Yesterday I had my first ever experience with a runway show backstage area, and let me tell you, it’s madness. Clothes flying everywhere, people cursing and swearing; beautiful, semi-naked people, also known as models, running around, trying to get into their next outfit in time to get back on the runway. Its all so stressful and so quick you don’t really have time to breathe and realize how amazing it is.
For the past 9 days, my classmates, our Creative Sales teacher and I were planning an event sponsored by BMW, which had the main purpose of “teaching” doctors of one of the most prestigious hospital in the city how to dress properly. It all sounds incredibly boring when said like that, but in reality, it’s far from that. We spent a little over a week making phone calls to big fashion brands, trying to convince them to come on board. It was amazing when brands like Max Mara and Brooks Brothers agreed to join in.
We spent the past 9 days discussing designers, showroom placement, logistics, runway lineups and so many other things. We shared cigarrettes and laughs and a few, short but very stressful moments involving gift bags and a very strict time-limit. We had to deal with hunger, since a 9 am call time doesnt really give you much time to eat. We had to deal with losing pens, and running out of tape. We had to deal with very little backstage space, a tiny hallway, a women’s bathroom and a men’s bathroom. We dealt with last-minute model fittings and lineup changes, even a model cancellation and we got saved by a soon-to-be model classmate who scored her first payed gig as a runway model.
We hated each other for a few moments when things seemed to not be going great, but we also enjoyed our success when it was all over. We even got free food, which is always a good thing.
Its all a rush. Knowing that you have about 10 minutes, probably even less, to make sure 20+ outfits, complete with shoe changes and accesories, go out on the runway at exactly the right time is all a rush. It requires a great deal of team work, which I have to admit, is not my favorite kind of work. We made a pretty great team, with a few exceptions, of course. (Who am I kidding, its no secret I highly dislike her, so i guess its just that one exception.) We made it work. We survived an event where so many things could have gone wrong, but really none did. Hey, I even scored a cool BMW travel mug and some discount cards from the left-over gift bags!
Its pretty amazing what can happen so quick in such little time when you set your mind to something and work towards that goal. Its amazing how so many personalities and egos can find a way to merge for a few hours and produce a succesful fashion event, complete with a runway showcasing around 7 designers and stores, showrooms and a conference. I never knew how into event planning I’d be, ‘cause I was always too lazy to take part of events like these. I’m glad we were “forced” to this time.
I somehow find myself learing much more about myself and the stuff I like and the stuff I might be able to do once I graduate in a year. I keep surprising myself. I used to think I had it all figured it out, and that I knew what I wanted to do once senior year and thesis were over, but maybe not knowing exactly what I want is a good thing. Its all a learning process, and I am now open to much more things than I was in the past. I mean, who knew I would even consider event planning before?! Now, I don’t know, maybe now its a possibility. I’ll be a writter, designer and event planner, and hopefully many more things…
-C.