It started out quiet, more or less...a little turmoil at the beginning which I have put behind me and moved away from a toxic situation, lesson learned. The end to the week was whirl wind to say the least!
My daughter participated in Vancouver Fashion Week and well I have to tell you it was an experience and a half for not just her, but her dad and me too! We were back and forth down town several times on our appointed days, she was walking in shows on four of the five days and judging by the first day there is a really good reason she wasn't part of the shows that day, she is just too young for some of the designers and that's fine, she will have plenty of time to mature before being faced with racy outfits.
So the week started Thursday at 1:00pm which was the time she needed to be at the hotel for hair, make-up, final fittings and instructions from the designer on how to walk. She wasn't to be on the runway until 6:00pm. This was the first of her dad's two days to chaperon. Well, all things being as they are the shows were running late and 6pm turned into 7:45pm good thing she was only in one show that night or getting up for school the next morning would have been tough.
The next day was my turn. I took the afternoon off because she had to be down town again by 2:30pm and we had a few errands to run before hand. I dropped her off at 2:20pm and headed back to the ex's to deal with our son, make sure he had dinner and just hang with him for a few hours because he dad was working a later than normal shift and wouldn't be home until about 9:00pm. At about 6:15pm I headed back down town for the 7:30pm show she was to walk in. Figuring they would be running late again I wasn't in that big a hurry except for the fact that she had forgotten something and needed it delivered I would have waited longer to head back out.
Good thing I didn't, these shows were right on schedule and I was only 10 minutes early! Thank GOD for small miracles, (or small requirements) I didn't miss a thing and she was walking in a second show later that evening so I got two for the price of one...not that the parents of under age models actually had to pay to get in but there was the parking and gas expense. She looked amazing in both shows, she really has a great walk and runway presence, and it's not just a mothers bias, the coordinator of the event commented to her as well as two of the designers she walked for. I can see her going far with this.
That evening as we drove home she was pretty excited, she chatted (uncharacteristically) all the way back to her dads. She told me all about the hair and make up and the designers and all the models and she really seemed to emerge from her normal quiet self. Nothing wrong with that it's just surprising how much she really loves this crazy industry. It wasn't too late when she got in but according to her dad her number one priority was to go wash off the pound of make up, something she's not accustom to, oh, and combing out the rats nest the hair stylist made of her hair.
The next day was Saturday and she was told to be back at 11:00 am because she was walking in an early show, 5:00pm. Well turns out she was too early, her and three other models. So they sat and waited and she worked on her homework...this is a whole other story for a late blog. Finally they got into the room at about 1:00pm. I headed back down town for 5:00pm thinking they would be on time again...not so much. I guess it's hit and miss with this event so ya, I waited about an hour before we were even able to get in to the ball room where the show was being held. No big deal, she was on early. She sent me a text saying she would be in two shows instead of the one we were thinking. This was fine because it more experience for her.
I tried taking pictures but ya, I suck at that...thankfully there were about a million photographers there and I've been able to get some great shots directly from a few of them. It's surreal seeing my daughter all made up. Certainly a far cry from the jeans, t-shirt, Converse All Stars and no make up that I'm used to. Not to mention that smile! Something my very serious daughter reserves only for modeling when required. Don't get me wrong she does smile at home it would just be nice to see it more often.
It's interesting how the further into fashion week we got the stranger the designs got. She even had one designer comment to her "you are very pretty and you have to wear that" about his own design, it did look fine on her I guess he thought she should have worn something else. No matter I think she was just flattered that he thought that. She definitely views this as a job and is willing to follow instructions, wear pretty much what ever the designer wants (age appropriate) and let the stylists do her hair and make up accordingly, but once she's done, the make up comes off and the hair is combed out.
Sunday was the last day, and her dad's turn to take her. She had one show, the last show and again they were running behind a little. This was by far the strangest designs and worst looking make up and hair, high fashion I suppose but I couldn't imagine who would wear some of these things, maybe Lady GaGa no one in their right minds that's for sure. Needless to say by the time she got home it was late and she had school the next day. Well she was too pumped to go to bed thanks to the not so wise decision of her father to give her coffee that late at night.
She told me all about the show and how uncomfortable the shoes were to wear and almost not be able to walk in, again high fashion, and how one girl actually cut her foot on one of the shoes. We looked through the pictures that had been uploaded to the VFW site and at some of the photographers face book pages. Up until now she hadn't really seen how she looked on the runway. We finally closed the laptop just after midnight.
So there you have it Vancouver Fashion Week from one mom's perspective. It was allot of work allot of driving a small fortune in gas but the end result was well worth it. On that note however I did get a text from my daughter on the Saturday saying and I quote...
"OMG. I do not want to do this again. No more Fashion Week."
We'll see, I bet she does the one in November for 2012 Spring and Summer.
With much love, light and a promising future,
Tammy.
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