Paris! Fashion week - Rick Owens

Yesterday we all had the chance to work our first fashion show of the trip! We were dressers for the Rick Owens Menswear FW'13 show.  All 28 students met at Paris American Academy at 9:15, traveled to the venue absolutely freezing and arrived about 40 minutes earlier than planned.  We were brought into the space where the show would take place.. music blasting and floor shaking from the bass as the room was set up.  The space had a very urban feel, with concrete floors, a runway created by lights beaming on the ground, large black wooden benches, and exposed metal architecture.  At the beginning of the runway there was a huge rectangle light box that would move and all of the models walked under it in a group to end the show- saw this in the run through as we were waiting for instructions.

While we were waiting to be used, the fashion director came out and asked for two helpers to set up the dressing cabins, me and my roommate Colleen were quickly chosen (because we were closest to the door) to go backstage and help.  The different looks for each model were separated into bags and we had to help set up the racks and put the looks in the right order, models that had more changes going in the front and one looks going in the back.  While we were doing this the models were getting hair & makeup done in the other half of the room and lounging around.  Many of the models had extremely long, teased and puffy hair being done and white based makeup.  I felt lucky to be backstage and be able to really observe what was happening, the process of setting up and what different peoples positions were without the hecticness of the show taking place yet.  After we were done we went back out front to wait to get assigned models.  Rick Owens arrived and we got to see a run through of the show.  

It was a lot of the girls first time being a dresser, including myself, and we were all very nervous and excited.  We went backstage and were able to have drinks and snacks quickly and then we were assigned our models.  As we were in line we passed Rick Owens only feet away being interviewed about the collection.   

We all got our models dressed into the leather and shearling jackets, tight pants, fur gloves and large heavy boots that made up the collection.  The throbbing base music started and the show began!  I went up to the front to help those that had more than one look and were going to be in a rush changing.  Everything happened so fast and the show was wrapped up quickly.  We all got glasses of champagne afterwards and 30 euro payment!

Konrad, the model I dressed

Rick Owens at end of show

 It was a great way to start off the next week of fashion madness!  I found out today I was one of the students chosen to intern for Elie Saab beginning tomorrow, so I will be working there for the next 5 days helping to prepare for their couture show.  I will also be a hostess at Lefranc Ferrant's show at the end of the week.  I am so excited and grateful for all the opportunities Paris has provided me!