For some of you that may not know, I'm on this journey back and forth to New York about twice a year, mostly for Fashion Week. My goal is to be an established Editorial Hairstylist and travel around the world, doing hair for major magazines, fashion shows, celebrities, etc. I love doing hair, I currently work at a salon in Downtown Seattle called Bocz Salon. I've been doing hair for about 13 years, just recently about 3 and half, 4 years ago I re-established myself at Bocz Salon and that's where, to me, it all began.
Once I started at Bocz Salon, I feel like that's where I really understood and got the first taste and exposure in doing "hair". My co-worker suggested maybe I be apart of our Creative Team, I really didn't know what that meant, but it sounded pretty fun, so I said "sure!". From there I had my first fashion show experience for a local designer at a night club in Seattle. It wasn't Fashion Week or anything, but I caught the bug that night, I was hooked on editorial since then. After that I did many here and there test shoots, photo shoots and other freelance projects to build my experience and name. Finally, I asked our Oribe rep at the salon on how I go about doing hair with Oribe's Backstage Team at New York Fashion Week, she recommended I take a class in New York from one of Oribe's educators, Ramona Eschbach, she teaches a Runway Workshop. I signed up, flew my ass to New York in a heart beat and it changed my life.
It was my first trip so I was a crazy-asian picture taking chick. I couldn't help myself. It's always been a dream of mine to go to New York and I was finally there. I took Ramona's class and that was the stepping stone to more opportunities to come. I've been doing hair Backstage at NYFW for about 3 years now and this last trip for Fall/Winter 2014 was probably the most productive. I was there for 10 days, busy everyday with one day off - maybe 2.
Here's the beginning for my journey...
DAY 1 - FEB. 3RD
I was suppose to leave the morning after Super Bowl, at 6:51am. Now, since Super Bowl was crazy and I'm use to pulling all nighter's when I leave super early in the morning for a flight, I tend to just get it all done then sleep on the plane. My flight was scheduled to depart at 6:51am and land in Newark, NJ around 230-3pm, something like that. So I was packing and felt like I got done maybe 30 minutes earlier than expected so I thought I could take a little nap, bad idea. I ended up sleeping in a little too long, idiot, had to still go to both of my banks to withdraw and deposit cash here and there. I don't really travel on Monday mornings, I usually take red eye's on Friday or Saturday night's, so this was extremely alarming to me when I saw the line of traffic just getting to departures and finding my airline. Now, I only live 5 minutes away from the airport and again since I'm usually a red-eye flyer and obviously ignorant of the Monday morning rush, I didn't get to the airport until 6am... Yes, my flight was taking off at 6:51am. The 2 hour pre-arrival time didn't really occur/apply to me until that moment getting dropped off at departures and definitely when I saw the line to get thru security. Ok, so I know that it was my fault for being influenced by cp-time and the fact I over slept during my nap, but I started freaking out and as I got closer to the "real" TSA line with the rope things, I had a moment to ask the TSA officer if there was any chance in putting me in a shorter line because my flight was BOARDING! Again, trying not to freak out. Well he wasn't hearing it and put my ass in the longest line and the guy in front and the guy in back of me in the shorter line, they were doing some stupid rotation thing to keep the line moving... ugh, what a DICK! Again, I understand that my choices put me in the situation, it just sucked that he wouldn't cut me a break, but whatever. I finally got thru security, by the time I got to my gate it was obviously empty because it had already taken off, Ugh! So I went to another gate to ask an airline rep when the next flight to Newark would be, she said 2pm... for real, it was only 7am - I wasn't gonna stay at the airport all day and me and my BF were beefin' before I left and I made a pretty cool dramatic exit, so my pride wouldn't allow me to call him to pick my ass back up so I said no to the 2pm next flight, what time would I get there anyway? 10pm - I was suppose to be there around 230-3pm, so that definitely wasn't an option, what else do you have I ask - the airline rep suggested perhaps the 7:25am flight, with a connecting flight in Chicago - never been there so why not - I'd land in Newark around 6pm, ok, sounds do'able. Get on the 7:25am flight, land in Chicago - obviously that's where all of the snow is going. My flight in Chicago ended up being delayed about 2-3 hours - ugh, karma and pride and cp time are a bitch. On a more enlightened experience, I got to meet the beautiful, talented Robin Wright. She was actually on my flight to Newark. While I was waiting for our flight to get on it's way and the snow in Newark to chill out so we can get there, I was day dreaming of being her friend, instead of being a creepy stalker, hehehe. Thought it'd be pretty cool if she thought I was pretty cool and maybe grab a bite to eat or something, hehehe. Definitely keeping myself entertained. A cherry on the cake on this one too is that my credit card had to get closed and canceled because it was used in some fraud issues, great. I just wanted to get to my girlfriends apartment and eat.
