LG Toronto Fashion Week Volunteer Diary Entry DAY 1

Backstage, Makeup Room

This week was out of the ordinary. Today was the beginning of Fashion Week. The feeling was nervous, anxious and excited. I didn't know what to expect as a volunteer at LGFW but whatever it was it was going to make me feel either excited and terrified. I got lost and could not find the entrance. I ended up going through what I later on learned as the catering area. I saw a group of people wearing the same attire of white shirts and black bottoms. I assumed they were volunteers. To make that more apparent, a group of leader-like four were talking to them. As I got close I realized one of them was giving directions. I was in the right place I thought so I stood there expecting someone will assist me. Nothing. All I got was stares from the volunteers and a glance from one of the leaders. I was not impressed. It was not until someone emerged from behind the giant black curtains did I get help. Her name was Cami. She was short with black long her and bangs that fell just above her eyes. She brought along with her more volunteers. I approached her and she was pleasant. I told her my problem and she gladly helped me. On the way I learned she was in charge of backstage people. When we finally arrived where I was supposed to check I hung up my coat in between the already over-filled racks (which would become a symbolism of the depleting amount of volunteers coming) and went on my merry way to volunteer.

I sat with the other volunteers in the volunteer lounge, a grimy area of the warehouse that did not get the fashion week makeover. Whoever said volunteers are VVIP are full of it and shouldn't be saying that. There wasn't even lockers and proper food. There was no job to do so I ended up to a girl named Sherika. She was from the same city as me and was commuting  everyday from there while still attending school. It wasn't long until volunteers were needed for JUMA. I went and was told we had to tape the bottom of the soles to prevent it from scuffing but also not let the models feel like theyre walking on ice. These were the boots:

Boots by Ge Wa Wa used in JUMA show. via FashionToast Blog

 
 Seemed like a simple task. It would have been if there was more than two rolls of tapes and three dull scissors to pass around 12 volunteers. I would soon find out that disorganization was something that occurred often with the small things in fashion week. After I got to steam the clothes with a volunteer and JUMA's intern who was 17 years old. I also got burnt from that. I also got to see Alia and Jamil , the design and creative director respectively of the line.

I thought it was funy. The story about this is even funnier...

Fashion people waiting in a fashion line to get into a fashion show. How fashionable. fashion.

EDIT UPDATE 1: After that, the day went downhill. I sat at the backstage entrance and ate Kelloggs (they were sponsors) all day. I did get to talk to Tara Gill's mother about life in fashion and having a daughter as a model. I also met Madeleine Shill's mother who I escorted to the bathroom. Model moms are pleasant "normal" people who's ultimately just there to take care of their children.It wasn't until the end of the last show did I discovered the beautiful lobby to explore. Still, my first day experience was so bad that I was contemplating to not return like many people were. As a cherry on top, as I walked towards the exit a lady in pink who looked like a mermaid was at the exit table. I blurted "You look like a mermaid!" as a compliment. I chatter with her and she told me she saw all the shows and to continue the conversation I asked, "So, what do you do?" The horror on the volunteers' faces around me was priceless. Turns out she was Robin Kay (Head of Toronto Fashion Week and president of the Fashion Design Council of Canada). She just got cold and lived up to her reputation. But alas, I took it as a learning experience and decided to return with a hope that I'll be doing more than getting burnt, not recognizing important people and eating Kelloggs all day.

By the end of the day, I was already sick of this.

How was everyone's first day? Hit me up on the comments!

Don't forget to read the rest of the diary!

Orientation Day
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5