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As if I couldn't have had more fun, I went back to Fashion Week on Tuesday. I went for the early shift (11 to 5) and boy was I in for some good times. When I first got there, the neurotic volunteers coordinator told us to get the press goody bags (all 1000 of them) and bring them to headquarters. Easy enough, right? Sure, until we get to the garage where the bags are and they tell us "Oh, all this other sponsor crap didn't get put into these bags....so you'll need to do that."
Let me just tell you....MB donated these cheap nylon zipper totes and the sponsors (like Hint, the LA Times, Panera Bread, etc.) donated the stupidest things to fill it with. For example, the LA Times donated a plastic light-up ring. Panera donated a ceramic mug (not in a box) that said "Panera Catering" on it. Puh-leeze. (Aside: Blackberry was also a sponsor of Fashion week....why didn't anyone get a Blackberry?!?!?!) Anyhow, it was literally impossible to fit anything else into the overly-stuffed bags, but we had to do it anyway. Oh, and finish them all in an hour. We unpacked and repacked all the bags we could until FINALLY they let us go eat lunch. My fingers were blistered from zipping all those bags. It was awful.
After lunch (thanks Chipotle!!), I decided there was no WAY I was going back to the bags. The volunteer coordinator asked me if I had ever dressed before, and I said No but I can learn quick, and I was off to the main tent to dress a model for the Lana Fuchs show.
Once I got backstage, the stage manager assigned me to Djosephine, looks #3 and #30. I faked my way into figuring out what the most efficient way to buckle dressy strappy shoes (buckle in the back, foot in, pull through) and how to zip and unzip couture without snagging. I was total aces.
I met my model (who was so nice) before the shoe rehearsal. She had to be at least 5"11' but her shoe size was a 7! She tried her shoes on for the show and they were TOO BIG, even though they were supposed to be a 7. Poor girl did her rehearsal and slipped out of them. We had to find shoe pads and basically tape her foot into these hideous (sorry Lana Fuchs) shoes so she wouldn't become fashion roadkill on the runway. The stage manager was screaming about not blaming anyone but the shoemaker. Pretty intense, but hey that's how fashion is.
Djosephine had two looks, one short green dress (one zipper) and one long beige jersey dress (one zipper) (steamed by yours truly) and no shoe change, so it made my job pretty easy. Since she was third and then thirtieth, I wasn't too worried that she wouldn't make it. 4:30 rolls around and it's time to get her in her green dress. Done. Walk walk walk. Backstage, she's trying to unzip herself out of this dress and it's stuck. I try, still stuck. The girl next to me tried, still stuck. tick tock tick tock. Finally I am yanking so hard on this dress I think it is going to rip and the zipper goes. Hallelujah! We throw her next look on and zip it up, no problem....and she is back on the runway. In her too big shoes. Wow. Here's her still shots:
The LA Times said the Lana Fuchs show was the hottest show at Fashion Week. I am not sure if that is true.....but the music was way hot! Since I was backstage, I didn't get to see any of the celebs that were there, like Joel Madden, Vanessa and Angela Simmons, etc. but that's ok. I had a great time!
Watch the runway show here. Even just for the music!!
Note: these models are all pretty fierce walkers, but the shoes were the worst! A lot of them had trouble walking in them, including Djosephine.
This has been quite the week!
Sunday: Ro and I go to breakfast at Cafe Marmalade and who is sitting across from us? None other than rock god Dave Evans, aka The Edge, guitarist in a little band from Ireland called U2. nbd....just another day in the life. I immediately texted my good friend Tim, who told me to ask The Edge if he had found what he was looking for yet. I laughed so hard I could barely keep it together.
Pretty rad day so far. Post delicious eggs and even better French coffee, I was on my way to Smashbox Studios for Day One of Fashion Week. I had no idea what I was to do there, but I knew it would be an experience. Aside from the waiting around at the beginning, it was really fun. Here, an approximate time line for the day:
1:00pm: Arrive in the Main Tent to set up for the Kevan Hall show, taping seat assignments on chairs, sections A-H, Rows 1-8.
2:00pm: gift bags arrive. Borba sponsored the show and donated bottles of their secret skin enhancing water for the gift bags. Line gift bags up on plastic-covered runway.
2:10pm: Stage manager yells. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ON THE RUNWAY. Take bags off.
2:15pm: Random PR girl tells us to get Borba waters for bags. Continue to put Borba in bags.
2:17pm: Stage manager runs in and yells. ABSOLUTELY NO WATER IN THE TENTS. Take Borba out of bags, return boxes to backstage.
2:18-3:00pm: Line rows 1 and 2 with bags, change sponsor tags, and zip tie chairs togeth
er (every other chair, NOT on the back row)3:01-4:30pm: Get chosen to stand in front of the door in order to usher people to their seats.
3:45pm: Show Brent Bolthouse his seat (FREAK OUT!!!) (aside: he is all tatted out. lovesit.)4:45pm: Show begins. Click click click go the press.
5:45pm: Show ends. Clap clap clap go the people.
6:05-6:30pm: Go search for friend (and ride) Shana to see if we should leave. Use credentials to go backstage, Judith Ripka jewelry lounge, and anywhere else I wanted.
6:35pm: Accidentally walk into Stage One, look for Shana. Suh-Tan show about to start. Oops. Watched the show....what a bummer (haha)
7:00pm: Peace out.
Probably one of the longest days I've seen in awhile, but I sure did love every minute of it. Sure it was fun seeing Rachel Griffiths, Garcelle Beauvais, LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Tia Mowry (Sister Sister!!!), but that is only the surface of it. It's hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that this is such a big deal to these designers. This is their shot to make (or solidify) a name for themselves in the industry and prolong their careers. They followed their dreams and are now showing in one of the most lucrative events of the year....and I got to be a small part of it. When the music blares from the speakers and the lights blind from ceiling, there's just nothing like it. Kevan's show was full of drama and suspense.....which makes me love him. Nbd....just another day in the life.
Watch the runway show here....you won't regret it.
Tomorrow, day two.
xoxo
