"I was so proud of Christian when he won last season's Project Runway; he worked so hard on that collection and he was terrified nobody was going to like it. When Heidi announced he was the winner and he cried, I cried. It was very surreal that it was all happening, that that was my boyfriend. I'm still beaming. So last night, when he finally got to show his full spring collection, solo and as a part of New York fashion week, it was a hugely emotional event. I was even more proud last night, and once again his fears that nobody was going to like the clothes were immediately quashed by all the buyers and press and celebrities in attendance who were aghast at how beautiful everything was. I have been taking photos of the preparations, castings, fittings, backstage, show, and after party. Here's a collection of some of them." — Brad Walsh.

Photography and words by Brad Walsh.
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According to StereoHyped, Behnaz Sarafpour used one black model; Rodarte used one; Jill Stuart used 4, up from zero last season. Calvin Klein used one. Monique Lhullier used none. Reuters reports that Vivienne Tam also used none.

After writing about this subject repeatedly, it's still shocking to see a post by a commenter on StereoHyped which reads: "Please explain to me why this is such an important issue?" It's incredible that people really don't get it. Having only white models on New York Fashion Week runways sends a dangerous message: That there is only one high-fashion "look," and it is to have pale skin. During Fashion Week, reporters come from around the globe, photographers take pictures that are seen in hundreds of countries. New York is a cosmopolitan city where it is unacceptable to tell a woman you're not going to hire her because she is black. And yet, for the past few years, that's exactly what has been happening in the fashion industry. In New York.

So, are things slowly getting better? "Visually on the runways, it has improved," model mogul (and organizer of the "Absence Of Color" summits) Bethann Hardison tells Reuters. "But the results are still racist. [Designers] choose the same white and never go towards the brown or the dark."

Fashion Week Features Few Black Runway Models [Reuters]
Black Model Watch: Spring '09 Fashion Week [StereoHyped]

Earllier: Fashion Week Runways Were Almost A Total Whitewash

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Photography by Alex Wright.
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Earlier: Live From New York: The Project Runway Fashion Show & The Case Of The Missing J. Lo

Photography by Alex Wright.
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Photography by Alex Wright.
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Photography by Alex Wright.
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Photography by Alex Wright.
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Austria is heading to London with her mother agent, the amazingly named and arguably patronizing Socrates McKnney, instead of her visa-less mother — a ritual of teenaged (non-Western) model abandonment that seems to cheer her bookers at IMG, since the maybe-15-year-old seems to "allow" her mom to be "a comfort zone" and it might be good for the tyke to stand on her own two feet. Madeline books (a respectable but not earth-shattering) seven shows and tries to contemplate the bright side in a meeting with her agents. Cato is last glimpsed, in a fake-reality fake-cliffhanger that might as well be lifted from that wonky first season of The Hills, supposedly trying to hail a cab to take her to the airport for her flight to London. Apparently the entire documentary film team with her can't offer her transport, and nor can the many yellow cabs that pass behind her on the adjacent street. Her single biggest piece of luggage? A large paper bag from a certain mall store show sponsor.


Previously:

Vogue's Model.Live: The New York Fashion week Hustle Begins

Vogue's Model.Live: Models Are Strange, When You're An Agent

Vogue's Model.Live: Castings Can Really Be A Grind

Vogue's Model.Live: Don't Get Famous, And Other Gems Of Parental Wisdom

Points For Effort: Vogue Reality Series About Modeling Surprisingly Realistic, A Little Boring

Related: Model.Live Episode 6

Model.Live on Bebo

Photography by Alex Wright.
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Photography by Alex Wright.
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The Good:
Christy Romano sports pretty much the platonic ideal of LBD.
Jada Pinkett Smith has some fun with her Zac Posen, clearly. Why not?
Olivia Chantecaille always does "wealthy socialite" perfectly.
I have a major weakness for ridiculous dandies like Prince William III.
Also, fops and exquisites like Patrick McDonald.


The Bad:
I don't know what shoes Kelly Killoren Bensimon was wearing, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest that they don't redeem this look.
Bernadette Peters, you leave me no choice but to quote Tyra Banks: shiny fabrics are not your friend.
Again, I'm hazy on the dress code rules, but I'm guessing Julie Macklowe's outfit doesn't conform to them.
The Tinz's dress is just fine. But I have made my displeasure with this senseless trend in shoes widely known, so I take this as a personal affront.
I wonder if Rachel Zoe styled this look. Because Joy Bryant doesn't shut it down here. At Medieval Times? Maybe.



The Ugly:
As a designer, I wonder how you feel about a "tribute" like Aubrey O'Day's.

8:43: I'm on line. Jennifer & Kelli from the current season came together.

9:08: Rachel Zoe is here of course. At least, I think it's her.

