Twinkle By Wenlan

Fashion Week at Bryant Park was amazing. The atmosphere was almost overwhelming. Most of the models were running around back and forth from hair to makeup, while some of them were creeping around the exits trying to escape. Naturally, I didn’t want any of them to get away, so I was stationed near one of the exits watching for any runaway models. I wasn’t there very long when this 14 year-old boy comes walking in with his parents.  “What is this kid doing here? He doesn’t belong back here…” I thought to myself. It seemed really odd that anyone under the age of 18 would be backstage at a fashion show, but he was dressed really nicely, so I figured he must be tagging along with one of his parents. (Plus, he arrived at like 7:30 am. What 14 year-old wants to get up that early for a fashion show?) He disappeared after a while and I went about the morning helping everyone with various tasks from stapling brochures to positioning the gift bags with exact precision. What a morning. After the show was over, I ran to Grand Central and caught an 11:30 train back to Purchase College and made it just in time for my 12:30 class.

Later that night, I was surfing the internet, researching the buzz around Twinkle’s fashion show and as it turns out, the 14 year old that was roaming around backstage was actually Mark Indelicato from ABC’s Ugly Betty. Who would have guessed?

Ugly Betty Star is Undercover Backstage

This was my first fashion week, a learning and amazing experience. I got to see what the big deal was. It’ kind of surprised me, not exactly what I was expecting. The glamour, jazz and fashion does take some heavy preparation. Fifteen minutes of walking can equal five hours of groundwork before the show. Not to mention the months of foundation-work towards getting everything in place.  Over everything, I had fun and met interesting and fun people.

the-controlled-chaos-of-backstage

I challenge anyone to stand beside tall models all day, and not have a slight crisis of confidence.  It takes a lot of positive self-talk to feel beautiful after a day of photographing models.  Especially when every straight guy you know is begging you for every detail of the hot models coming in the door.  All of sudden, they are interested in fashion!

I feel short!!

I sometimes like to do tedious works because I can be away thousands miles from my problems, complicated thinking in my mind. Just think about one thing…A tag.
Do you have hundreds ideas in your mind? Let’s make tags here. I cut, you tie!

How many people can you check-in during a Twinkle party?  Not enough!!  Thank goodness it didn’t rain, but it was humid enough to have partygoers eager to get inside in order to save their well-coiffed heads. It was fun to work with the staff from Lucky and I am grateful to Lucky interns, Lizzie and Sarah, who just jumped in and got dirty with us.  It’s never easy to do set-up in three inch heels and your new favorite Twinkle dress, but we managed.  BUT someone stole my MAC powder from the host stand!!  Ewww!  Well, all in the name of fashionable parties I suppose.  But I did give questionable looks to any girl who looked like she might wear NW 15!

Today Philina and I got to color different looks for the Holiday collection.  It was a lot of fun picking out different colors for each garment. 

Sayumi actually trusted Steph and I to offer her some ideas today. We helped her by color blocking some of the holiday collection. I was pretty proud that Wenlan actually took one of my tops as a suggestion! Am I becoming a real fashion designer?  I think so!

It’s a little known fact that I have amazing feet, and aside from my aspirations of becoming a high-level marketing executive, I’ve always wanted to be a foot model (ridiculous, I know. But true!). Today, Wenlan needed a 7 ½ sized foot to model three gorgeous pairs of Manolo Blahnik shoes for her and the assistant designers. And of course my precious pedicured feet are a perfect 7 ½ …prancing around in those stunning confections was a dream come true. =)

During Fitting

On the runway

So while everyone was chatting up a storm about The Hills (which I openly love and adore – TEAM LC!), I was stranded on the other side of the studio taping together extremely large sewing patterns. As you can probably tell from the picture, this task sounds far simpler than it actually is. Luckily, I’m almost done!!

Before I jump onto the next  topic, one last comment on the Olympics : How can anyone not know who designed the official oufits worn by the American team.  You know, for the Opening Ceremony?  That was the biggest logo I’ve ever seen on a garment.  That’s what we call product placement, or is that logo placement?

I lied actually, I didn’t stay glued to the TV the entire time over the past week.  I did make it to the MET museum somehow for the SUPERHEROES - Exhibition.  Can’t  think of any particular word or words to describe it but only one advice - for anyone who hasn’t seen it, catch it QUICK before it ends like really really soon.  Really?  Really!