Fashion Week will be happening soon, and as such, I thought it an appropriate time for a little peek into the world of Fashion. [So here is a recap similar to a guest post I did for a friend].
Have you ever wondered what happens at a fashion show -- those high-energy, fast-paced events full of noise, strange outfits, flashing cameras, and really high heels? Well here’s an all access pass, from the front-of-house to the back-of-house.
The front-of-house is a crazy, frantic, loud place. This is where the editors, photographers, street style stars, actresses, stylists, fashion bloggers, journalists and buyers all congregate in a constant ebb and flow of movement. And these people are all pushing and scrambling to be seen, to find their seats (and hopefully snag a better seat), and to snap photos of each other before the show starts. *Obviously it is important to dress the part because of all the flashing cameras.
Have you ever wondered what happens at a fashion show -- those high-energy, fast-paced events full of noise, strange outfits, flashing cameras, and really high heels? Well here’s an all access pass, from the front-of-house to the back-of-house.
- Fashion House - design house that is putting on the fashion show. Example: Chanel
- Front of house - public area for all guests + area where the show will happen.
- Back of house - the backstage area.
- Buyers - people buying the clothing to be sold in department stores, boutiques, etc.
The front-of-house is a crazy, frantic, loud place. This is where the editors, photographers, street style stars, actresses, stylists, fashion bloggers, journalists and buyers all congregate in a constant ebb and flow of movement. And these people are all pushing and scrambling to be seen, to find their seats (and hopefully snag a better seat), and to snap photos of each other before the show starts. *Obviously it is important to dress the part because of all the flashing cameras.
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| Hanneli in Paris, via Tommy Ton |
Usually, the fashion house
putting on the show will have their own public relations people, and
perhaps even hire an additional PR team - plus non-paid interns - all running around
trying to seat everyone, soothe tempers, and make sure everything is
flowing smoothly and quickly.
The PR teams will also have created the small look-books for the guests. These books are beneficial to buyers and editors, who will mark their favorite looks or make notes while the show is in progress. Some fashion shows will even provide small gift bags at each seat…but this is expensive and exclusive.
All the
photographers + videographers are stationed at the end of the runway, providing them with the absolute best straight-on view of each
look. And yes, in case you were wondering, the fashion house will
also hire their own photographers to take pictures of their guests and
of each look during the show – which they will later use in
look-books or for other press and PR-related materials.
While everyone is
filing in and finding their seats, camera crews are usually doing quick
interviews of actresses who might wear this particular designer’s
clothes, many famous fashion bloggers are taking photos of each others' creative outfits, and buyers and editors are running in at the last minute from other shows.
The process of
seating everyone could take 15 minutes to 45 minutes depending on
several variables such as the popularity of any particular show, the
amount of guests arriving (and if a particularly important guest is
running late), how far away the venue may be from the rest of the shows
(and if this is the case, PR teams usually try to plan ahead for travel
time and rush hours which could delay editors or buyers coming from
other shows), etc.
Some fashion houses
are notorious for starting on time, and will shut the doors + start the show whether or not everyone is present, while others may wait a
few extra minutes. But one thing is certain, as soon as
the lights dim and the music starts, there is a hush as everyone quiets
and waits in anticipation for the show to begin!
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| Ulyana Sergeenko FW'13 Haute Couture show |
Tune in tomorrow for to read more about the back-of-house process.
x
RH
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