Finally landing in Newark, I know my bags have been there all day at the airport, so to get my baggage there was another long ass line - this was probably one of the most longest traveling days of my life - this and my first trip to Miami. Anyway, as I was waiting in line to get my luggage it's finally my turn to talk to the luggage lady and get my stuff. After describing my luggage and this and that, she informs me that the computer systems are down and the ramp guys have been going back and forth, grabbing luggage slips and she wasn't sure when the next ramp guy was going to come back since he just took a pile a couple minutes before I got up to the desk... for real. I can't do anything about any of this so of course I comply and tell her ok, she then reassure's me it shouldn't be too long and my luggage should be coming out at carousel 9. I sit and wait for my luggage at carousel 9 as I see the people in front and behind me, pass me or I notice they are walking away with their luggage... great, where's my shit? I'm so tired because I been up all day and night with the exception of my 1 hour nap that was only suppose to be 20 minutes - plus, I haven't eaten all day. I waited for about 45 minutes for my luggage until I had this gut feeling my stuff wasn't coming out of carousel 9 and I was about to receive a call on the intercom about my shit... All of a sudden, there it was "paging Ms.Pickford, paging Ms.Pickford, please see a luggage agent at the desk.." omg, they have my stuff sitting somewhere else. I see the lady - she gave me a slip and said it's being held in the room next door - I go grab my stuff and there it is just sitting there - THE WHOLE TIME I WAS WAITING AT CAROUSEL 9 FOR 45 MINUTES! Relieved to finally get my luggage and move on, I made my way over to the taxi pick up line, that was long too, I didn't care because it was cold, I got my shit and I was a taxi ride away from my final destination. As I was waiting in line the taxi tenant asked if anyone was going to Manhattan, didn't want to wait in the cold and in a hurry to get somewhere - ME! Yes, I raised my hand and jumped on sharing a cab with someone to get to Manhattan. Finally warm and a car ride away from my girlfriend's apartment, we get to the girl's destination I was sharing a cab with and the taxi driver charged her $70, her and I looked confused - obviously thinking we were going to save money on the shared cab ride - but nope, he charged her $70, when I got to my destination he charged me the same thing, sneeky buggah, he definitely made a profit on us. Whatever, I finally made it to my girls apartment at 1030pm!!! Ugh, I might as well have taken that stupid 2pm non-stop flight, I would've got there at the same time! Idiot - "curse you tiny toilet!". I got my grub on with some late night take out from a diner and called it a night.
Don't judge me, I was really hungry...
DAY 2 - FEB. 4TH
Day off numbah 1! After my ripple/domino affect of my procrastinating cp-time resulting in the 2nd longest traveling day of my life yesterday, I wanted to do nothing but chill the "eff" out! So that's exactly what I did, both my NY roomies had school and work all day so that left me there all by my lonesome - something I didn't mind one bit. I chilled, took one of the most relaxing hottest steam showers, washed my hair (which is a great bonus for me, cause they have the best water pressure and their hot water is like steamy - my shower sucks at home), blow dried it and got it ready for the majority of the trip (so I might have to wash it one more time before I leave, making my hair last the most of the 10 days I was going to be there), after messin' with my hair and everything else hygienic, I watched a couple movies on my laptop, my girl Ursela came home, we talked story, walked in the freezing cold a couple blocks to my favorite burger joint on the Upper East Side - BAREBURGER. This place is outstanding, it's an organic burger joint, I've never felt so light after eating such a burger, it really is delicious, and you don't feel like such a fatty after eating one of there burgers. Check it out.
That's their mixed green salad, Bare Bacon Burger and an ice cream cookie sandwich for dessert. YUM'O! Definitely a good way to end such a "me" chillin' kinda day.
DAY 3 - FEB. 5TH
SHOW 1: DAVID HART (LEAD HAIRSTYLIST - KIEN HOANG)
DAVID HART
DATE: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH
KEY: KIEN HOANG
CALL TIME: 12PM
PRESENTATION: 5-7PM
LOCATION: INDUSTRIA / STUDIO 2 / WASHINGTON ST. (BTW JANE & W 12TH)
OHC CONTACT: TALIA
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| DESIGNER: DAVID HART |
LEAD HAIRSTYLIST: KIEN HOANG
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| DAVID HART FALL/WINTER COLLECTION 2014 |
NEXT - ON TO...
