Backstage: Behind the scenes of a fashion show (2024)

Ten minutes. Ten minutes is the average duration of a catwalk presentation.That is the length of time in which a designer can show a collection thatis meant to capture the brand's image so convincingly that its clothes willwant to be worn by consumers all over the world and featured in leadingeditorial glossies. It is a task of both enormous pressure and colossalpreparation that requires military precision in planning and execution.

Why military precision? Because anything can go wrong. One season in Parisone of the models wore a pair of shoes with a price tag still stuck to thesole. It was all the press talked about after the show, how sloppy thestylist was, and worse, it was seen on the catwalk photos that circulatedthe internet. Even the smallest of mistakes and spell a fashion disaster.

For the designer, the key to presenting a successful fashion show is looks:models should be dressed with outfits that are cohesive, present a visionand capture the attention of the press and buyers. A designer will usuallywork with a stylist who selects the looks and briefs the designer on trendsand industry movements. A stylist and a designer can have a very symbioticrelationship, as seen with Nicolas Ghesquière and his stylist museMarie-Amelie Sauvé, who have worked together since his debut at Balenciaga,or Marc Jacobs and Venetia Scott.

Up to 50 hairdressers can work being the scenes

But the stylist is just the first of many involved in a fashion show. Thereare also the sound engineer and technical assistants, the director of hairand make-up with anything up to 50 hairdressers and 35 makeup artists,depending on how many models are in the show and the size of theproduction. Then there are the people behind the planning stages, such asthe casting director, the pr team who invite the media, the graphicdesigners who create the invitations, the sales agency who look after thebuyers, the seamstresses finishing the garments, caterers, security,lighting, runners, and the list goes on.

With Paris Fashion Week well under way, we can be assured that the fashionhouses have been working with a show producer who bring all the elementstogether and who will organise the model casting, set production, supervisehair and makeup, and basically direct all the staff that are there toimplement the vision of the designer and translate this into a catwalkshow. As these shows are so complex, designers tend to work with the sameindividuals season after season, from hair and makeup to production, and itis these industry heavyweights who put on most of the shows during fashionweek. For example, makeup director Pat McGrath and her teams will easily do10 shows during Paris Fashion Week, from Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga,to Maison Martin Margiela and Stella McCartney.

Who wears what is important as the clothes themselves

Once the designer, stylist and show producer have decided on the number oflooks to present - which could be anything from 24 to 70 - the castingprocess begins. Now is the time to decide the best models to wear the mostsignificant looks to gauge both media and buyer interest. Opening andclosing the show are the two most significant faces. It is important tounderstand what helps or hinders the fashion media, avoiding both looksthat underwhelm or that feel too contrived. Like any production, be it thestage, a concert or a fashion show, it is important to understand youraudience. If you are presenting to Anna Wintour and the buying director ofBergdorf Goodman, who are looking to plan their editorial and store buysfor next season, you will present a different show then when you are aimingto sell merchandise.

Major shows, like Chanel's Metiers d'Arts, will take up to twelve months toorganise, specifically with coordinating a venue, show date and theme. Forthe twice annual fashion weeks, 5 weeks is the minimum time to be able toexecute a good presentation. Casting usually starts three weeks before ashow, when the model agencies will know who will be in town. Venues will bebooked anywhere between six months and five weeks, although most designersshow in the same show space season after season, so these tend to be donein block bookings. The fashion council in each country will set theschedule well in advance so designers and production teams can planaccordingly.

Fashion shows are expensive

Fashion shows are expensive. Marc Jacobs thinks nothing of spending amillion dollars per show and even for the average brand, it is difficult toput on a credible production for under 100,000 dollars. The more elaborateand complex the show, the higher the costs increase. The major fashionhouses don't sell tickets so they must work with sponsors and their ownfinancial resources to cover the costs. Budgets must remain flexible asthere are always hidden costs and revisions. No matter how extravagant theshow, the production team and planners must evaluate all of the variousexpenses involved in the initial stages of planning. This starts by aprojection of all the anticipated expenses, and usually with the largercosts, such as venue hire, catering, written quotations should berequested. Modeling agencies usually charge a flat rate for unknown girls,and anything up to 100,000 for top models or celebrities. The more topmodels you see on the runway and celebrities on the front row, the biggerthe budget. Balmain always has a stellar model line-up, whereas at GiorgioArmani there is more emphasis on new faces.

Front of house is as important to plan as what happens behind the scenes.For example, seating together two editors of rival publications can bedetrimental with so many egos at play. Or not recognising an importantjournalist who forgot an invitation and can't get through security. Theshow producer and public relations team usually finalise the seating chart,which is one of the final preparations pre show. A run-through with thecorrect order of models and garments along with the timing of the music andlighting is usually done while models are in hair and makeup or a few hoursbefore the show. For most people involved, they will have done many showsbefore, so there is no reason for a show not to be pulled off without aglitch.

Once the audience is seated, the lights dim, the music starts and theatmosphere is transformed into the unique vision of the brand. When thefirst model steps onto the catwalk the audience becomes transfixed, it isnow just about the clothes. If a designer has created something thatcaptures their attention and imagination the show will have been aresounding success.

Images: Various runway