A post about my first modelling experience at Fashfest 2016.
When I was young, I always wants to become a model. Most importantly, I love fashion and always look forward to try more designer dresses and feel their passion. When my friend told me about the Fashfest model casting, I decided to give it a go. You know, just to try it out.
It was fun, and a bit challenging. We waited for at least three and half hours until our numbers were called out and our casting only last 5 minutes. At the end, three of us were so exhausted and hungry. This was the first time that I did my unprofessional catwalk in front of 500 people and I made it.
Then, I was luckily being choice by three designers. I was so excited about me being a model, so I went to every rehearsal. That means I spent my every Sunday from 10am to 5pm with the Fashfest team for at least three months. They trained us on how to do a good catwalk, how to be more confident on stage and what does a professional model should do in terms of every aspects of being professional. That sometimes means your designer may ask you to do something you feel uncomfortable but you still need to do it because it is part of the job.
The dress rehearsals were the worst ones for me. As a PhD, time is so important to me and I still feel I was wasting too much time on doing rehearsals. Fashfest team asked us to arrive the venue on time. However, the previous show has not finished their dress rehearsal yet, so we waited for at least two hours before our arranged dress rehearsal. I remembered that each rehearsal takes me about 8 hours after work (from 4pm to 12am).
If you want to become a model, please keep in mind that you will always wait for others for a very long time.
A night before my three Fashfest shows, I heard from my supervisor that our paper will be out a day before my first show. Not to mention, one of my supervisors went all the way from Adelaide to Canberra to spend some time here with his colleagues and students in the same week. I was hoping that I can spend more time with him but I failed.
Being a model was not that easy and you will indeed love your make-up, dress-on and your on-stage time, however to me it was once-a-life-time experience. I tried so hard to become a good model and I made it. I did receive lots of compliments. But that is it.
I feel much better when the media release of our paper went out. I am glad that ABC News, Canberra Times, and many other mass media channels reported our work.
To summarize, I think being a model is cool and interesting but I enjoy the scientific part of me a bit more.
Still like fashion but no more modelling for me.
The End.