REBECCA TAYLOR TEST
DATE: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH
KEY: ROLANDO BEAUCHAMP
TIME: 6:30PM
LOCATION: REBECCA TAYLOR SHOWROOM - 307 W 36TH ST. / 16TH FL. (BTW 8TH & 9TH AVE.)
This was such an honor and great experience to be apart of. I got to test out with Hairstylist Rolando Beauchamp, I really wasn't aware of his experience until I Googled him afterwards. He really wasn't familiar with Oribe products, so I got assigned to assist him and his assistant Quamin - who I love - with utilizing the products to achieve the look he wanted. The whole test took about an hour I would say, but just to be in a designer showroom was a real treat. After a successful test out with Rebecca Taylor, Rolando, Quamin and the fab make up team, my day finally ended around 9pm. What a great day. It was so great working with Rolando, I've never met him before and for someone of his magnitude, he really liked me and said "you rock!". I couldn't ask for a better ending to my day. I felt really good about the day and the rest of the trip to come.
I met my NY roomie, Ursela at home (her apartment), from there we walked our asses 3 NY blocks in the freezing cold to a lovely Mexican joint with the best carne asada tacos I've ever had, I forget what the place is called, but is was mui delici'oso!
While I was stuffing my face, I got a message I've been waiting for, for a while now. I've been trying to connect, assist, test out with one of Tresemmé's lead Hairstylist, Jeanie Syfu since last February 2013. She facebooked me, while I was in Chicago, requesting my number because she might need some extra hands on a show, I FB her back but didn't hear from her or anyone until my carne asada taco feast. I couldn't have been more excited to hear from this lady Marla, she mentioned she got my info from Jeanie and she inquired if I would be available to help out with a show tomorrow, Thursday the 6th for Marisa Webb at the tents at Lincoln Center. HELL'S YES I'M AVAILABLE! It was pretty cool. I felt so productive and everything I wanted out of this trip was happening. I was emailing Oribe's peeps about my test out with Rolando, I was emailing back and forth with Rolando about his Oribe products for his shows, I was texting and emailing Marla from Tresemmé about the show I was helping them out with the next day. All while trying to eat and enjoy my carne asada tacos. I felt like a mexican jumping bean inside with all the excitement of all the stuff that was about to go down. So! I was set, I had 2 shows instead of one for Thursday. I was getting paid for the Tresemmé show - BONUS! I've never gotten paid for any Backstage events, so this was a real treat. After dinner, I was so excited to get home, take a hot ass shower, scrub it up in my scrubs, wash my face and get to bed. I couldn't wait for tomorrow, I have been wanting to work with Jeanie for a year now and it's finally happening. It took me a while to go to sleep because of all the anxiety, my call time was at 7am for my first show, which means I had to get up around 5am in the morning. I was so excited and anxious, didn't fall asleep until about 3am...
DAY 4 - FEB. 6TH
SHOW 2: HOUGHTON (LEAD HAIRSTYLIST - ADAM MARKARIAN)
HOUGHTON
DATE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH
KEY: ADAM MARKARIAN
CALL TIME: 7AM
SHOW TIME: 10AM
LOCATION: MILK STUDIOS - 450 W 15TH ST. / 2ND FL. (@ 12TH AVE.)
MODELS: 22-23
SHOW 2: MARISA WEBB (LEAD HAIRSTYLIST - JEANIE SYFU)
What an eventful day!!! This was truly an amazing experience all around. I had so much fun, I was super tired due to my 2 hours of sleep, but I made it thru. I learned so much and met so many great people. It was really an honor and such a great experience working with the Tresemmé team, these stylist really knew their stuff, I'm sure most of them are experienced with Backstage/Editorial work... I can tell. I thought that was the last I was going to see the Tresemmé team, but towards the end of the night as I was settling in bed, I got another message from Marla asking if I was available to help out tomorrow, Friday for Rebecca Minkoff. HELL'S YEAH I'M AVAILABLE! It was my only show for the day, that's ok, I can sleep on Sunday. So I've been following Rebecca Minkoff on Instagram since last February and every time I came across one of her posts, I always told myself I was going to work Backstage at one of her shows some day. Here it is, it's about to go down... plus, this is another paid show - BONUS!
DAY 5 - FEB. 7TH
SHOW 3: REBECCA MINKOFF (LEAD HAIRSTLYST - JEANIE SYFU)
This collection by Rebecca Minkoff was probably one of my absolute favorites. Here's some candid shots backstage I was able to get, some of a few celebrities too.
