I, along with the many volunteers at March's Vancouver Fashion Week (better known as VFW) worked tirelessly to help Vancouver's Fashion show. And all that work was pretty well worth it. Beyond the exciting adventure of busing into Chinatown for 8:30 am every morning for a week, the idea of 'volunteering' is throwing yourself into the fray; you take the reins. For the first few days I felt very 'behind the scenes'. I was quiet, stayed out of everyone's way and just tried to do what was right and what I was told (this led to A LOT of trash pick up, but I'm a classic neat freak so I'm already programmed to clean an area) My favourite moment was cleaning up someones left over scotch, with the tail of their shrimp mushed into it. Y-U-M. By my third day, standing outside the Chinese Cultural Centre around 8:40 am, waiting for someone to unlock the door ( I often got there before everyone else, but I had to leave at 3pm, so it worked out) rubbing my vintage black gloves together, I realized that I had a desire to do something more, and if throwing myself into the fabric flying, hairspray clouded world of fashion week was what it took, I would do just that.
After I finished leading in one of the designers to the fitting room, I looked around and saw the hundreds of model's shoes. Black matte stilettos, Nude Stilettos, and black high heeled zip up boots. All everywhere, thrown carelessly onto the table, papers strewn everywhere with model's names scribbled next to the shoe description. I realized that this could be what I was looking for; organization and responsibility. After checking with Kim (the lovely fashion director, all the interns and I would discuss how effortlessly cool she was) that I could take over the shoes, I went ahead with my new task.
Four hours later I had all the zip-up boots on one table marked by size with tape on their soles, ranging from size 5-10. And the same with the rest of the stilettos on the other two long tables. Models were thoroughly happy with the improvement, it was easier for them to find their size, let alone their shoe's mate. For the last few days, I got to have my notebook, signing in and out shoes to models while helping designers do fittings.
I also learned the most valuable lesson of being a female on the go: WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES. You know, unless you like your feet being in constant pain and bandaged up like a burn victim
The next few days were successful and I finally felt that I had found my fit in this experience, I got to know greatly talented and friendly people. From interns to models, all were inspiring and made it the most fulfilling experience to date. I am wanting to pursue a career in the fashion industry, whether that's working at a Max Mara, or being an intern for a fashion magazine, or being a costume designer for the Opera, it (fashion) is part of my life. It is in everything I do, it's in the streets, it's on and in people I know and love, and it's in our history.
Fashion week was more than rudely carrying a female mannequin down a flight of stairs (where else are you suppose to put your hands?) and putting on 7-inch stilettos while being taught to 'model strut', it was that moment that I learned why I ( and many others) are obsessed with Fashion. It isn't just a form of art, or an expression, or something that only the size zeroes can wear, it is in everything. It is everything.
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