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Lights, camera, fashion: A behind-the-runway look at how Chicago designers make it work
Models line up backstage preparing to walk onto the runway moments before the start of the seventh annual Gen Art "Fresh Faces in Fashion" show at Millennium Park.
Andrew A. Nelles/RedEye
Call it organized chaos.
Designers run around, grabbing last minute accessories. Steps away, clothes fly as models disrobe and get dressed, trying not to bump into each other. Hairspray fills the air. Makeup artists stand at the ready for emergency touch-ups. Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way" thumps in the background.Welcome backstage under the white tent at Chicago's Millennium Park--the site of one of the city's biggest fashion shows.
On this particular Saturday night last month, Gen Art's seventh annual "Fresh Faces in Fashion" in Chicago, was rocking the runway with an audience of about 900, according to organizers. The show, also held in New York and Los Angeles, is known for launching the careers of designers such as Zac Posen and Chicago's Lara Miller.
In recent years, Chicago's fashion scene has been thrust into the spotlight thanks to a certain fashionista in the White House and her support of local designers, notably Maria Pinto. The city boasts more than 400 designers and 375 independent boutiques, according to Karen Vaughan, spokeswoman for the Chicago Office of Tourism. It is home to four fashion design colleges, including the School of the Art Institute, which counts designer Cynthia Rowley as an alumna.
At the center of it all is the runway show--Chicago hosts more than 100 shows, big and small, every year, Vaughan said. The Gen Art event last month wrapped up Fashion Focus Chicago, a four-day celebration of local fashion. More recently, local designers were featured in runway shows at the Chifa Elite Fashion Explosion this weekend in Chicago.
So what does it take to pull off a runway show? Event directors, models, hair stylists and, of course, designer--meet some of the key players who made it work at the "Fresh Faces in Fashion" show.
The designer
The job: Creative genius behind the fashion lines that are showcased on the runway.
At the show: Christina Fan applied to the Gen Art fashion show on a whim.
When she found out she made the cut, the 25-year-old, who deferred law school to pursue fashion, worked frantically for the next three weeks, sewing her remaining pieces by hand.
At Gen Art, Fan debuted 10 looks in her menswear-inspired Park Wicker collection--mainly dresses in slate, chalk and black with the occasional burst of amethyst, coral and jadeite.
As the clock neared 8 p.m., Fan dressed the models with the help of assistants and volunteer design students. She gave them a last once-over before giving them the final nod of approval to walk out on the runway.
The best moment for her, Fan said, was "when I walked out at the very end ... and at one point it finally clicked that people were applauding for me."
The worst thing that can go wrong is... "if someone were to trip and fall or if something happens to one of your looks backstage," Fan said.
The event director
The job: Produces the show, troubleshoots problems on the runway and backstage and has the ability to function on very little sleep.
At the show: Event director Lauren Hurley, 27, and event manager Marcia Callaghan, 23, who work for Gen Art's Chicago office, had been in heavy planning mode since August for the Gen Art "Fresh Faces."
No detail was left unchecked on their to-do list, from big-picture (they found sponsors, ordered all the props, cast models and created a seating chart for 900 people) to little details (they arranged the order of models to walk the runway and posted Polaroids of the models and their outfits to remind designers of every item they need for their complete look).
The day of the show, the sleep-deprived pair showed up for a 20-hour day in scrubs. During a free moment before the show started, Callaghan ditched the scrubs for a black mini and Hurley transformed with a flirty strapless purple dress. A stop by hair and makeup, and they were ready for prime time. As the models lined up before the show, Hurley took a moment to scribble notes for her speech. "We're amped. ... It's game time," Callaghan said.
The worst thing that can go wrong is ... "any tech problem is a pretty big nightmare," Callaghan said.
The hair stylist
The job: Crafting perfectly styled coifs, beachy waves and sexy bedhead looks for models.
At the show: Stylists Marcia Ademoski, 31, and Gina Scalpone, 34, each packed her survival kit for the Gen Art fashion show: hair spray, blow dryers, diffusers, curling irons, flat irons, brushes, combs, bobby pins, rubber bands and hair extensions.
Since big hair is in this year, Ademoski prays the models have good, thick hair so she can give it some volume. But just in case, she's armed with extensions.
Backstage they hunched over the models sitting in chairs much lower than in salons and so tightly packed together they're bumping elbows with other stylists.
"They've got to be pretty patient sitting in tiny little chairs, waiting for our fuses to blow out any second," Ademoski said of models.
Their challenge: Getting the models' hair done quickly so they can get out on the runway in time.
