One filled 2 TB drive. Two shows with ballerinas. Three times I was yelled at backstage. Four glasses of wine. Five runway shoots. Six trips to Starbucks. Seven times I was starstruck. Eight GIFs. Nine shows. And ten days later… fashion week is finally winding down.
I had the pleasure of shooting the following shows and events this week: Rihanna’s Fenty Puma Collection at Bergdorf Goodman and Pop Up Experience at SIX:02, Sachin & Babi, Cartier’s Fifth Ave. Mansion Reopening, Monse, Ryan Roche, Victoria Beckham, Prabal Gurung, Tory Burch, Monique Lhuillier, Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren.
One of the advantages of being one of the youngest shooters backstage is that I know most of the celebrities and models. Often other photographers lean over and ask me who someone is.
I still get giddy when I see a celebrity and I have no shame about it. I do my best to ask them politely for a photo. Sadly, David Beckham declined when he was at attendance of his wife Victoria Beckham’s show. However, he did hold me and reply “No sorry sweetie.” I practically melted. Side note: I took one anyways. Whoops. Son Brooklyn Beckham did pose for a photo and regrammed the photo on his Instagram. Currently, the photo has 359k likes on his page and is still climbing.
Monique Lhuillier had a star studded front row including Sami Gayle, Jamie Chung, Skylar Samuels, Devon Windsor, Rachel Hilbert, Cara Santana and Ireland Baldwin. I have done work for Chung and Santana before for each of their blogs: What the Chung and Cara Disclothed. Both greeted me with a hug, which raised eyebrows from other photographers. All the girls lined up in front of their seats for the traditional front row group shot. “Over here!” “Ladies this way!” “Devon! Eyes Here!”
Quietly I say, “Right over here please.” Chung turns to the other girls and says “Isn’t Alyssa the sweetest. She’s just over here like ‘Please look this way.’” The girls start to giggle as Chung imitates my little hand waving at them. Click. I get the shot.
Politeness gets you a long way in fashion week. I always thank the staff, security, and PR Company on my way out. Thanks to those people, the show runs smoothly. They constantly have to listen to people yell and force their way into the show that don’t have access. I try not to be one of those people.
Yesterday at a show, a photographer was angry that security made him and the other backstage photographers go grab their bags from the hair and makeup room and drag they up two flights of stairs. “This is why you people are electing Trump for President. This is ridiculous!” He continues to ramble about the “absurdity” of the situation. Finally when he finishes, the PR staff member says, “You can leave your bags here in the hallway instead. Would that make you happy?” He nods in agreement and the PR member then replies, “Can we now have Hillary back for President?” Laughter ensues amongst the photographers backstage.
Michael Kors had one of the biggest model line-ups this season, including Carolyn Murphy (who I have shot multiple times and have become friendly with), Joan Smalls, Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Romee Strijd and Taylor Hill. Strijd and Hill are both Victoria’s Secret models, so they were the focus of many photographers as they followed their every move. Hadid was given a GoPro set up to tape herself backstage getting ready. She turned the camera around and faced it on me and another photographer (who was shooting for Getty). “Hey everyone! Look at my friends” she said into the GoPro as she smiled and taped us. We both waved at the camera. I’m sure this video is somewhere online and in the meantime I’ll continue googling for it.
Ralph Lauren didn’t have access for backstage or first looks, so my 8:00pm call time for front row and runway was my last shoot of the week. Julianne Moore sat front row with her daughter along with Jessica Alba and other notables. The show venue was built attached to their store on Madison Ave. Post show; they opened the doors to the store for champagne and shopping. You could immediately shop the collection, something new to fashion week. Usually the shows showcase the following season, so the looks aren’t available to purchase for six or more months.
The lo-key mingling in the store with celebrities, photographers, bloggers, buyers and editors were the perfect end to New York Fashion Week for me.
