Sarah Shultz always dreamed of being part of fashion week. To make that dream come true, Shultz, an artist at First Impressions Salon, Fort Wayne, Indiana, took the Advanced Runway Styling course at the Aveda Academy in NYC. Jon Reyman, a superstar and key lead during Fashion Week, led the program guiding aspiring Fashion Week artists in their quest to work backstage.
As a result of her styling excellence, Schultz was invited to work several fashion shows during the most recent NYFW held earlier this month.
MODERN caught up with Shultz (who was working side by side with best friend and boss Andrea Krock) at the Leanne Marshall show as they prepped the hair for her Spring/Summer 2018 collection. Shultz and Krock were creating a low fishtail braid that needed a lot of prep. “It’s all about making it gritty,” said Shultz before we pulled out our camera. “We are going through a lot of Pure Abundance and Thickening Tonic. They are the perfect backstage products.”
Shultz was thriving in what she admitted was an “intense environment” but one that was giving her one of the "best experiences of my professional life." When asked what she learned in the class that she was able to bring to her experience, Shultz said 5 things became clear:
- RESPECT: You learn to respect each other and work as a team. It is not unusual for the makeup artist and manicurist to work on your model while you are doing hair.
- SPACE: Everything in condensed and it’s not unusual to be bumping in to each other while backstage. But it all works.
- PACE: While you may have a lot of time with one model, you may have just minutes with any late arrivals. You may be wrapping up one show and have to run to the next show. The pace is fast and is perfect for high energy artists.
- MONEY: Most people working backstage do not get paid. “But who cares?” asks Shultz. “It’s about the experience.”
- DRESSCODE: Just wear black (and bring along comfortable shoes – “That’s key!”)
Check out this brief interview with Shultz behind the scenes at the Leanne Marshall show during NYFW SS2018:
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