The worst thing that can go wrong is... "the hair falls off--an extension--or the bobby pins are not holding," Ademoski said.
The makeup artist
The job: Creates the flawless, killer looks for models.
At the show: Imagine a model strutting on the runway in perfectly tailored clothes and perfectly styled hair but no makeup. Adi Lando, a perfectionist, shudders at the idea.
"It's almost if you put a picture without a frame on the wall. It's not really complete," said Lando, 39, a Sephora Pro Beauty Team makeup artist.
His bare necessities for the Gen Art show: 10 brushes, brush cleaner, foundation, pencils, eye shadows and creams and lipstick. And he works fast: He's trained to apply a runway look in 25 minutes. What's tricky is changing up the models' makeup if they have to walk for more than one designer.
"Sometimes, you have a minute or so to do something with the makeup. You really have to work fast," Lando said.
The worst thing that can go wrong is... "if you did the look and all of the sudden the designer says it's not the look they were looking for and you have to change it and there's not enough time," Lando said.
The models
The job: Walks catwalk and displays clothes; ability to walk and strike a fierce pose in stilettos a plus.
At the show: The runway experience for models is best described as hurry up and wait ... and then hurry again.
They hurried to make call time, then waited for hours crammed backstage for hair and makeup.
"The closer you get to showtime, you get nervous, praying you don't fall in 6-inch heels," said Shaletta Porterfield, 23, a Ford model. "Once you hit the stage, it's all gone and it's nothing but an adrenaline rush."
Stephanie Ryan, who has been modeling for a year, says she likes "hitting the end of the runway. It's just that three seconds you're showing the look for all its glory and the photographers are taking your picture."
The worst thing that can go wrong is... "wardrobe malfunction," Ryan said.
The big day
The day of the fashion show involves more than 12 hours of planning. Here's a look at the detailed Gen Art "Fresh Faces in Fashion" schedule provided by event director Lauren Hurley.
8 a.m.: The lighting, staging, audio and video company arrives to hang signage and make modifications to the stage and seating areas.
11 a.m.: Event director, manager and producers arrive at tent.
Noon: Event setup begins.
2 p.m.: Tech rehearsal, designers arrive.
4 p.m.: Models call time, rehearsal and report to hair and makeup.
7 p.m.: Doors open.
7:30 p.m.: Designers, models, and hair and makeup get a 15 minute warning to be ready for the show.
8 p.m.: The show begins.
Designers run around, grabbing last minute accessories. Steps away, clothes fly as models disrobe and get dressed, trying not to bump into each other. Hairspray fills the air. Makeup artists stand at the ready for emergency touch-ups. Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way" thumps in the background.Welcome backstage under the white tent at Chicago's Millennium Park--the site of one of the city's biggest fashion shows.
On this particular Saturday night last month, Gen Art's seventh annual "Fresh Faces in Fashion" in Chicago, was rocking the runway with an audience of about 900, according to organizers. The show, also held in New York and Los Angeles, is known for launching the careers of designers such as Zac Posen and Chicago's Lara Miller.
In recent years, Chicago's fashion scene has been thrust into the spotlight thanks to a certain fashionista in the White House and her support of local designers, notably Maria Pinto. The city boasts more than 400 designers and 375 independent boutiques, according to Karen Vaughan, spokeswoman for the Chicago Office of Tourism. It is home to four fashion design colleges, including the School of the Art Institute, which counts designer Cynthia Rowley as an alumna.
At the center of it all is the runway show--Chicago hosts more than 100 shows, big and small, every year, Vaughan said. The Gen Art event last month wrapped up Fashion Focus Chicago, a four-day celebration of local fashion. More recently, local designers were featured in runway shows at the Chifa Elite Fashion Explosion this weekend in Chicago.
So what does it take to pull off a runway show? Event directors, models, hair stylists and, of course, designer--meet some of the key players who made it work at the "Fresh Faces in Fashion" show.
The designer
The job: Creative genius behind the fashion lines that are showcased on the runway.
At the show: Christina Fan applied to the Gen Art fashion show on a whim.
When she found out she made the cut, the 25-year-old, who deferred law school to pursue fashion, worked frantically for the next three weeks, sewing her remaining pieces by hand.
At Gen Art, Fan debuted 10 looks in her menswear-inspired Park Wicker collection--mainly dresses in slate, chalk and black with the occasional burst of amethyst, coral and jadeite.
As the clock neared 8 p.m., Fan dressed the models with the help of assistants and volunteer design students. She gave them a last once-over before giving them the final nod of approval to walk out on the runway.
The best moment for her, Fan said, was "when I walked out at the very end ... and at one point it finally clicked that people were applauding for me."
