Fashion Week is over, and I need a nap!

Aight mpls kiddies...for those who have been asking, here is your fashion week update:

Welcome to the tents!

Lobby...

Totally awesome experience. Went into it on cloud 9 and stayed put for about 4 days until exhaustion set in. For name dropping purposes, the crew consisted of myself, Jennifer the main photographer aka boss lady, Kristie, Argenis, Scott (all shooters), Laura and Craig who were stuck photo editing at the apt the whole time, and Maddie the other intern (cute little blondie from the netherlands)...

Since I am updating days after Fashion Week ended, I will have to spare details because frankly I don't recall them, but will gladly give you the larger scope of the way things went.

Most days went very quickly from fast paced to slow paced and back to fast paced again within a matter of hours. We survived on a diet of leftover mini Pop burgers and Bawls. Most of my time was spent in the back of the tents either standing guard over the gear, chillin with securtiy, keeping Scott company as he covered the celebs in and out of the W lounge...

or hangin with my new super awesome LA buddy, Vijat...

There was always plenty to keep my eyes occupied back there, including a very plump makeup artist who was awarded the name "fat hair and make-up" by Madeleine. Seriously this lady has to weigh a few bills and seemed to do nothing but scavenge for leftover food from backstage. It was kinda gross. Maddie just linked me to this video of her. Probably the first time I have seen her without food in her mouth.

I admit, the first day I was there I became a bit starstruck, but that quickly faded to me wanting to vomit whenever another celeb walked by and the flashes poured out of the cameras. I realized very quickly how much they are just like you and me...only they have money and cameras tailing their behinds. Some faces at the tents...Chloe Sevigny, Sigourney Weaver, Laura Bush, Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks, Brittany Murphy, Ellen Pompeo, Ashley Olson, Posh, Eva Longoria, Zac Posen, Michael Kors, Cojo, and Betsey Johnson...to name a few.

Myself and Jennifer went offsite for a day across the street to the Bryant Park Hotel where we photographed Chloe Sevigny for a Samsonite Luggage campaign. It provided a nice break in the week. An aerial view of Bryant Park from the hotel room...

From time to time, I had to plant myself at the end of the runway to save a spot in a pit with what seemed like 21376 other photographers...

It wasn't nearly as bad as Jennifer made it sound. Yes, other photogs can be total bitches in order to keep a spot, which means at times I had to be bitch myself...but I had no problem with that. I was told early on to make friends with this video dude named Richard aka Totally Cool) who looks like a totally cracked out Aerosmith. And I'm glad I did because he is a rad guy and he totally helped me out in a few situations.

I really didn't mind holding spots, mainly because when my job was done I was able to hang and watch the shows from the sidelines. A few I was able to see...

Jackie Rogers
BCBG Maxazria
Baby Phat
Rock and Republic
James Coviello
Miss Sixty (checked out backstage for this as well)
Betsey Johnson
Zac Posen
Carmen Marc Valvo
Project Runway

And what I didn't see in person I was able to go home and watch on Full Frontal Fashion, channel 25.

The week ended with dinner and drinks with the crew at a cute little Thai place. Followed by days of feeling mentally drained and physically exhausted in every way.

I went into the whole thing not being sure what to expect. It was a bit different than what I had envisioned, but I still had a blast, and I am so glad I did it. I came out of it now knowing exactly what it is like behind the scenes and behind the cameras, something I have always been curious about, and something not a helluva lot of people can say. And of course, I came out of it with some fab new friends, new insights, and 10 lbs lighter...so all-in-all, a highly rated experience. And hopefully when September comes around, I will be invited to take part in it all over again :)

"What we seek we shall find; what we flee from flees from us. " - Ralph Waldo Emerson