By Amirah Muhmmed Bey, Tricoci University Esthetics student
A full day of planning ahead didn’t save me on my first “fashion rondeaux” at the ABC News headquarters; concerning Latino Fashion Week event. It was a 30 seconds of fame you couldn’t have prepared for. As an esthetician I boned up on my techniques, organized my makeup in “put- on order”, I went to bed earlier to get as much “focus rest” as possible and I rehearsed my plan of attack in one of the rooms at the headquarters.
As I sat I had small talk with my fellow cosmetologists and estheticians of Tricoci University, as well as the models, their spirited laughs and bantering helped me put my uncertainty of what to expect behind me. I distinctively remembered saying “if you know your stuff then you’ve got it”, and boy was I wrong! When we were finally given direction we took action, the studio set up I planned for was nothing more than the community bathroom and a nice gray waiting chair for my model to sit in. As we all started, everyone had ideas of what was wanted and we voiced who should do what. I started on the female model then we were told we had 8 minutes until airing, that’s when all beauty hell broke loose! Clothes started flying, hair went slapping everywhere, and my wrist was going 100 times per sec trying to blend the concealer. 8 min turned into 2 min and chaos. I was doing the makeup while the stylists were doing the hair and in the midst of trying to work fast, my brain kept resetting. I was seriously cracking under pressure. All my prep rendered me helpless. I organized everything in its own compartment and still couldn’t find a thing; I did last touches and got the model out. The rush was real! We all ran to the backstage of the ABC broadcasting set. It was lights, camera, action and awe as we watched the male model literally just stand there and be handsome for 3 min and then the female model went on set to be filmed live for Latino Fashion Week.
As I looked on I thought about the thin line between us all there at headquarters and the millions of viewers everywhere, just a camera lens away. 30 seconds of fame yes, but total gratification. I felt like I was a part of something and that I was needed to make it happen. I realized I loved the adrenaline, I know practice makes perfect, and I’ll have nerves of steel like the ABC news staff. I learned expect the unexpected, the worse, and to just roll with every punch. Maybe I’ll pack lighter next time, I realized to just pack for the party and not to overdo it. Awesome experience, I would love to do it again, I wouldn’t change a thing, and I will never say I work better under pressure again!