive group of editors and tastemakers together at The Bowery Hotel. It was creating the conditions for those people to genuinely spend time with MACHETE. They had time with the products. They had time with JJ. They had time to ask questions, have conversations, and experience the brand without the usual rush of a traditional Fashion Week event.

For MACHETE, that is the kind of brand experience worth creating. One that feels personal rather than transactional, considered rather than crowded, and rooted in the people and ideas behind the products. During NYFW, when everyone is moving quickly, sometimes the most impactful thing a brand can do is give people a reason to stay.