New York Fashion Week is in full swing! While most of you probably enjoy the various shows through social media I luckily had the chance to intern at a show and I’m here to spill the tea on what really goes on behind the runway.
I interned for ARTISTIX, a rising brand that is heavily inspired by art and rock & roll. Greg Polisseni, with the help of Andy Hilfiger, designs clothes based on his original works of art. During this NYFW he launched his spring/summer 2019 collection called Sierra.
This was my fourth show interning for ARTISTIX and as the years have gone by I have been able to get a really good look into the madness behind a successful show. Unless you’ve worked backstage at a show you never really get to see anything that goes into it. Backstage gets CRAZY!
Of course, we have the typical hair and makeup stations for models. Most models are already running late from jumping from show to show and some arrived to our show with crazy hair and makeup. The makeup artists really have to do some magic to get them runway ready. While all the models are getting ready, us interns are running around getting the venue ready and preparing for guests to arrive.
I was given the best job in the world (note the slight sarcasm) which is to run the front door. This means that I was in charge of everyone that entered the venue. When it comes to this type of fashion show, if you are not on the list you cannot get in. Sorry, honey but no exceptions.
I had the official list which is divided into two sections, press and official RSVP. I was connected to a headset so that I could keep in touch with my busy mentors as they were running around the venue. As people started coming in I had to make sure to give them the right badges and seating or standing passes.
It started getting really busy and people that were not on the list were getting mad that they could not get in. It was stressful, but I had to keep my cool. Since I have worked for a few of their shows in the past I had the advantage of recognizing some people’s faces which made my job a bit easier.
When the show was about to start I was finally able to shut the door and head over to the runway to watch the magic happen. This collection was stunning — all the looks were very influenced by street style and the color scheme was yellow and purple. Everything was very eye catching with different patterns and textures such as camo and mesh incorporated into most looks.
This year we had Shiggy, the creator of the “in my feelings” challenge, model one of the looks and he actually danced to Drake’s song as he came down the runway. Overall, the show was a complete success and I was very proud of the outcome. Being backstage really makes you appreciate the finished product much more because you really see all of the hard work that it took to make the show a success.
If you ever get the chance to volunteer or intern at any fashion show, I truly recommend you do it. Helping behind the scenes will make you appreciate the event much more.
Check out highlights from the collection on the ARTISTIX Instagram!