An Illustrated trend report and live coverage from the NYFW AW2020 designer shows by NY Fashion Illustrator Deanna Kei. Full color fashion illustrations of the top 11 Trends of the season.
Read MoreNYFW: What its really like 5 minutes before show time..
NYFW: The True Backstage Experience
Deanna Kei ~ NYFW Runway & Front Row Illustration
An elaborately dressed crowd blocks the entrance, hoping to catch the eye of the stand by photographers. They’re kept at bay by a few suited men, acting as security. Here and there, people dressed in all black have their name’s checked off and pass through the doors. The models, managers, hair and make up teams are already inside and have begun preparing. The side of the room is already lined with racks of garment bags and shoe boxes. The new entries dressed in black are sent back and forth between people with clipboards until they find their assigned place among the racks. Some of the models are already sitting beside them. Others are still in Hair & Makeup. The ones that are finished scroll through their phones or chat casually with friends they recognize from other shows. There’s a bit of chaos in the room, but also an excited nervous energy. So much has been prepared beforehand but so many things must be saved for last minute to ensure perfection.
Creatures of Comfort NYFW Look
The people dressed in black are part of the Dressing team. They’re the ones who’ll help the models change outfits fast during the show, and will be ready to stitch up a zipper or two if there’s a last minute mishap. They’re usually volunteers and are fashion students or fashion lovers who want to help out and be a part of the excitement. They’re not there for the glory, dressed in a mandated all black dress code—(no accessories allowed!)—and they’re not there for recognition: taking photos or Insta stories is prohibited. They do get to see the collection up close and touch some of the pieces before the rest of the world sees them come down the runway.
Dressing is definitely a one of a kind experience and working each show is completely different. ‘Dressing’ at a runway show is a little more complicated than dressing yourself at home. Each ‘Look’ for the show is given is number. The looks include not only the clothing, but the accessories, hair, makeup, shoes, and any other props that have been confirmed in advance. All of the pieces are kept together on hangers and in garment bags. They’re grouped together on rolling racks and marked by a giant card/poster listing the Look # (which is the order it will go down the runway) and the model’s full name. There’s also a photo of the model dressed in the entire look. This part is key! The dressers are seeing this look for the very first time so they’ll rely solely on the photo to figure out how to put it on. Sometimes its simple, but usually its not. Many times there is an head piece that wraps around, or a certain button that’s meant to be skipped, or a draped piece that looks like a rectangle on a hanger but must transform magically on the model.
—But the most difficult aspect of all is the time limit! You might think “Why don’t they just get dressed in advance?” but to keep everything, pristine, clean and perfectly pressed, the models aren’t allowed to begin dressing until moments before they go out. Then, all at once, chaos ensues! It’s not uncommon to see a dresser running along side their model and still dressing her as she takes her place in line for the stage. Yes, the first go around is pretty intense but its when the model has a second or third look that things get really crazy. After the model returns from her first walk, there are only minutes to get her out of that outfit and into the next so she can run back out. It’s quite the time challenge.
In the past, as a design student I’ve dressed for Creatures of Comfort, Farah Angsana, and Zadig Et Voltaire and each back stage experience was extremely unique from the others. At one of the shows, all of the teams were allowed to walk around the site freely and enjoy the hors d'oeuvres. The model I was working with preferred to dress herself and I really only had to help her get into her shoes and then make sure everything was on correctly and matched her card.
Another show was at Chelsea Piers. There were multiple shows going on inside the venue. It was amazing inside and there were a lot of random photo ops, like a giant armchair on a platform, and a flower wall. At this particular show the backstage organization was terrible. For this show my model had 1 mid-show outfit change. The second look racks were wedged in a tight corridor beside the runway entrance. The first look went fine, but there were only seconds to completely change the models for their second walk. The back stage space was so tight for 20 models and their dressers, and there was a lot of tripping and accidental elbowing. It was chaotic to say the least!
Zadig Et Voltaire NYFW Look
The third show I worked on was much more organized and there was so much space! I was assigned two models but they only had one outfit each. I helped them both simultaneously and they lined up and went out without a hitch. After the final walk, I helped them change back, packed up the look in the garment bags and that was a wrap! —but the most unique part here was what happened to me even before the show dressing!
One of the models was missing for the pre-show rehearsal. (The last minute pre-show rehearsal is when they line all the models up in numerical order and everyone does their full catwalk to the music to test that everything is ready for the show.) Some one grabbed me by chance and told me to line up as model #26 since she was still stuck in Hair & Makeup. I was praying for #26 to turn up before the line moved but unfortunately she did not. I was a least a foot shorter than the rest of the line and they had all just come from Hair & Makeup and were glowing. I felt really out of place. However, seeing the actual NYFW runway from the models point of view was such a unique and memorable experience that it was worth all the awkwardness! The show hadn’t started but some of the audience had already been seated. I walked out in the line up, to the music and the lights—to a partially filled room— and as much as it was embarrassing, it was actually pretty fun!
