The History of Fashion Week
Fashion, the world without it would be so bland, so dull, so colorless. Fashion is defined by many to be the trend or just anything stylish. It is the hip looks youngsters wear. Well, it may be all of that, but now it has emerged as a multi-million dollar industry. The fashion industry comprises of designers, models, photographers, magazines, makeup artists, event planners, and what not.
Fashion has captivated modern society in a stance. Everyone wants to know the latest trend and own the most fashionable item. They do so mostly by firstly following fashion and keeping themselves up to date about the latest style, and then avidly adopting the trend. Some of the methods to keep up to date with fashion is to watch celebrities and other fashion icons, go through the fashion magazines and keep track of the latest collections by designers. But by far the quickest way to see the new trend coming is by attending fashion shows.
A fashion show is an event where models display a designer’s latest collection on the ramp. A fashion week is nonstop extravaganza for a whole week cramp packed with the latest fashion collections by multiple designers. It is most awaited event in the fashion world. Now, the fashion capitals of each country hold their own fashion weeks. The most popular, more commonly known as “the Big Four”, fashion weeks are held in Paris, Milan, London and New York twice a year.
So, we wonder, from where does this fashionable affair start? Like all other inventions, in this case too, the mother happens to be necessity. As war waged across Europe, and stopped many aspects of life, it also hindered fashion. It dates back to 1943 when the World War 2 was at its fullest atrocity. Fashion gurus from around the world were unable to come to France to see and appreciate Paris’s latest designs. This was thought as an opportunity for designers elsewhere to showcase their collections. Thus, the first fashion week was arranged in New York by Eleanor Lamber. It was called the Press Week and after it there was no looking back.
This idea became very popular and since then fashion weeks are becoming the most awaited event of the fashionista world. Designers from clothes, to accessories, to shoes say that events such as the fashion week, not only give boost to their business but also provide an opportunity for displaying their aesthetic obsessions on the ramp.
Become a Fashion Designer With Dress Up Games
In general, girls love fashion more than boys. Some of them want to become fashion designers when they grow up. There are even some that are too young to know what a fashion designer is, but they love dressing up with mom’s clothes and combining them in several ways in order to come up with the prettiest outfit for their tea party with their stuffed animals. There is a tool that’s very easy and cheap to get access to for those girls who want to hone their skills.
Fashion on Internet
Thanks to the world wide reach of the Internet, now girls can get access to tons of styles, clothing and accessories from all over the world, even from cultures that are very different from theirs.
What is needed?
There are only two things you need, a computer and Internet access. If your reading this article, chances are you have them already. If you have a child in your house, I’m almost sure you have them already.
Dressing Up a Virtual Doll
There are literally thousands of dress up games at the reach of a few clicks. With only the imagination as a limit, programmers and designers have created dress up games that feature almost every celebrity and character that there is, and even groups of girls. From the Powerpuff girls to the Bratz dolls, and from the RBD pop girls to the cast of High School Musical, girls can play fashion designer with their favorite character, singer, actress or celebrity. There are, of course, generic nameless dolls dress up games, which are more suited for fashion only gaming.
Gameplay
Dress up games are very similar to old fashioned paper dolls, except with a far wider range of clothing. Girls select from a range of different pieces of clothing and accessories for a virtual doll to wear. Girls have fun by making the doll look pretty, stylish, elegant, cute, funny or whatever other idea they might come up with.
One of the most interest aspects of playing dress up games created from places all over the world is that girls are exposed to styles from different cultures. They will be dressing their dolls with Japanese kimonos, Indian Saris, Mexican sombreros, French bonnets, etc. You can even mix several elements from all over the world in order to make the perfect international look.
Building Up a Portfolio
It’s a good idea to save your or your girl’s creations on your computer for later reference. There are several advantages, for example, re-creating a look or style in real life, or printing it in order to decorate a room. You can also use one that you really liked or enjoyed as a screen background on your computer. Over time, a portfolio will let you show others your work, or give you a base to develop styles of your own. Of course, you can also post a printed version of your girl’s work on the fridge, or another special place, to show her how proud you are of her creativity.
How to Run a Fashion Show For Prom Dresses
A fashion show intended to showcase is different from an ordinary high street fashion show. Not only will it take much longer for models to get into their outfits (which rules out quick changes) but the value and delicacy of the items means that a great deal of care needs to be taken.
Timing your show
You need to allow around two minutes per model. This is enough time to walk down the catwalk, pose and walk back down the catwalk.
In terms of back stage timing you need to allow ten minutes for a girl to get a dress on for which she will need at least one helper.
Boys
If you can, its great to have male models accompany your female models down the catwalk. A local hire company may be willing to lend you suits if you give them a call.
Announcer
Ask someone with good presenting skills to compere the show. Their role will be to announce the name of the model and give a commentary about the dress that they are wearing. For example ‘This is Amy, she is wearing Bella, one of our pink prom dresses. This dress features stunning genuine crystal beading with a flowing tulle skirt’.
You should provide your compere with a script for each model/dress. This script should be organised in the same running order as the show.
Music
You should choose music which is both popular with the students in the show and appropriate for the occasion. Pay attention to the bpm (beats per minute) of the music. Your models will walk in time to the music and if the beat’s too fast they may end up half jogging down the catwalk (ruining your timings!).
Vet all music before hand to ensure that it doesn’t contain expletives.
Walk Through
It’s a good idea to have a walk though of your fashion show. While it is common to do a full dress rehearsal (wearing all the outfits), you should think carefully about doing this. Every time a prom dress is handled it runs the risk of being damaged. It is therefore not advisable to do a full dress rehearsal.
Backstage help
You will need at least one person to help when a girl is trying to get into her dress. If you can stagger the girls putting on their dresses then you won’t need as many helpers.
You also need a stage manager and an assistant stage manager. Both of these people should have a clipboard with details of the order in which the girls will go down the catwalk.
The stage manager stands in the wings and is responsible for ensuring that the right people go on stage at the right time.
It is there responsibility to make sure the girl starts putting the dress on in time and to make sure she is down in time. They need to be female so they can go into changing rooms.
Changing rooms
Ideally you need two rooms close to the stage. At least one needs to ensure privacy.
As prom dresses are worth hundreds of pounds each it is important to ensure they will not get damaged in the course of a fashion show.
One way to ensure that this doesn’t happen is by ensuring that no food, drink or make up is allowed into the changing rooms. Only the girls themselves and people helping them to get ready should be allowed in the changing room.
Ask girls to take responsibility for dresses
Begin by explaining to the girls involved that they will be personally responsible for taking care of their dresses. Each girl should formally ‘sign out’ the dress when she takes it off the rack. At the end of the show, someone needs to be appointed to check the dresses back on to the rail. A girl’s name should only be checked off the list when they have brought their dress back.
Enjoy it!
Running a fashion show can be great fun so finally, have a great time!