Just last week, I was holed up in a hotel in Manhattan, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of The City. I had the chance to work under the Production Coordinator for a fashion company in NYC and experience New York Fashion Week. And I know what you’re thinking— Scotlyn, do you know anything about fashion? The answer is mostly no, but stuff like this doesn’t happen to girls from small Texas towns, so I jumped at the opportunity.
In the two weeks I was there, I learned a lot— I learned about fashion, about the industry, and about myself. It seems magical from an outsiders view, and while it can be glamorous, there is a lot more to the shows than what is portrayed in the media. Here are a few things I learned in my short experience-
1. It’s nothing like The Devil Wears Prada. Well, maybe a little. But every single person I met on the staff was kind and compassionate, from the volunteers and to the designers. My expectations were low (because based on my experience in The City, politeness tends to be thrown out the window once you go too far north) but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked everyone I worked with.
2. So much work goes into these shows. AND THEY LAST LIKE TWELVE MINUTES?? Prep time takes about four hours, and then they go straight to the next show. Plus, they start planning the shows 6+ months in advance. That still blows my mind.
3. The models aren’t what you’d expect. Okay, so I definitely let movies get to my head with this one, but I was expecting dozens of beautiful, mindless people. A few that I talked to had college degrees (or were planning on getting one) and multiple had business ventures besides modeling. All of them worked really hard, and you could tell how passionate they are about what they do.
4. It is a lot of hard work. Especially if you are like me, and really have no desire to have a career in the fashion world. NYFW can be exhausting. Seventeen hour work days coupled with constantly being on your feet is lot, and makes you question all of your decisions leading up to the shows.
5. It’s not for everyone. And I’m unbiased with this opinion. I met a lot of people that just weren’t cut out for it, myself included. Granted, fashion isn’t my passion, but it is an experience that I’ll be telling people about for the rest of my life. You have to be willing to work hard, even when you don’t really want to. Half-assing it isn’t an option.
6. It’s worth it. Don’t get me wrong, there were moments on my trip were I called my mom in a panic, and one too many people asked me if was okay (I have RBF, people) but overall, I don’t regret going. I met some amazing people, made contacts in NYC (every writers dream, right?) and got to experience a week that some girls would kill for.