NYFW always brings an amazing energy to the city and there’s nothing else like it! While the runway shows are fun, my new favorite events are the Pop Up Shops and Design Installations that many designers are opting to reveal their collections during. I especially love Illustrating at them!
Are you looking forward to any shows this season?
The Fall/Winter 20 Women’s RTW shows kick off on February 7th and run until February 12th. You can check out the official CFDA calendar here.
*Snag this fun Fashion Week notebook here to keep track of all your inspiration and trend notes!
Do you have a fashion week story? Share yours in the comments below or drop a link to your post!
Deanna Kei is a NY based Fashion and Beauty Illustrator. She works with brands to create unique and engaging content featuring their products and collections. To commission illustrations for your brand please write to deannakei@gmail.com
5 Fun Illustrated Gifts You Wont Find Anywhere Else
The holidays are an amazing and exciting time but lets face it—shopping for gifts can be totally stressful!
In the spirit of “More cheer - less stress” I’m sharing 5 of my favorite giftable items that are ‘Fashion and Function’ —because the only thing better than a gift that looks great is one that’s actually useful too! (Don’t you agree?)
You can click any of the images below for more details!
Ready to take a look? Lets go!
Gift Number 1: For the friend who’s always digging through their purse..
There’s at least one (or maybe 10) of your friends who can never seem to find their keys,phone, wallet..something! —Well here’s a quick fix for that: A Canvas organizer Pouch.
—Perfect for keeping all the lose items in a giant purse in check! It also doubles as a makeup bag or a pencil case too! (I recommend the medium size option for that.) Another great perk is that they’re also machine washable!
I personally use a ton of these when I’m out. I like to carry one for coupons and cards, one for my to-go cosmetics, and another for my art supplies, phone charger, wallet and keys. I toss them all in my bag and never have any trouble finding what I’m looking for!
The illustration featured here is for the year-round Fall lover! (You know, the “Pumpkin everything” girl/guy.) I tried to capture the warm tones of a New England park during Autumn and added in a few pets for fun.
If fall isn’t your friend’s favorite season, check out some of my other illustrated pouches here.
Gift Number 2: For your friend who’s all about the ‘Gram…
Always on their phone? Help them deck it out!
A super chic phone case is the most functional accessory!
This case is available in a bunch of different sizes and models. If you’re gifting someone who’s like me and drops their phone frequently the ‘Tough Case’ option is perfect! It provides maximum protection without looking like a utility box like some of the other heavy duty cases do. (I have one of these in the ‘Tough Case’ option myself and you should see how many drops its survived!) —If they never drop their phone there’s a light case option too!
A red satin gown with ostrich feathered shoulders is the perfect amount of extra. This illustration was inspired by traditional 5th avenue glam with the intent of reminding you (and everyone who sees it) to be your own fabulous self!
*If glam isn’t your thing and you’re looking for a phone case that’s a little more ‘street’, check out some of my other available designs.
Gift Number 3: For the friend with the tres-chic apartment…
Every time you walk into their home you’re hit with a fresh burst of room-envy. They don’t need their perfect space cluttered up so instead how about something that’s cute but also brings extra comfort to the room?
Decorative throw pillows are the perfect accent to any setting!
This illustration is inspired by my favorite yearly New York scene: Ice Skating on a winter’s day, a warm cup of cocoa in hand —in a cute outfit of course —while the Bryant Park Library, and the holiday market shops glow in the back ground.
Click here to see some other pillow options
Gift Number 4: For the Stylish but Eco-Conscious friend…
Reusable tote bags are the prefect way to reduce plastic consumption while shopping. A great tote is perfect for a trip to the market, or even to Target (Drop all your purchases right into your tote and say ‘No’ to all those plastic bags).
They’re light weight and spacious and these totes come in multiple sizes . (My favorite is the 16” x 16” size because it fits quite a lot without being too big for every day use. I recommend using a zip pouch to keep things organized inside a tote! )
This illustration is of my favorite little, sometimes snow covered, bridge in Central Park and of a happy, stylish pair walking with their puppy in arm. (Perfect holiday movie scene, right?)
Gift Number 5: For the Coffee-lover…
Do you have a coffee lover in your life? (I have at least ten! You probably do too!) A cute reusable travel mug is always a good gift option!
These stainless steel mugs come with a spill proof lid and double walled body to keep coffee hot (or iced tea cold!)
This black rose graphic is a illustration/photo manipulation I actually worked on for an anti-valentines day prompt but it’s become one of my best selling designs. I like to think it has an elegance about it that leaves the message behind it up to interpretation so that everyone can find their own meaning.
So There you have it! 5 Fun unique gift ideas for your friends with illustrations you won’t find anywhere else! Hopefully this guide was helpful! At the very least I hope I gave you some ideas! When you’re stuck on choosing the perfect gift, sometimes instead of wondering “What would they like” its better to think “What could they use?” —because everyone loves a useful gift!
(Not pictured in this guide but also included: Coasters, Serving Trays, Mugs, Cutting Boards, Clocks and more!)