The hair and the big glasses...could be anyone, I guess.
9:09: Here's Heidi's seat:

9:10 I am in the tent in my seat now. I saw Heidi and Michael Kors' seats; they will be facing me so I can see their reactions.
9:11: Breaking rumor: Matt Sullivan says that Jennifer Lopez bailed.
9:13: Ooh, Christian Siriano! He is so wee!
9:15: There's Fern Mallis. She has such groovy glasses.
9:16: A voice keeps repeating: "Ladies and gentlemen, take your seats." But there's so much hubbub.
9:17: Christian just took a pic with a little girl who looks to be about 6 years old. I could die...so cute.
9:18: The usher who showed me my seat said, "I love Jezebel".
9:18: I see Jay McCarroll.
9:19: STELLA!
9:20: She is wearing a leather top and skirt, very retro. But studded.
9:21: Um, Rachel Zoe IS here, but it's not the person I thought it was.
9:22: Okay, the rumor is confirmed: No Jennifer Lopez. We're supposed to call her publicist if we want a statement.
9:23: Aw, Michael Kors' mom in front row. Harvey Weinstein is sitting between Rachel Zoe and Fern Mallis.
9:24: Tabitha from Shear Genius is in the front row too. Go, Bravo, go.
9:25: Michelle Trachtenberg in front row. I think I see Korto's family!
9:28: I see Blayne in a black turtleneck sitting in second row with Terri, Stella, Keith & other eliminated designers.
9:30: Okay, Padma Lakshmi just sat next to Christian Siriano, who is next to Rachel Zoe, who is next to Harvey Weinstein. Is Padma the J. Lo replacement? That would be okay by me!

Nina Garcia and Michael Kors walked out. Applause!
9:33: Nina, Michael and Heidi - who came out of nowhere - stood at the end of runway for pictures.

Judith Light in front row.

The lights went down!

9:34: Heidi came out and said 'welcome'. She is wearing a green, tight dress.

9:35: Just spotted Chris March.

9:36: Heidi is saying "We had a great 5 years at Bravo and thank you for putting this show on your network...it's come to an end. She is thanking the magical elves the production company.

She introduced Nina and Michael and gave Harvey a kiss.

9:39: She says Jennifer Lopez had a foot inury so she could not be here.

The guest judge is Tim Gunn!

He promises not to have any bias.

9:40: Okay, Jerell is the first out. He thanks his mom and dad and his boyfriend.

His first dress is glittery and strapless.

9:42: Next dress is sleeveless and black lace.

9:43: More sequins, more sheer, with a pirate chic aesthetic. And by that, I mean, stripes.

9:44: Gold lame dress is fug.

9:46: He layered sequins over sequins. :(

9:47: This ballgown is nice!

Okay, that show is over. Nina is frowning.

9:48: Well now she is smiling. So tricky, that one!

Okay, now Suede is out. I can't believe he is showing. Is he a decoy?

Suede's gonna rock it, he just said.

9:49: Apparently his Mohawk matches the clothes or some shit.

Plaid dress.

9:50: Dress with silver sequins on top and multicolored tulle on bottom.

Candy pink.

9:51: Braided dress with car wash skirt.

Bustier with trousers.

9:52: This one blue dress has a thread hanging from it. If I can see it from the 7th row then Nina can see it.

9:53: Okay, the wedding dress (???) is kind of adorable. Overall, everything was pink and blue and shimmery and tacky like cotton candy.

9:54: Okay, JOE is on the runway. He is the token straight guy. I did not think he would be here.

9:56: He says his collection is "Americana". The first piece is a brown leather bustier with a denim skirt, kinda Ralph Lauren.

9:57: A denim bustier and leather jeans.

9:58: A really pretty floral strapless dress.

...A midnight blue slipdress with stars embroidered on it.

9:59: A black leather bustier with a red quilted skirt; actually quite nice!

10:00: Nina and Michael having heated discussion.

Okay, that one is done.

10:01: Kenley is out. She says she was inspired by Alice in Wonderland and made her dream wardrobe.

10:02: The first piece is a strapless dress long in front, short in back.

The models have feathers in their hair.

10:03: Bubble hem party dress in blue.

...strapless dress with huge tulle skirt.

10:04: Black sheath with feather collar.

10:05: Peach swingy dress with embroidered flowers.

10:06: The last dress is a cream, feathery tulle ballgown like a wedding dress from Swan Lake. This is the best so far.

10:07: It's over. Korto came out! She says her collection is inspired by nature. "Everyone knows I'm from Africa."

10:08: But she says Arkansas has beautiful landscapes too.

10:09: First dress is a vivid teal stretch column.

...the next is neutral and more voluminous.

...the next is super short, bright green.