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| COCA ROCHA |
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| ACTRESS ANNA KENDRICK WITH DESIGNER REBECCA MINKOFF |
This was truly an amazing experience. Thanks so much Jeanie and Marla for making me apart of the Tresemmé team, I learned so much. Another great collection by Rebecca Minkoff.
Afterwards, I was excited to tell Ursela about my day and get my grub on for dinner. I've definitely had better BBQ, but this was good considering it was my first and last meal of the day.
Another productive day, delicious dinner and calling it a night... 930am call time, here I come.
DAY 6 - FEB. 8TH
SHOW 4: REBECCA TAYLOR (LEAD HAIRSTYLIST - ROLANDO BEAUCHAMP)
REBECCA TAYLOR
DATE: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH
KEY: ROLANDO BEAUCHAMP
CALL TIME: 9:30AM
SHOW: 1PM
LOCATION: CENTER 548 / 548 W 22ND ST. (BTW 10TH & 11TH AVE.)
MODELS: 22-24
As I was packing up after Rebecca Taylor's show, Rolando and Quamin invited me out to lunch with them before heading to their next show, of course I said YES! Even though I was tired and looking forward to going home, but this is what THIS trip was all about, being productive. What an awesome treat to eat lunch with Rolando Beauchamp, I was really looking forward to picking his brain and getting some good insight on how to grow my name, my business, exposure and experience. During lunch, he asked me if I would like to join him, Quamin and his team to do his next show at Milk Studios for Alexander Herchcovich. No doubt, you know that it went down...
SHOW 5: ALEXANDER HERCHCOVICH (LEAD HAIRSTYLIST - ROLANDO BEAUCHAMP)
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| LEAD HAIRSTYLIST: ROLANDO BEAUCHAMP WITH HIS ASSISTANT QUAMIN TO THE LEFT |
This was such a great experience to really learn from the best. Rolando really used texture in the hair for this look and seeing the great mind of his work and create this look was truly amazing.
The end to another long productive day, even though it was suppose to end earlier than expected, working with Rolando and Quamin was worth it. I was really looking forward to my day off tomorrow, Sunday.
DAY 7 - FEB. 9TH
DAY OFF
My second, but kinda first day off since Fashion Week started. Me and my NY roomies went to Ricky's to get some beauty supplies for my kit, then Maison Kaiser, another absolute fave of mine. I love this French restaurant, their french onion soup is literally to die for. It's so delicious I couldn't wait for it to cool down to eat it.
Mos def not a bad way to begin my day off, some fresh squeezed OJ, a hot cup of coffee just the way I like it, hot as hell French Onion Soup (so YUMMY!) and to finish it off with a Croque Madame. After that, Joy, my other NY roomie had to go back home to study for school, from there me and Ursela hopped in a cab and headed to Soho for a little shopping - she wanted to subway it there, but it was too cold and I wasn't tryna spend all day out and about on my only day off. By the time we got home it was time to shower and scrub up it up again and get ready for bed, even though it wasn't super late or anything, I just wanted to be warm, clean and comfy. I got booked another last minute show for Monday the 10th, the call time for that was 830am, which means I had to get up around 6-630am, sleep here I come...
DAY 8 - FEB. 10TH
SHOW 6 - THEORY (LEAD HAIRSTYLIST - PAUL HANLON)
THEORY BY OLIVIER THEYSKENS
KEY: PAUL HANLON
DATE: MONDAY, FEB 10
CALL TIME: 8:30AM
SHOW: 12PM
LOCATION: SPRING STUDIOS - 64 SPRING ST. /INTERSECTION OF LAFAYETTE & CENTER (PETROSINO SQ.)
MODELS: 20
STYLIST: LUDIVINE POIBLANC
Love this collection and I couldn't have been more impressed with Paul Hanlon himself (he reminds me of Mr. Darcy). Again, another great hairstylist that I didn't know the magnitude of until Google hit me with a reality check on just how "the shit" this guy really is. I couldn't have asked for a better experience during this trip, I worked/assisted some really great, established, creative hairstylist. During this show, I got a text message from a former employee of Bocz Salon, the salon I work at, who's now a lead stylist and doing it up big in NY, hairstylist Jordan M. He's really good at what he does. He needed some help with his show he was doing for Zero + Maria Cornejo. After the Theory show, I headed back to the apartment to take about an hour nap before heading to Jordan's show, it felt nice to sleep, but again - this trip is all about being productive. So after my nap I cabbed it and headed back out to the west side for another last minute show.
SHOW 7: ZERO + MARIA CORNEJO (LEAD HAIRSTYLIST - JORDAN M.)
