Aly’s blog returns…
Can’t believe its just over two weeks, the last month has flown by! Am feeling the pressure right now as Sunday is going to be the biggest fitting I have ever handled. Last years fitting was a bit of a disaster with models not being able to attend and some designers with garments still in production. I did a quick survey at casting this year and it dawned on me that many of the models have Saturday work so, this year I have squished it all into a single day. On Sunday I am about to manage 85 models + 18 designers in an 8 hour period.
Luckily for me I have the elite team - Satya and Penni my right hand girls. Mark will be there as always helping wherever. Plus, this year a group of fashion students who have volunteered their time to assist in Styleaid preparation.
Thanks to
RENEE BLAKE
JOANNE CARUSO
CHRISTINE LEE
NICOLE FERRARO
GENEVIEVE JONES
JESSICA GEACH
TEAGAN SEWELL
CHLOE SPALDING
LING SEW
In addition to these girls I met two angels last week who, assisted me with a Forrest Chase shoot and David Jones castings. They are Emily and Moon, amazingly talented and energetic!!!
The stage is set, models are booked. This is a tough job, sifting through piles of comp cards after a day long casting session, As the event is volunteer - based models get bookings at the last minute for paid work and can no longer commit to the show . I am well prepared this year with a list of reserve models. This can be arduous with numerous emails going back and forth from agency to me, me to agency trying to find replacement girls and boys. They need to be of a certain height and colouring to fit into the groups I have created.
Hair and makeup briefs have been delivered to Paul McClurg and to Carol Mackie, can’t wait to see the results!
Zu shoes and Wanderlust have come to the rescue with boys shoes and Zomp have agreed to providing over 100 pairs of shoes!! Wow amazing.
No going back now, the show must go on……………….are you sure?
The After Blog…
Well it’s all over and it was a fantastic success!!! Must admit it’s all a bit of a blur, little scenarios pop into my head every now and again, make me smile and, yes I do remember climbing into a taxi to go home.
The day of preparation couldn’t have run any better, everything went to plan and by 6 pm the backstage area was as neat as a pin. When you are expecting over 200 people to invade a space it has to be this way or otherwise, the whole show is in danger of going haywire. The dreaded project that included white paint was of course the trees which, looked fantastic
The preparation team I had were amazing, everywhere you looked there were groups of busy people. We had the ironing and steaming crew, the shoe unpackers, the clothes un-wrappers and hangers in the morning. Then the afternoon shift kicked in with models to ferry back and forth to their different stations.
There was the hair and makeup room, the shoe fitting area, Zomp would have been proud of us! Tables were laid out for accessories and props and, a special table erected as a temp office space to house the mountain of paperwork. Most of all I would like to say thankyou to everyone so here goes………
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE ENTIRE BACKSTAGE CREW FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO PREPARING THE BACKSTAGE AREA. I COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!!!!
JOHN FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME
HOLLY FOR HER SUPPORT
MARK, MY SHOULDER TO CRY ON
SPECIAL GUEST PAUL O’CONNOR
INTERSTATE VISITOR DAVID E RALPH
SATYA
GARTH
MARDI
PENNI
ADAM
JENNA
ELEANOR
EMILI
FEE
ESTHER
IVANA
HAYLEY
JACKIE
DRAGANA
CONNIE
MINEE
JONATHON
CENTRAL TAFE FASHION STUDENTS
SWAN TAFE FASHION STUDENTS
CURTIN UNI FASHION STUDENTS
THANKS TO
SANELA AND TANIA @ CHADWICKS
ANGIE AND CHRIS @ VIVIENS
BEN @ SPIERS
KRIS @ XTREEM
JAZ @CHIC
ADAM @ METRO
CAROL + THE MAC TEAM
PAUL + THE HAIR DRESSING TEAM
KIRSTY @ ZOMP
MADELEINE @ VUK
ALL THE DESIGNERS
Alvin
Sean and Mic
Sonia and Sylvana
Pia
Daniel, Marie and Nina
Ali
Rachael
Belle
Lisa and Candice
Marie
Pat
Bree
Ainslie and Lisa
Kieu and Troy
Tanya and Katherine
Helen and Jill
ALL 110 MODELS
MICK AND THE 3 LAMBS
You were all fabulous!