10:10: A lot of pleating details.

10:11: Another short green dress with interesting neckline. Fabric is folded and pleated and twisted.

10:12: Overall, it was hot and tropical and pretty.

10:13: Korto walked the runway with her daughter, aww.

10:14: Next is Leanne.

10:15: She says she has lost millions of hours of sleep over this collection.

10:16: Leanne's first dress got applause. Cream on top, blue on bottom, exquisitely pleated and folded.

She has skirts with oddly-shaped pleats and huge collars like folded paper. But everything is soft and dreamy.

10:17: One dress has a different color on the inside of the pleats. So when it moves you see flashes of color.

10:18: The last cream colored gown is divine. She is clearly the crowd favorite.

10:20: Okay, so Heidi says guess what? That was it! Now I have to try and get out of here so I can go home and put up all the photos of the runway looks. See you guys in a bit.

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It’s show season, and I’m in this uncharacteristically elevated mood because I never find show season to be a grind so much as a whirl. Show season is the fashion Super Bowl, and I’m not ashamed to say I live for the game. It's when you discover new reserves of endurance and the depth of your own capacity for fun. You will work two shows and do “looks” — basically, fit modeling for a designer culling his clothes into a collection — for five hours and then you will meet your Australian friend for dinner at 11 p.m., and you will go to at least two fashion after parties (which will be lame), and you will find yourself in a romantic clinch with a Dutch minor-league soccer player at the Beatrice at 2 a.m. before retiring, with the Australian friend, to some tiny bar willing to serve you margaritas until you are both so blotto that when it’s time to find a cab you can’t even tell if you’ve ended up in the East Village or the West, all the streets are looking mighty crooked and none of them seem to go where you think they ought. And you will make it into the makeup artist’s chair at exactly 8:30 a.m. the next day; how any of this happens, exactly, is a mystery, but a glorious one. And life continues in this mode of serendipity-driven Stakhanovite excess for as many show weeks as you do. Your feet ache from your eleventy-seven castings and your head aches from the sponsored cocktails lame afterparty #14 was serving and you’ve achieved a new level of oneness with your cell phone, so often does your booker call with so many conflicting appointments and addresses, and the constant yawing up-and-down fortunes of options, confirmations, and cancellations makes it a high-stakes way to live.

But the adrenaline rush of doing a show, of walking out in front of the barking photographers and the hot lights and participating in the enactment of a designer’s personal creative vision for the world, it’s kind of strangely beautiful. In fact, it’s a blast. And if it weren’t so hard to get to that spot at the end of the runway, I don’t think I’d enjoy being there half as much.

Of course it irks that there are clients from two seasons ago who still owe me trade. It’s one thing, I was grumbling backstage to the Russian who exited just before me, to get paid in clothes; it’s another to not get paid in clothes. She rolled her eyes and told me about the time she twisted an ankle in a designer’s 8” heels backstage, and got hustled out of the lineup without any remuneration at all. Of course getting your hair teased and sprayed and having extensions glued in for full candyfloss effect sucks. Getting a communal bottle of spray conditioner and a couple combs to undo the whole rats nest backstage afterwards sucks; deciding to skip the squabble for the spray bottle and go home on the F with your ’do still gravity-defiant possibly sucks more. Having some asshole on the street feel entitled to yell “Eat a sandwich!” at you and the Australian sucks. Keeping your sneakers practically dry right up until you fall into an ankle deep puddle mere steps outside Bryant Park sucks. Scalp burns and common makeup brushes and strangers calling you “Bitch” and stripping down to a nude thong backstage in front of gawking assistants and event photographers all sucks. Exhaustion sucks and having your most secretly hoped-for options collapse sucks.

But there’s still a kind of magic in fashion week. Maybe it’s just the alcohol, or the fact that it’s one of the few times any model can ever pretty much count on working, but it’s probably the two times of year I love most. I think it’s the sense of possibility in the air. There’s something touching about fashion — about seeing women frantically sewing satin bias tape onto tulle in a workroom that adjoins the showroom where you’re being fitted, about watching a collection coalesce and a designer’s ideas clarify and condense before your eyes. Even the way that in the 21st century, we still show clothes twice a year, six months ahead of season, Forever 21 rip-off artists be damned, in lavishly produced statement events whose purpose is mainly to be fabulous and impressive, is kind of touching. On the best days of my job, I feel like I play a part in bringing something of beauty into the world. And when a little bit of luck comes my way and I can do even slightly better than cover my expenses, that feeling of aesthetic satisfaction is enough.

So, please, excuse me for not writing as much as I wish I could right now, I have been fantastically busy. New York is almost over, and like the rest of the fashion class, I’m flying across an ocean in a couple days. Wish me luck.

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