The founders of Brave Wings Fashion Show, Jenesis Laforcarde and Mabel Cortez.
The third annual Brave Wings Fashion show, which benefits Singleton Moms – a charity created to help single parents who are fighting cancer, and their minor children – took place Saturday at the stunning W Hotel in Scottsdale.
“My favorite part about putting on the show is being able to do what I love (fashion) while giving back to charity!” – Jenesis Laforcarde
The show’s entire purpose is to “[make] a difference through fashion,” and they certainly do. Each year, the show’s founders, Jenesis Laforcarde and Mabel Cortez, put on an impressive show with an array of different designers to directly benefit the charity they have selected. They’ve made it a habit of selling out the show, and this year was no exception.
The selection of designers was impressive this year. Each year the designs that walk the runway at Brave Wings continuously get better, and this year was certainly the best so far.
Now, usually in a blog post such as this one, someone sitting in the audience watching the show is the one writing it. This time, however, my editors wanted to try something different, and asked if I could write it from a model’s perspective. (Read: If you don’t care about this part, skip ahead to the amazing pictures of the show. They’re flawless.)
The day of any fashion show is insane. Call times are earlier than you would imagine; In this case, I’m required to be checked in by 12 noon – sharp. Which, in model time, actually means 11:45 or earlier. Usually, when you get to the venue, no one ever has any idea of what’s going on because there are always last minute changes or meltdowns: models don’t show up, designers drop out, garments get ruined in transit, hair and makeup received the wrong inspiration pictures… something always happens. However, Brave Wings is the most organized and well managed fashion show I’ve ever been to, and none of these problems actually happened. I was sincerely impressed.
This is the first time I’ve ever had my hair and makeup done hours early (and incredibly well, I might add), my outfit completely picked out and accessorized hours in advance, and I still had time to grab a bite to eat. Literally amazing. I personally think this had everything to do with who was managing each team. If you’ve ever worked with Jenesis Laforcarde, you know she runs a tight ship. This event was no different. I noticed that in addition, her and Mabel seemed to select the same type of hands-on, in-charge, unafraid-to-tell-it-like-it-is people to run the hair, makeup, and backstage team. Everyone knew their job, and they got it done impeccably well.
Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography.
The biggest thing anyone in this industry knows is this: If you’re not part of the operations committee, you’re waiting around for hours. Every time. That’s all part of the excitement though. Because unless you’re part of a show that gets extremely lucky and hair and makeup is smooth and timely (which has never happened to me before this one, and I’ve done way too many shows to count) there’s truly a calm before the storm. The calm is the waiting. You get to relax with your fellow models, catch up with makeup artists you haven’t seen since the last show and goof around with the hairstylists until all of a sudden, everything starts happening at once.
Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography.
Hair and makeup are some of the most exciting and adrenaline boosting parts of the entire process. Everyone is buzzing around, pulling on your hair, contouring your face, curling sections of your hair, and trying to line your eyes with liquid liner without making you look insane – usually all at the same time if you’re running late. The best part about modeling – besides actually walking the runway – is being able to feel like a human Barbie doll. You sit or stand in one place while everyone else does your hair and makeup for you, then dresses you, then accessorizes you, and occasionally they even put your shoes on for you (which I hate, because I feel so rude, so I apologize profusely during).
Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography.
Then you wait, again. Only this time it’s eight hours later and you’re dressed, so you can’t sit down because you may ruin the outfit you’re wearing. You’re also in six-inch heels (which may be two sizes too small for you – I still love you, Vanessa.), so at this point, you really want to either sleep or eat an entire pizza because you didn’t eat earlier when you were supposed to pre-lipstick (me, every show).
But then you start lining up, and there truly isn’t a feeling in the world that compares to the excitement of right before you walk the runway. Let me truthfully say that walking a slick runway in front of hundreds of people in giants heels that are either too big or too small for you in outfits that range from barely-there to completely impractical and elaborate is terrifying.
You’re constant worrying about tensing your muscles, standing tall, doing the perfect “model walk,” not being too fast or too slow, keeping your face pretty instead of looking like you’re terrified, not falling down, making sure your arms are actually moving like a normal person’s when you walk and double checking that your hands look like you’re relaxing on the beach and not like mechanical claws… you’re focusing on a million things a second. But once you take your first step into the light and onto the runway, you better hope all of these things just come naturally, because you forget everything.
Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography.
Walking a runway is one of the most confidence boosting and uplifting things I’ve ever done. There’s an energy that consumes you, it’s like you can actually feel the energy and excitement of the crowd. It’s impossible not to feel gorgeous and confident in that very minute. It’s my most favorite feeling in the entire world, and I think all of my fellow models would agree.
And just as quickly as your walk began, it’s over. Nine hours of preparation for a 30 second walk that felt like two. It goes by insanely fast, and then it’s back to the real world of doing your own foundation, hair and dressing yourself. Sad day.
So there you have it, from a model’s perspective. In all seriousness I do want to say that this was truly one of the best show’s I’ve ever done, and it was a pleasure walking for such talented designers for an incredible cause. Singleton Moms is a wonderful organization that deserves all of the praise in the world, and the true reason for this fashion show should not go unnoticed. I raise my glass to Jenesis and Mabel, because they have created an outstanding and amazing event for a truly deserving and wonderful purpose. Hats off to you two and everyone who contributed in some way, whether it be as a member of the audience, the hair and makeup team, designers, models, shop garment, donations, etc. I can’t wait to see what Brave Wings has for us next year.
Woman’s Touch Apparel
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All photos courtesy of Almanza Photography.
Custom Kreations Boutique
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All photos courtesy of Almanza Photography.
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All photos courtesy of Almanza Photography.
Mabella Chic
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All photos courtesy of Almanza Photography.
Nazila Couture
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All photos courtesy of Almanza Photography.
Luis Solis
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All photos courtesy of Almanza Photography.
Laurel Symone
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All photos courtesy of Almanza Photography.