Now for next year, I have this idea………………………………………..
A quick blog before going to bed……
A quick blog before going to bed……………………….
What a lovely day, things have settled down and I am once again under control. That nasty project the one that involves white paint is complete. I also am covered in white paint and romantically thought I looked rather Narnian [the White witch] but no, Holly reckoned I looked more like a polar bear. Oh well.
The bathers were found and delivered safe and sound. The ballet is dressed. The fitting sheets are so nearly done I can’t believe it. The costumes for the first section are sewn up and delivered back……..let’s just hope they fit.
Poor Holly will have to try them all on tomorrow, haven’t told her yet we’ll leave that until the morning. The dishes are done and my house is beginning to look normal.
My list for tomorrow is only a quarter of the page and it’s quite big writing. Not quite over yet, there are bound to be a few wobbly moments but at least I will have time to sort them out without screaming.
Off to the chiro in the morning, I have sat at this laptop so much in the passed 2 weeks that I have done my back!! The joys of getting older!!!
A quick fix at the hairdressers, some shopping for sundries such as hangers, elastic, safety pins for the tool kit, Then Garth is coming round to do a couple of late fittings wihile I go and install the nasty project that involves white paint at the Convention Centre. A trip to Freo to go pick up some shoes and that will take me one more day closer to the big event…. I’ll just have a little listen to track number 18 and then off to bed………
From Aly…
All I can say is that I am so glad that every day brings new hope and a sense of everything being under control again. I can confidently say that yesterday was one of the most stressful I have ever experienced in the week leading up to Styleaid.
At 7 am I had no jewellery for one of the sections, the designer had not been able to deliver. By 9.30 I had jewellery and 2 very happy designers who will bend over backwards to deliver for Friday.
Many thanks to Lisa and Candice from Grace + Scarper and Penni for the contact.
I have no photographs for the first section, another let down. A quick think and I am on the phone to Ivan Shaw, photographer. Not a problem Aly, thanks Ivan!
Now I faced the dreaded task [which involves white paint] my garden has been turned into a jungle and there is mess everywhere. It even sent my beloved John into a panic as we tried everything to make this project work. By nightfall the solution had been found and there was control again.
Thanks to Dragana for coming round and helping. In amongst all of this there were phone calls and emails to deal with. I had also to find out where the other half of the bather section had disappeared to, I need to do the remainder of the fittings………where are they???
Anyone out there knows the whereabouts of 8 pairs of Lushlife bathers call me!! Still waiting for designers to get back to me…. I thought we did the fittings 2 ½ weeks ago…hmmmm.
Then the dreaded phone call which sent us all into a spin, a designer has pulled out and I have to find 9 men’s outfits in amongst all this chaos…………I felt physically sick. Menswear designed in WA is not an easy one, I phoned a large surf wear company, just some boardies would do, I pleaded. Not their market was the reply, I couldn’t understand what irreparable damage this would do to their company, I was dumbfounded by the answer. Has fashion really got this serious?…….where’s the fun gone?
By nightfall we had found the answer, many thanks to Sean Lofts for his quiet and understanding response to my query. I think I may have been screaming at this point. Material Boy will now dress the WA Ballet. Hooray!!
I listen to the parade music from time to time; this gives me the strength to carry on as when I hear track # 18 on Friday night it will all be over………..
Fittings went well with Material Boy, thanks Mark for helping at the last minute; I had 10 gorgeous boys in my lounge. I was beginning to feel better. Satya [saviour to the Aly May] came round and helped me cut out the opening section pieces and the accessories for another section. 2 more ticks off the list!!!
These will be delivered this morning to my friends the Swoops who are doing a bit of sewing for me.
