VCUarts Fashion hosts a fashion event every year to showcase the work of design majors. Fashion Merchandising majors plan and run the entire show.
Operations: Back of House
The event planning class was split into different committees. I was part of the operations back of house committee with Erika Gesell and Courtney Deviney. We were in charge of everything going on behind the scenes during the show.
My job involved communication with dressers and guides. I was in charge of all of the dressers, plus I worked closely with front of house operations to ensure a smooth show.
I contacted all dressers and promoted, hosted and ran an interest meeting. After acquiring volunteers, I ran a training meeting going through all of the responsibilities of dressers. Finally, I had to assign every dresser to one or two models and create a contract for them to sign.
Everyone in the class helped each other when needed. For example, I helped create the poster for dresser training for the promotions team. I also helped with model call and training, as well as contacting guides.
DAY of show
The day of our show and dress rehearsal I was running back of house. I was at the dressing room making sure everything was in order including the dressers, models, and garments. I made sure that every model was in the right order and segment before sending them up to walk on the runway. Those two days were very chaotic and a bit stressful but I absolutely loved being there. I always have the best time helping out with the show and actually running it was s dream come true. That’s why I took the class again in 2025 so that I could be a co-director of the show with my friend and classmate Alina Taylor. (pictured next to me)
REFLECTION
REFLECTION
I feel at so happy and at home when planning and being a part of the VCU fashion event. Since the first time I ever volunteered to help with the show, just as a dresser, I knew I had to be more involved. The more involved I was, the more I loved it. These shows made me realize that one of my dreams is to be an event planner for a big fashion company. I know that I would absolutely thrive in that position.
The VCU Fashion Event has changed my life. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do within the industry until the show. For the record, I would also love a job as a buyer or in product development but event planning is something I am extremely passionate about.