TECO Fashion Show

Since NYFW just ended and PFW officially started today. I think it is the about time for me to share my first fashion show experience as a model. My cousin, Eunice introduced me to a friend who was casting for a fashion show called “New York Cutting Edge.” The event was hosted by “The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of New York,” TECO. As a whole, this was a three day event. The fashion show brought together more than 20 currently enrolled or recently graduated students from New York’s top fashion schools, with an opportunity to exhibit their work for three days at the organization’s headquarters. To kick off the event there was a live fashion show to present their work on actual models.
[To learn more about what TECO is]

Eunice had walked in a few fashion shows in the past, so she was very well-experienced compared to me. My cousin passed on many opportunities to walk in shows. Because I was self-conscious and incompetent, I had declined many of her offers. But for once, I finally decided to give it a chance. I thought to myself this would be a great opportunity to meet people, try something I never done before, and to gain a new experience!

The moment rehearsals started I felt my heart beating out of my chest. There were all these other models, who were probably a head taller than me, walking with such elegance and grace to the rhythm of the music. Then, there was ME…a 5 foot 5 & 1/2 girl with no experience, walking down the runway like a stiff robot. It was definitely one of those moments where it was like…

Expectations:

Reality:

Though there were a few models, who were around the same height as me. But yet I was intimidated by their physical features, experience, and presence as a whole.  I openly shared my thoughts to the other models and they were so supportive.They provided tips and words of encouragement throughout the whole process. Twiggy, the designer of the clothes I was modeling in, also played a huge role in my experience. Although, she was the designer of her looks and pieces, she was always considerate. She made sure I was okay and comfortable with whatever I was modeling in.

The day of the show finally arrived! I felt knots in my stomach during my train ride to get my hair and makeup done. I still couldn’t believe I was going to do this fashion show. I got there and all the models and designers that I have been rehearsing and seeing for the last two weeks had became my support group; we were in it together for a great show.

Seeing everything being put together for the show was just astonishing. Everything behind the scene was so fast-paced, chaotic, but organized. One minute you walked in one outfit, you have to run down the stairs in four inch heels to get into your next outfit to walk again, and repeat.

When it was actual showtime for me, the moment I stepped out from behind the curtains I thought I was going to have an anxiety attack. The room was packed to the rear doors. There were people sitting on the sidelines, standing, cameras at every angle, bright lights, and photographer flashes. There were all these thoughts running through my mind from rehearsal, “Relax your shoulders and fingers, stick your chest out, looking forward, don’t smile, don’t walk too slowly, don’t walk too quickly, remember to stop before the first step and struck a pose, TRY NOT TO TRIP!” Next thing you know, I almost slip on the first step down, but I caught myself from fully falling.  I must have looked like…

I felt my face and chest getting red from the great stunt I just pulled, I kept my facial expression composed, and played it off as if nothing happened. I pulled through and made it back behind the scenes to shared my embarrassing, yet very comedic act with the other ladies, while stripping down to get into my next outfit. At the end of the show a photographer named Michael, who has been filming the whole process of the event, came up to me and told me that I had did a great job containing my facial expression during my slip. He further explained that my face didn’t even flinch or react to the situation at all, but it was still caught on camera. Michael is very talented and his work are always so stunning, clean, and neat. You can check out more of Michael’s work here.

Despite, almost falling down three steps in four inch heels, I am very happy that I did the show. I learned a lot of things about fashion shows and how chaotic it can be. I met and befriended a lot of wonderful and talented beings. And I was able to take a step out of my comfort zone to gain a whole new experience, without any regrets.

Even though I was one of the models for the show, I could not help myself but to be the one behind the lenses. Here are some more shots from my perspective during TECO Fashion Show:

Lastly, I know it’s been a while since I wrote a post. But thank you so much for blissfully taking a scroll with me! I will conclude this with a runway shot of me from another photographer. And I was not kidding about those stairs; they were super frightening! haha