Pia Bennett, designer, turned up amongst all of this to hand in her fitting sheets, I think she was a little shocked at all the madness and even she got stuck and helped cut out some of the fabric. Meanwhile my darling John is busy in the kitchen cooking a roast. God I love people……..
My house looks as if I have just had a really bad party, TRASHED! So, up early this morning, get some more paperwork done and a few early emails and do the dishes.
My new ‘to do’ list is done for the day, only half a page, or is it more as I did it in tiny handwriting? Ever faithful daughter Holly has her ‘to do’ list as well.
Checked on the blog this morning to read Marks latest one. Surprise as I see some comments to read. My sisters in the UK, Lesley and Tig have sent in comments. Oh wow even my family so far away are involved…what is this thing called StyleAID that get’s into our lives? Thanks guys and see you in October.
Better get on with it, who knows what today will bring………roll on Friday, only 2 more sleeps.
A bit of a blog…
4 sleeps to go and it’s going to be a busy week. Lost some time this weekend as I was sick, still better now than the end of the week.
Tony and I did the music CD on Friday, it’s all sounding really great, just a couple of designers to go and that will be signed off on today.
Model fitting sheets are being written up and sent to designers to complete and check, once these are all back then things should be just about complete.
Penni is busy co-ordinating the 30 odd dressers, such an important aspect of backstage, good dressers!
Just emailed a designer to see if she will sew up something up for me, I am trying to delegate now as otherwise just too much to do. Fingers crossed the answer will be yes.
Am still going to try my best to be done by Wednesday night, would be good to have a day off on Thursday and I need my hair done, perhaps ever faithful daughter Holly will give me facial. This year has been bigger than any other and I have struggled sometimes to keep on track. You have good days and bad days, sometimes try as hard as you can you seem to achieve nothing and then other days you fly through things. Pray every day this week is like the latter.
Will report in again tomorrow and check my progress………
Oh dear, I am a blog addict…
Oh dear, I am a blog-addict, poor Mark, hope you feel better tomorrow.
I think I am on top of things, I only have one half day left at work tomorrow and then I am Styleaid focused!! It means I don’t have to work at night so much as I need to get my strength up for the big day and night. Adrenalin is a powerful drug but the let down afterwards is scary and depressing.
I will need to pace myself now to make sure I get everything done so that by next Wednesday I am able to take some time out.
Booking Material Boy models tomorrow and doing their fitting next Tuesday evening. Not so much correspondence from the agencies now which should mean that model changes have ground to a halt…well for now anyway. Nearly all the music is in from the designers, nearly all the shoe choices are finalised. Their deadline was only 10 days ago!! Oh designers you make my life so rich and exciting rather like bungy jumping!!
The two things to complete this week are music and shoes. I will spend Friday morning in the studio with Tony Salom doing the show CD. Send the shoe lists to Zomp and go visit VUK one more time just to make sure we have chosen the best of their stock for the emerging designers.
Still got to do the big project for the catwalk, the one that involves white paint, still got to design and make the prototype accessory, still got to make the costumes for the opening, these are going to be my biggest tasks next week. I shall try and delegate and find some help!! HELP!!!
Most of the models dressing sheets are done, completed 75% of the catwalk credits, still got to find about 20 dressers, Swan TAFE, I am counting on you! Have worked out the racks and how things will be placed, have collected the shoes for the finale section, oh must phone to organise the finale surprise, have to see if the Merge girls are going ok, must get the running order to Tony. Must get the shoe list to Georgia….must get ………….must phone…….
Um did I say I was on top of things!!! Hee hee. Still got 10 sleeps and right now I better go get one of those out of the way…….
11 Sleeps……..countdown.
Another weekend flies by and happy to say I achieved a lot. I went to the new house we are building and helped John put up the ceiling, we have 2 and a half months to complete and I know John is feeling the pressure. He is very understanding of the madness in my life right now.
Mark is right in what he says about your intense focus when you get to this stage of an event. Everything does seem to go out the window and you do have to remind yourself constantly that there is life beyond and loved ones and friends do have a place in this madness.
