On Friday August 29th, I arrived at the BCBGMAXAZRIA Broadway location in their strict, "ALL black at ALL times" dress code. The girls who worked there were all very nice and smiley, even though I could tell they were extremely stressed and had tons to do. But this was good news for me. Throughout that day I completed tasks such as organizing and steaming clothes, running errands, and taking pictures. The only fashion show that I had ever been of any assistance, was the Drexel Fashion Show freshman year. So this, to me was a completely new experience.
The next day, Saturday August 30th, was a big day; the BCBGMAXAZRIA fashion show. I woke up at 5:30 to get ready, eat, and commute to the Broadway Street BCBGMAXAZRIA location by 7:30am. For a frantic hour, I helped the public relations team rally up clothing racks, organize last minute model necessities, and load everything onto a truck. Stepping out of the BMW car that picked us up, I walked into the BCBGMAXAZRIA tent. Today was the day.
At first, I helped set up the chairs and rows where the audience would sit. This task made me realize how simple some of the setup can be. The chairs were nothing but cheap fold-up chairs, which I helped line into straight rows. To secure the chairs together, all we used were plastic security loops. Then a cheap, almost muslin feeling, thin, black fabric was laid on top of all of the chairs in all of the rows. So the entire inside of the tent, minus the actual runway stage, was covered in this fabric. Then I helped the lighting team setup and adjust the lights that illuminated the runway stage. Inside this tent was no color. The walls, floor, and ceiling were black, while the stage itself was pure white. The wall at the very beginning of the stage was white, with the BCBGMAXAZRIA title propped on it, in all black letters. It was as strong of a contrast as someone could create. It was a harsh black surrounding, emphasizing the alluring white walkway. After just a couple hours of setting everything up, the models started to arrive. Then what seemed like ten minutes later, guests of the fashion show started to pour in and sit down. To my surprise, I was not backstage for the entire time. I got to see the guests coming in, and even the fashion show itself. I saw Heidi Klum, Giuliana Rancic, and Nina Garcia, all up close. Although I was not there to spot celebrities, it was still exciting. When the lights started to dim, the room became silent. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, literally. Music that sounded like a slow techno tune, if there is such a thing, played for thirty seconds before the first model walked down the runway. The models wore modern spring pieces in different hues of cream, tan, black, white, and slate blue. There were only two patterns in the collection: a somewhat classic floral print, and a floral print with a modern twist of geometric shapes. The simple black and white contrast made complete sense after seeing the collection in action. The collection colors, as well as the models make up and accessories, were somewhat minimal while also being a tad futuristic. The black and white setup of the tent, although simple, minimal, yet strong and stark, was a direct reflection of the BCBGMAXAZRIA collection.
Watching the show and helping out the BCBGMAXAZRIA teams was an unusually lucky experience. After the first show that Saturday, I went back to their Broadway office for another five days to continue to help them. The experience, contacts I gained, and advice I received from the BCBGMAXAZRIA team, was nothing but positive and worth while. I hope I get the chance to help out more fashion shows in the future.
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