Another long day, didn't leave the show until it was done because some of the models wanted their hair taken out, good luck with that. Finally on my way home I had to freshen up a little bit because Ursela wanted to go out to eat at a friends restaurant at the Empire Hotel called Ed's Chowder House. It was so delicious, but I just ate myself to death.
I haven't eaten that much in a really long time. On the way back to my girls apartment, I ate so much I couldn't sit up straight in the cab and I had to get off the phone with my BF because I felt like if I kept talking to him all the food I ate was about to come back out of my throat, not a great feeling. Looking forward to being a fatty in my scrubs in Ursela's warm apartment was the only thing keeping me from wanting to fall apart. When we finally made it, in the hot shower and in my scrubs I go.
DAY 9 - FEB. 11TH
I didn't have any shows on this day, but I had a very important meeting with an agent at an agency to hopefully get representation. See, my goal is to get signed by an agency so when I go to NY I have productive paying gigs out there to pay for my trip, since these trips come out of my own pocket regularly. I was really nervous, anxious and excited about this meeting. After meeting with an agent Jeff, he gave me some good pointers and constructive criticism to work towards, getting a stronger portfolio and one question he asked, what kind of hairstylist am I? Boom, he just threw down the sledge hammer on me with that one, I guess I never really thought about that. After working with people like Oribe, Jeanie Syfu, Paul Hanlon and Rolando Beauchamp, I understood what he meant, what he was asking of me. I really didn't know what KIND of hairstylist I was working towards. After leaving the agency unsigned but now in thought process mode, I headed towards Shear World to pick up a few things, then over to Soho - again, to return some stuff - and kinda picked up a few other things, hehehe. Then headed back home to chill, watch some movies and maybe even take a nap. It was freezing outside, so being out and about wasn't too exciting. I needed to figure out my "brand" my hairstyling that says "me". I ordered carne asada tacos for delivery, because it's just so delicious, then called it a night ready to take on my last show of FW... so I thought...
DAY 10 - FEB. 12TH
SHOW 8: LUAR ZEPHOL ( LEAD HAIRSTYLIST - AMY FARID)
LUAR ZEPOL
DATE: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH
KEY: AMY FARID
CALL TIME: 12PM
SHOW: 3PM
LOCATION: 55 W 17TH ST. (@ 6TH AVE.)
MODELS: 18 MEN
This was a really fun show to work on, it was different, creative and artistic. I felt bad for some of the guys that we had to pull some of their hair out of the tipping/frosting cap, but they were pretty much good sports about it.
I was suppose to be done after this show, but Hairstylist Kien Hoang had another show to do after Luar Zephol, for Sir. Kien asked if I would like to help him out, I've heard about this show and that it's amazing, so again, I sucked it up and went for one last hoorah. It was at this hotel called the Dream Hotel? I think? Anyway, it was pretty cool and to do my last 2 shows with very creative and artistic theme's behind the looks was mos def a bonus for me. Here's some pics of the Sir show.
SHOW 9: SIR (LEAD HAIRSTYLIST - KIEN HOANG)
Lead Hairstylist Kien Hoang outside in the freezing cold, spray painting all the models hair orange. We put masking tape around all of their hairline's to make the look fresh, tight and clean.
This was a great show to end my trip with for all of Fashion Week. All in all it was a fantastic week and 10 days. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I'm really just excited about all the possibilities to come from this experience.
DAY 11 - FEB. 13TH
LAST DAY...
I was so excited for the amazing trip that I just had. It was snowing like crazy that morning because another polar vortex was suppose to be coming thru New York - AGAIN. I was a little scared I wasn't going to make it out, but at the same time, really didn't mind if I had to stay another day or two. I really did have to get back to work tho, being gone from money and clients for 10 days is quite a while, especially with NO PAY. I ended up making my way home, with my suitcases heavy as hell and being that bag lady on the plane because I might've slightly over did the shopping - but whatever. I made it home safe and sound and back on the grind.
So there's my journey, I hope you find/found this as inspiring as I did. New York really is a concrete jungle where dreams are made of and come true, I am a true testament and believer in that. I love New York and the possibilities it has to offer. My next trip back to the Big city is in June for a 3 day Styling Class with Bumble and Bumble, I took the first part of this class in November and did really well, I'm hoping to pass this second part with flying colors and be a part of Bumble's Backstage Team, even tho I've worked Backstage with them already. Of course I'm going to stay a little longer so I can hopefully connect with some people, do some gigs and projects that'll help make my portfolio stronger while I'm there, possibly even get paid for some jobs too.
STAY TUNED... TO BE CONTINUED...
HAVE A GREAT WEEK PEEPS!
XOXO