On the other hand, if we don’t work hard and cross all the t’ and dot all the eyes, it could be a disaster. The organization side of the parade is enormous, done properly it means that there is less stress on the day, as everyone knows what is going on and when it should happen.
I think this is why people love to get involved, as there is time for enjoying the experience and not being totally overwhelmed with the huge amount of preparation that happens on the day.
Sunday I just sat at my laptop and made up my shoe lists, still a few styles missing from designers but as long as it is complete by Friday everything is fine. I have worked with Zomp now for nine years.
It is very important to make sure that their job is as easy as it can be so a great deal of attention to detail goes into preparing their list of shoes required.
I sorted out all the comp cards and made sure I had changed all models names of those that are unavailable and replaced them with new ones. It means I have to follow up on shoe sizes but a couple of emails and I will have all the information I need. How did we manage without emails??
I can’t remember, it must have been much more complicated as at least now I can communicate anytime of the night or day.
Made up my to do list which indicates just how close we are, it’s not as long as I thought it might be. Just have to steadily tick things off and all will be well.
Alyxx
14 sleeps to go, oh dear…
14 sleeps to go, oh dear, I have a headache!!! Not really, pretty well under control.
We had our final committee meeting on Tuesday, reality hits home when you realise the next time we meet will be at the Convention Centre.
This week Penni and I delivered the garments for display to Saints, Preacher, Varga and Department. These donated garments are now available for viewing and buying. We also have magnificent displays in The Colonnade, Carillion and Adam Heath in Claremont. Today Pen and I will do a bit of window dressing in Eros and Stillar, visit VUK in Freo, who is sponsoring the emerging designers, to sort out designers choices and make sure they are ok. We also have to visit designer Belle who is working hard on our opening section. I have nearly figured out the styling I needed to do for some of our less experienced designers. Satya’s Mum will be put to work next week making some of the accessories I need. So many people put up their hands to help. I wonder if she knows yet?
Models are all booked with call times and the scary schedule for the hair makeup rehearsals and shoe fittings is done, it took me 2 hours to figure out. Bit more paperwork to complete before I really feel comfortable so, have enlisted the help of ever faithful daughter, Holly to laboriously type up the fitting sheets. Well I am paying for her Styleaid ticket!!!
Next week, concentrate on the music and check to see if the designers have managed to catch up with the models that were unable to attend fittings last Sunday. Write up the shoe lists for Zomp and Vuk so that they can start organising the 80 odd pairs of shoes and finally write up my check list and start ticking things off. God, nearly forgot, sort out Material Boy models, Sean and Mic will have garments available for fitting soon and I haven’t booked the models yet!! Yikes!!!
I was thinking the other day what will I do when the final models walks backstage and its all over, oh, except for the clearing up. Perhaps I should take up crochet or knitting? I am sure my partner John will keep me occupied, with a new house nearing completion I can see paint brushes and white paint looming in the not so distant futureeath in ClaremHea
18 sleeps…
18 sleeps and wish I didn’t have to count……….it’s getting closer and seems the list of to do’s is getting longer.
Since my last entry I have finalised the finale garments thanks to my dear friend Paul O’Connor. His meticulous attention to detail makes my job so much easier.
As part of the Design for Comfort project, a research and development project carried out the Dept of Agriculture and Food and the Curtin University of Technology, five WA designers were invited to produce a range of five bodies using the latest knitting technology. The results are more than beautiful and a fitting end to our Heavenly program, plus a little surprise has been organised, you will have to be there to see it.
I have also organised part of catwalk design, which entailed two trips to Gidgegannup with the fabulous Tony Salom, who organised the whole thing. Can’t say anymore than that, as then you will know what we are doing. Anyway this is only the beginning as next weekend I will be busy putting it all together. White spray paint is part of the process.
Been busy with emails to and from agencies that worked hard organising 100 models ready for a fitting, which was done today at my house!!
