Images via Vogue UK / Black Mag
We all know about the glamour and the glitz that goes on at a fashion show, but what about before the show? We speak to various industry experts about what it takes to do their job in the lead up to Rosemount Australian Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2011-12.
Being a fashion editor of Fairfax’s The Vine is not all about champagne and air kisses for Alyx Gorman. For her the written word is king and it shows in her work, not only at The Vine but previously as the Associate Editor of Oyster magazine. Know for her love of things left of center, we’ve had conversations which have included unexpected references to the likes of Miss Havisham (from Great Expectations) to Rodarte, so we had to ask her how she goes about planning for Australian Fashion Week – now only 2 days away!
December 2010
As well as covering fashion, we like to support it, so even though fashion week is months away, I’m already in talks about sponsoring a show or two. This year we went with the extremely talented, but still very wearable Therese Rawsthorne.
February 2011
Negotiating things like imagery and video is a long, involved process, so I’ve started talking to a few photographers to work out what kind of coverage we want to do, and how much it’ll cost.
March 2011
It’s registration time! And because it’s registration time, it’s also ‘finding an assistant for the week’ time. Fortunately, I got myself a good one this year.
Early April 2011
It’s time to begin pre-fashion week coverage, so I’ve started interviewing designers, models, hairdressers and stylists about what they’ll be up to during the week. I’ve also been getting designers to handwrite little surveys, and the results so far have been ridiculously cute.
Mid April 2011
Everyone is getting a bit frantic, so I’m chasing stories down with more intensity now, as well as working out backstage passes for myself and the photographers I’ll be working with, and figuring out other elements of the coverage I’ll be doing in the week.
Late April 2011
Oh god, oh god I haven’t planned any outfits. Panic. Get together with my best friend James over Skype so he can help me pack. We’ve been planning FW outfits together for four years, and this is the first time I’m not in Sydney to do it. Skype styling is not ideal, but my brain is basically running on cortisol at the moment, so I need someone else’s opinion so I don’t end up stuck wearing nothing but clear Perspex spikes, a hula skirt and ugg boots.
April 26th, 2011
I arrive in Sydney for Fashion Week and all the pre-shows. My suitcase is 3 kilos overweight, which means it weighs 5 kilos more than the one I took to Europe for the shows last year – I was in Europe for two months, I’ll be in Sydney 12 days. Oh dear.
I also have a lot of meetings this week to iron out the last details of our fashion week coverage.
May 2nd 2011
It begins. 15 hour work days in crippling heels, zero food, and the constant looming presence of wine. ILY Life.
