They say ‘No (Fashion) Pain, No (Fashion) Gain’ and I think I gained by putting in the hard yards today. Working again with the Vogue girls, I headed to Central Pier Docklands for the 9am start, arriving just as the sun was beginning to get warm.

A tour of backstage quickly followed and we started unloading the clothes and shoes. Time flies when you are having fun and before we knew it mid morning was upon us, sound checks and rehearsals underway. I was assigned to assist on L’Oreal Paris Runway Two, featuring ANT!POD!UM; Ansdorf; Dion Lee; ELLERY; Friedrich Gray; Gary Bigeni; Romance was Born and Therese Rawsthorne. Runway Three bumped in first and rehearsed, followed by a full dress rehearsal, which I was lucky enough to see half of. We continued to tape shoes, retape shoes and check accessories. We removed tags, planned finales and ran around like crazy people. Backstage heated up.

When I say heated up, I don’t mean because of the stress, tension and anxiety levels that were running high – the actual temperature in the backstage area soared far beyond the 31 degrees outside. An enclosed space, created out of mostly black vinyl, becomes warm very quickly and all the volunteers and staff were feeling it. You may remember I am one who doesn’t do so well in the heat, I am prone to fainting and I certainly don’t look very appealing. Seriously, I get really red and retain fluid like nothing else. Fat fingers, ankles and calves, red face – must be the ‘hottest’ thing at the festival!

I attempted to power through, it was our turn for dress rehearsal and we bumped in quickly – time was already running behind. Within 10 minutes, the running around got to me and three people commented in quick succession that I wasn’t looking so crash hot (I think the white ring around my mouth is always a dead giveaway) and I was sent to sit in the hall where the air con was in good supply. I was regretting my decision to wear jeans and as I sat and watched our guys run through the dress rehearsal and guzzled close to three litres of water. The dress rehearsal went, well, as well as can be expected, but the show must go on and it always seems that everything turns out all right on the night.

I was told to eat, I ate; I was told to go outside and get some air, I went. The models headed to hair and make up, the volunteers had a breather and we were all systems go for 6.30pm. An hour out we were in lockdown, 30 minutes out and the models are getting dressed. 15 minutes and the room outside is buzzing, 10 minutes and so are we. 5 minutes and the punters take their seats, 2 minutes and the music starts, 30 seconds and we are good to go.

What follows is 10 minutes of mayhem. 18 models, 8 designers, 9 outfits per label and 21 volunteers. Every model has about 45 seconds (if that) to get changed, keeping in mind you have to watch hair and make up mishaps, some outfits are seriously complicated and don’t forget the accessories! Shoes are fitted seconds before a girl walks out in a cloud of last minute hairspray.

Then just like that, it’s over. A smattering of applause backstage hails the success of the show and it’s a rush to bump out so that the Runway Three team can move their stuff in for the 8.30pm show. We pack up the gear to be sent back to the designers and shoe stores, removing all the tape we spent so many hours putting on along the way. I leave Central Pier just after 9pm, 12 hours since I arrived fresh this morning. I have a headache and my feet hurt, I’m starving and I’m tired but it’s all so worth the exhilaration and thrill of being a part of something that truly is, pretty amazing.

My shift today might have been to assist the Vogue girls but I ended up working with Head Dresser Virginia who has requested I assist her on Thursday at the Renegades show (another 12 hour stint at the Malvern Town Hall – the show is at 10pm!). She also asked for me to help out on Saturday at the Target Rocks Red Market. This in addition to media passes and tickets I acquired today for Runway 4 tomorrow night and the Fashion Collections on Friday night! Phew! Well, I’m exhausted, how about you? Catch you tomorrow fashionistas!!

Image One: Backstage at Central Pier, Runway Two
Image Two: Nevenka Rehearsal, Runway Three
Image Three: The vinyl wall – just in case!
Image Four: Models about to take the runway in ELLERY and Tony Bianco boots