Inspiration: By Taylor O'Brien: "The World of Fashion...Far Beyond UW-Stout"

In March my friend and co-worker, JoDee Martin, traveled to Miami to work backstage at Miami Fashion Week 2010. JoDee is a Junior in the Retail Program here at UW-Stout, and could not pass up the opportunity to attend Miami Fashion Week. Throughout the week JoDee worked as a dresser, choreographer, and buying assistant, as well as performing many other tasks. JoDee attended three nights of fashion week, and in those three nights, had the chance to see many shows. She was able to work for shows such as the “Emerging East” showcase, which included immerging and up-and-coming designers from India. This showcase was closed with designer Jad Ghandour, who is a prestigious couture designer from India. One of his pieces was valued at $1.5 million, which was stitched with 24 karat gold thread, and included a diamond embellished gold shawl. JoDee worked backstage and learned many things by being “thrown into” the action. To end the week she attended the Miami Fashion Week finale by designer Sylvia Tcherassi, which was an exciting close to a fantastic week. I asked JoDee a few questions about her first official Miami Fashion Week experience, and these were her responses:

T. O’B: “Did your experience at Miami Fashion Week fulfill your expectations? What was different from what you thought it would be?”
J.M: “ It was a lot different from what I had originally thought. The week was much more hectic than I had predicted, and some aspects of the shows lacked the professional organization that I would have expected from an international fashion week. I thought it would be a little more glamorous being a backstage assistant, but didn’t realize the extensive amount of work that goes into putting on a fashion show of this scale.”
T. O’B: “What was your most memorable experience from the week?”
J.M: “ I was able to work with a designer named Deepak Prwany from Pakisan. He showed his line during Milan Fashion Week, and received a standing ovation. It was amazing to work with someone that is so well known, especially for being fairly new to the industry. He also won an award at Miami Fashion Week for “Best Male Designer” from the “Immerging East” showcase. The day of the Deepak Prwany show, I was no longer needed backstage. As I was leaving Deepak himself stopped me and told me that he wanted me to stay to help with his show. He then went backstage and told the director of the show that he wanted me to stay and be a part of his stage crew. It was an amazing feeling for a the designer to personally remember me and want me to be a part of his crew.”
T. O’B: “ How has this experience benefited your education as well as your future career in the industry”
J.M:” It was important for me to get a different view of the industry, other than the business side that Stout tends to focus on. I was given a glimpse of the “fashion” side of the industry that will be a huge benefit to me in my future career. I feel that a lot of times Stout focuses on the number, or the business of fashion, and this experience reminded me why I am in the retail major, and more importantly, why I love fashion.”

It is great to see that even a small school like UW-Stout offers programs that bring Wisconsin students to Miami Fashion week, and gives them a look into the real and thriving industry of Fashion.

"JoDee got to dress Stacy Ann from America's Next Top Model"