The worst thing that can go wrong is... "if someone were to trip and fall or if something happens to one of your looks backstage," Fan said.
The event director
The job: Produces the show, troubleshoots problems on the runway and backstage and has the ability to function on very little sleep.
At the show: Event director Lauren Hurley, 27, and event manager Marcia Callaghan, 23, who work for Gen Art's Chicago office, had been in heavy planning mode since August for the Gen Art "Fresh Faces."
No detail was left unchecked on their to-do list, from big-picture (they found sponsors, ordered all the props, cast models and created a seating chart for 900 people) to little details (they arranged the order of models to walk the runway and posted Polaroids of the models and their outfits to remind designers of every item they need for their complete look).
The day of the show, the sleep-deprived pair showed up for a 20-hour day in scrubs. During a free moment before the show started, Callaghan ditched the scrubs for a black mini and Hurley transformed with a flirty strapless purple dress. A stop by hair and makeup, and they were ready for prime time. As the models lined up before the show, Hurley took a moment to scribble notes for her speech. "We're amped. ... It's game time," Callaghan said.
The worst thing that can go wrong is ... "any tech problem is a pretty big nightmare," Callaghan said.
The hair stylist
The job: Crafting perfectly styled coifs, beachy waves and sexy bedhead looks for models.
At the show: Stylists Marcia Ademoski, 31, and Gina Scalpone, 34, each packed her survival kit for the Gen Art fashion show: hair spray, blow dryers, diffusers, curling irons, flat irons, brushes, combs, bobby pins, rubber bands and hair extensions.
Since big hair is in this year, Ademoski prays the models have good, thick hair so she can give it some volume. But just in case, she's armed with extensions.
Backstage they hunched over the models sitting in chairs much lower than in salons and so tightly packed together they're bumping elbows with other stylists.
"They've got to be pretty patient sitting in tiny little chairs, waiting for our fuses to blow out any second," Ademoski said of models.
Their challenge: Getting the models' hair done quickly so they can get out on the runway in time.
The worst thing that can go wrong is... "the hair falls off--an extension--or the bobby pins are not holding," Ademoski said.
The makeup artist
The job: Creates the flawless, killer looks for models.
At the show: Imagine a model strutting on the runway in perfectly tailored clothes and perfectly styled hair but no makeup. Adi Lando, a perfectionist, shudders at the idea.
"It's almost if you put a picture without a frame on the wall. It's not really complete," said Lando, 39, a Sephora Pro Beauty Team makeup artist.
His bare necessities for the Gen Art show: 10 brushes, brush cleaner, foundation, pencils, eye shadows and creams and lipstick. And he works fast: He's trained to apply a runway look in 25 minutes. What's tricky is changing up the models' makeup if they have to walk for more than one designer.
"Sometimes, you have a minute or so to do something with the makeup. You really have to work fast," Lando said.
The worst thing that can go wrong is... "if you did the look and all of the sudden the designer says it's not the look they were looking for and you have to change it and there's not enough time," Lando said.
The models
The job: Walks catwalk and displays clothes; ability to walk and strike a fierce pose in stilettos a plus.
At the show: The runway experience for models is best described as hurry up and wait ... and then hurry again.
They hurried to make call time, then waited for hours crammed backstage for hair and makeup.
"The closer you get to showtime, you get nervous, praying you don't fall in 6-inch heels," said Shaletta Porterfield, 23, a Ford model. "Once you hit the stage, it's all gone and it's nothing but an adrenaline rush."
Stephanie Ryan, who has been modeling for a year, says she likes "hitting the end of the runway. It's just that three seconds you're showing the look for all its glory and the photographers are taking your picture."
The worst thing that can go wrong is... "wardrobe malfunction," Ryan said.
The big day
The day of the fashion show involves more than 12 hours of planning. Here's a look at the detailed Gen Art "Fresh Faces in Fashion" schedule provided by event director Lauren Hurley.
8 a.m.: The lighting, staging, audio and video company arrives to hang signage and make modifications to the stage and seating areas.
11 a.m.: Event director, manager and producers arrive at tent.
Noon: Event setup begins.
2 p.m.: Tech rehearsal, designers arrive.
4 p.m.: Models call time, rehearsal and report to hair and makeup.
7 p.m.: Doors open.
7:30 p.m.: Designers, models, and hair and makeup get a 15 minute warning to be ready for the show.
8 p.m.: The show begins.
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1 Comment
photo 14 of 14 is soooo solid! never seen the FanFan happier than when she repped SGM on the runway (oh, wait, upside down A for Asian!! ;)
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