Many emails later and just a few changes to the original model selection, we saw and fitted over 70 models today, disappointingly we had about 25% no shows which means a lot of catching up to do and a delay in our finalising the running orders and fine tuning all garment details. Until you have done a show of this size, no one can really understand the amount of work it entails.
Today was intense but thanks to some wonderful people turning up to help I was able to concentrate on the job at hand and get the job done. Thanks to Mark Reid, our photographer today, who also turned up with soup for lunch, Satya, the scribe, Georgia and Sophie who did the first shift, Garth and Emili who finished the second shift. Mark Reid is my angel, he knows exactly how much pressure I am under at times and always manages to make me smile and make me feel better. He and I work closely together on this event, even more so this year, He has become a dear friend and I am grateful for his unending support. When Mark was on long service leave I found I had lost my inspiration, he is so encouraging in everything I do and try to achieve for StyleAID. I nearly gave the whole thing up at one point early in the year and the only thing that kept me going was………..I couldn’t let Mark down.
Thanks to all the models who did show for fittings and waited patiently for their turn to undress on a particularly chilly day and who still smiled when they had finished.
Thanks to the designers, especially those who were super organised, it makes our lives bliss and those not so organised, just make sure you follow up this week as otherwise you will have to receive more of those email you hate to receive titled, StyleAID………….urgent.
Monday morning I will be on the phone organising and re-scheduling models who didn’t show. Processing all the information we received yesterday and listening to all the music CD’s I received from designers to see if it all blends together well enough for the show.
Things to be achieved this week must include talking to hair and makeup to work out the call times for the day, the sooner I get these into the agencies the sooner the models can book out the time. It takes about 7 hours for the hair and makeup teams to prepare the models, great care has to be taken to ensure that the most difficult hair do’s and the most complicated make-ups are called first.
I must finalise the models for Material Boy, they were unable to fit this weekend so it gave me a bit of time to find their ‘look’.
Some of the emerging designers need help with styling and music so must look at this and come up with some ideas that are easily executed and that will make their collections just that little bit more theatrical.
Pia Bennett, new designer to StyleAID would have to get my vote for wow factor. Her collection will look stunning on the catwalk.
I think I will feel better after tomorrow……………will let you know next week when I write my next blog.
News from Aly…
(Aly May last year - stylist supremo!)
Only 28 sleeps to go before the BIG night and planning is well under way for the parade. It’s been intense this year with the introduction of the photography project, why did I open my big mouth!!!
Dealing with 20 photographers and 20 designers even got to me at times!!!
However, the results last Tuesday at the Sponsors evening were much more rewarding than I could have ever anticipated. So good to see so many people excited about their work.
Ivan Shaw deserves a mention, what a talented boy!
You forget how important these local initiatives are for new talent, I often think, why would anyone want to do this?
it’s only Perth and StyleAID, not so important in the global scheme of things but, that’s where I am wrong. It is important to nurture all talent here in Perth and I am happy that we could involve even more of the industry this year.
Last Saturday we held our model casting, involving all the model agencies here in Perth. The girls are getting taller and even more gorgeous. The standard of models has improved so much over the nine years I have been doing StyleAID. I remember we could barely find enough talent in the early days to book 30 girls and boys, now we are swamped with choice. I would include everyone if I could but the constraints of having enough makeup and hair artists means I have to keep the model numbers down to a mere 60 odd. Imagine my delight when Carol Mackie last night, during our hair and makeup briefing said,
” Why don’t we give the designers their own models this year Aly?” I nearly kissed her!! This means we can book 85 female models and 20 male models. THANKYOU Carol and Paul for making this possible.
So now it’s down to me to work out all the right looks and book all the models today ……..this is the fun part.
Thanks to my StyleAID helpers who came round for cups of tea last Sunday to talk about how we can bump in our backstage dressing room more efficiently than last year. Thanks to Satya, Garth, Penni, Louise, Jackie, Mardi, Kim who all put up with my lists and schedules. And welcome on board the new people to the backstage team this year.
Next exciting Blog, the fittings………