I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer for FDCC's LG Fashion Week Beauty by L'Oreal Paris (what a mouthful eh?) this year! I am now reminded as to why I'm in the fashion industry. The show looks so well put together and organized, but backstage you'll see the industry's true colours: a fast-pased, multi-tasking frenzy... or what I like to call, a total rush.
The huge, very high end venue's location was The Allstream Centre at Exhibition Place downtown Toronto. Although I have volunteered for fashion shows before, I have never experienced anything quite like LG Fashion Week.
So with that being said, you're probably picturing me in this glamours, "lights. camera. action" kind of atmosphere, but until the actual show it was quite the opposite. And truly, that's what you can expect when you volunteer- you're at the bottom of the food chain so to speak, so get ready to be ran off your feet! Do not get discouraged though, you have to start somewhere, right?! Even the mundane or trivial tasks must be taken seriously, then you will be. Simple as that.
First of all, as a volunteer you had the choice to work in either the backstage atmosphere or the fashion environment, I was lucky enough to work in both exciting areas. Day 1 I was working in the fashion environment where my duties pre-show included tasks from gift bagging, to signing in backstage designers and models, to even making sure the water coolers were full of water. Basically if you were a voluteer, you're probably going to be passed around like a hot potato to complete necessary tasks. During the show myself and a few of my other volunteer friends were responsible for media personal admittance, which should have came with a caution: blisters may appear on the feet due to long hours standing. Thank god for my knee-length boots! I'm not sure I could have survived in my high-heels at that time (unfortunately). The advantage of this, of course, was that we could take a peak during the actual fashion show and see the VIP reception area first hand...that was pretty cool, I must admit. One of the shows incorporated celebrities as their models. Canadian stars such as 90210's Jessica Downes, olympic skaters, television talk show hosts, Keisha Chante (as seen in the picture above if you look closely), Hilda from Sabrina the Teenage Witch (remember that show?) and many more that I had no clue who they were.
So the next day I was pulled from my fashion environment hot potato duties and designated in the backstage area where I got to dress models for the runway! This is what you call fast-paced. If you think about it, there may be 20-ish models in the show while there are around 40-ish outfits. Getting everything right, right down to the belt buckle, to the accessory placement was key. The designers were very picky, and who can blame them really-they have a rep to uphold! I dressed models for Coccolily, BASCH by Brandon, Lucian Matis(!!!), RUDSAK, David Dixon and Bustle. Probably my favourite part of my whole volunteering experience was seeing Fashion Television's Jeanne Becker in person! That was awesome.
Bustle marked the end of fashion week for this season, but I definitely look forward to September's show!
Here's our stylish little mannequin! Each group had a theme to work with when developing their own styling technique. Our theme: Class Act. The inspiration boards included a lot of camel and neutral tones, since we were dealing with classic pieces. The outfit had to consist of three layers: dress, sweater and trench in our case. It was also important to incorporate a full outfit including shoes and other accessoires such as the necklace and purse shown above!
3. Try and keep the background nutural so it does not take away from the merchandise
LG Fashion Week is here folks! I was lucky enough to attend the Lovas Show tonight for free, compliments of my Event Planning class :) The video showcases the entire collection as the show comes to an end. Toronto Fashion Week does not display haute couture or identifiable labels such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, (the late) Alexander McQueen, etc so the majority of this week's fashion will be RTW. But, in some cases, that's great! You know there are some eager buyers in the room anxious to talk to and make deals with the designer for retail stores near you! So, that's something to look forward to. Also keep in mind that fashion years are ahead by 18 months, so each show showcases all trends before they happen. That's another great reason to watch a show; you're surrounded by future trends before they actually come to stores....beat them before they are mass marketed and be a fashion leader, not follower.
As for the venue this season. It took place at the Heritage Court (part of the Direct Energy building) in the Exhibition Centre, downtown Toronto...right across the road from last year's venue, the Allstream Centre. If it ain't broke then don't fix it!! I don't know what FDCC were thinking, really. I mean the atmosphere last year was so much more of a "luxurious" feeling than this year's. Although there were style booths, L'Oreal Paris booths, Barbie and Ken booths, V.I.P sections, etc - the same as last year, the feeling was just not the same for me. Note that the front of the building is all glass so guess what, if it's a beautiful sunny day outside, you're going to be struggling to see inside. This evening the sun was shining, causing squints and hand-over the-forehand actions. A lot of people seemed annoyed by this but I guess it's nothing a pair of sunglasses can't handle. It also creates problems for taking pictures and videos, as I see crewmen struggle with their cameras.
Escaping the boho look and aiming for the rock-star nighttime look, Lauren opts for this ensemble. Throwing a chunky knit vest over a tree and leggings is a modern way to update a classic style. Again, notice the beautiful wavy hair (I'm obsessed!). And since not everyone cause afford the luxuries of a red-soled shoe from Christian Louboutin ($625 a pop), you're going to have to get creative! Take a closer look, and notice the layered metal bracelets; accessories is a perfect way to complete this look. The outfit is "almost reminiscent of a '70s rock 'n' roll with those shaggy vests," says Conrad. And where would you wear it? "Definitely to see a band!" Good choice, good times. 
I also like this simplistic, yet stylish look Lauren is aiming for in this photo. Layered jewellery with a simple and neutral tee is genius! Her flaw-less face is achieved by applying neutral tones to the eyes, while applying mascara on the diagonal, creating a fan look. Her signature winged eye-liner is a must of course, and her light pink blush and nude lips add for a au natural look. She changed her wavy hair for a more sophisticated bun. Pulling her locks into a ponytail, braiding it and then wrapping it around into a alluring bun. 
April 23 featured 12 edgy, conscious and conceptual collections inspired by the night's theme called "Rage". The collection, Dystropolis by Wendy NG was inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland, a world full of contradictions: "innocent girlhood and conscientious womanhood; love and hate; rage and joy; black and white; broken and healed." This collection includes dark gothic designs, huge platforms, full length trench coats made in faux fur, leatherette, PVC, lace, vinyl, chiffon, metal beading, zippers and buckles to create a sense of order in chaos. Female models wore mid-calf length platforms, leather dresses and opulent hair pieces. Male models opted for head-to-toe leather with big, bold shoulders. A non-traditional and eco-friendly collection by Vancouver based label Sans Soucie was also displayed. Pops of green, yellow and white in all natural fabrics cannot help but to affect all sense of smell, touch and feel of nature. The ruffles, natural designs, feminine pleats and colours transport you to a serene paradise. With all the focus being on the environment and "go green" campaigns, it is only natural to be inspired by your outdoor surroundings.
Prior to the show, backstage was like a red bull infused oxygen tank since makeup artists, volunteers(myself included), models and photographers kept the energy alive. As you can plainly see from the picture to the right, makeup artist Tammy Wong and photographer Gwen Brydson rock peace signs and candid faces no doubt.
