I was pretty much just shoved right into it, which was exactly how I pictured it from all the fashion shows I have watched on TV. It was this small room just crammed right up with people - hair stylists, make-up artists, photographers, fashion designers, pushy gay wardrobe stylists (and man were they bitchy, hahaha!), and everyone was on a mission whether coming or going in and out of that room.
Racks lined with all these beautiful, unique and intricate expressions of couture, and stations for the hair stylists and make-up artists haphazardly lined up in the room.
The name of game that night was literally go-go-go, we didn't get much of a chance to even steal a sip of water, and that room was crazy hot with all the blow dryers and curling irons going, plus the ridiculous amount of models, stylists and artists all crammed into that room, but we made it happen!
So I did makeup for a couple of models initially, one was a very natural earthy look, and the other was smouldering and dramatic, but once they went off to wardrobe and to prepare to walk, that wasn't the end of it. One model after another would fall into my chair all asking for help with different things. I had one girl get turned away from walking the runway until she could get her tiny little shaving scratch on her shin concealed - so I had to cover that up. It was so small I couldn't believe that such a small little imperfection on a shin would be enough to turn them away. I also had another girl with a small tattoo showing through her mesh top and I had to conceal that for her as best as I could as well. Another model, a bit older, came up to me asking for help with a number of things. One of the things was that because she would be wearing a certain revealing outfit she had wanted all her 'blemishes' covered up on her body. Now the outfit she was wearing was this tiny little butt-flap type skirt and topless, with the exception of stickers taped onto her nipples! So she sat down in my chair, whipped her top right off, got down to her thong underwear and asked me to cover her blemishes and also basically turn her entire body into that of a bronzed glowing goddess. Sooooo I had to pull out my best brushes, load them up with highlighter and bronzer and totally perfect her entire naked body right before my eyes. The other make-up artists chuckled afterwards saying they were uncomfortable for me (but I'm sure every guy reading this right now is a bit jealous, ha ha!) I just laughed, and brushed it off as nothing but art and beauty , and that's exactly what it was.
One thing about this event was my new found respect for hair stylists. I mean I've always admired what they can do, and I respect their talents and creativity, but last night? Oh last night was on a totally different level. I'm not sure where exactly they found all of these hair stylists but man were they absolutely amazing. It was almost intoxicating just watching them perform their 'craft'. The creations they made, the passion they held in every single movement, every touch of the hair, every curl of the iron, every bobby pin they used, was a beautiful whirlwind to watch (whenever I got the chance to catch glimpses that is). There was this one stylist who not only is an incredible stylist but he also creates these gorgeous hair pieces out of actual human hair! And they're not some small hair piece,they're not something you could find a cheap replica of, and they're definitely not something that could be easily recreated. No matter how I try and describe it, my words won't do it any justice but basically he takes human hair and twists it, braids it, forms it into these amazing artful designs and flower designs , into a huge hair piece that once attached to your head would mimic your hair identically! He adds and binds it with a fine, pretty net, and adds a few small embellishments and it is absolutely stunning! Had I not been told it was a hair piece I would have thought that was her own hair! Could not believe such talent one could have with hair. If I ever find where this man makes/sells them I will surely add it to a future blog for you all to see! It was so gorgeous that whenever I get married I am definitely getting one of these made for me!
There were also equally amazing make-up artists, and I was so happy to be working amongst them! One thing about being a make-up artist is that we all enjoy watching others do make-up to see there different techniques, how they create what they create and to get some inspiration from! It's also a great place to meet and make new friends and contacts in the industry......and that's precisely what I did! Met some great ladies and men (even did makeup for men as well!), and just the overall exposure of being there representing these faces that were strutting the runway was a great feeling! I felt happy, proud even, and as I mentioned before.........I felt more inspired. For those of you who perhaps think make-up is just make-up, and that it's basically just some 'stuff' that women put on their faces to feel pretty, you couldn't possibly be any more wrong. Make-up is sooooo much more Thant that. It truly is an ART! The amount of skill and expertise one needs to create so many different looks and different illusions is precisely that of an artist! There's a reason why the word 'artist' is a part of our title - our brushes are our paint brushes, and the faces are the canvas.
Working backstage for YYC Fashion Week really allowed me to explore and unleash my creativity, color outside the lines, be edgy, fashion-forward and to have fun! I can only imagine what it would be like to be a part of the amazing craziness of NY Fashion Week, but in the meantime I can at least say I've had a small taste of it, the Calgary version, and I loved it! It was a unique, exciting, unforgettable experience and I absolutely cannot wait for the next opportunity to arise!
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