As an aesthethic I dare say we had two good shows with the most beautiful models this day, at the very best location; our own "palace" for the evening.
Never say never
Only hours after I wrote that everything was according to schedule, the combined host and sponsor had changed his mind and hence made problems for the planned show 18th of February: This autumn I was offered a fully sponsored fashion show at a classical café here in Oslo. As Åse Strand, Norway´s most known hat designer, and I had already talked about cooperating about a fashion show, I asked her to join me. Before Christmas we were also offered to have a show at the luxury shopping mall Eger, but under the condition that we participated at the prêt-à-porter Oslo Fashion Fair, that i.e. moved its exhibition dates colliding with my master course at Norwegian School of Management. Because of the sponsorship and cooperation deal I also rejected an invitation from the U.S., as I find it an obligation to always try ones best to stick to promises.
This last Friday in January the person in question suddenly claimed the entire sponsorship to be a "misunderstanding", his favourite word according to a former employée he never paid (maybe salary expectations were misunderstandings too?). By this time he was already in conflict with one of my aqquintances, while two other had quitted and was about to leave their positions and roles in the establishment. This was only ten days before the press releases were to be published. It belongs to history that this person actually lost the right to use the venue only a week after ... One can call it karma.
"If you can guarantee a 200 000 NOK turnover at our restaurant, we can of course host it."
A friend fixed a new location, the stylish Bølgen & Moi at Tjuvholmen, by the seaside in the financial district. "No problem!" said its profiled founder. I went to see the place myself the following Monday. The local manager never met me in person, but sent an assistant telling me that we had to personally guarantee a $ 33 750 turnover (!) the fashion show evening, "not to lose income". As this is the winter season, there is still a financial crisis going on and there was for instance only two guest present in the entire restaurant while I visited it, I was very tempted to use some very impolite words. Instead I started to look for another place to arrange Classical Fashion.
The perfect venue for the country´s "most theatrical" designer
Several persons were engaged to find a new venue, and I got some very good piece of advice from two of them: Why not use the Theatre Museum in Oslo´s old town hall from 1624? I had already been tipped about this spot before, and it would be an ironic answer to the reception of my "theatrical" debut show with its "beautiful costumes. And costumes is all it is." I was trapped at an intense BI seminar at this moment, but the new venue was ordered for our scheduled time Thursday 18th of February at 8 p.m., a time set by the moneyless "sponsor" in his time.
"Special price for you"
Less than two weeks before the show I had a chat with one of them, modelling for free the year before. "But this time you get some money at least." "???" - The agency never told the models that they were to be paid, so they thought they would be working for free. However, they would get $ 85.00 each for modelling at the big event that parallelled our show (with its designers paying less). One model called the agency about the lacking salary: "Oh, has Rudy complained again?" - I have never heard anybody talking this way about a business customer, but not all people seem to be interested in keeping their customers. Shortly after the agency also tried to convince the model to work for another designer instead, whose show was to be arranged exactly the same time as ours. "- I will of course email Rudy about this." She never did. The designer even contacted the model directly, offering her dresses etc. Luckily my model has integrity, and resisted the pressure. And there are other model agencies in town ...
A succesful event after all
The day itself offered only minor problems; a catwalk CD was suddenly gone, the museum staff never locked the door - letting guests in too early, some crew people arrived late, a couple of guest had taken maybe a glass too much before show start, the light conditions gave the photographers as well as myself headache ... That is all, and also peanuts in comparason with earlier fashion show experiences in this town.
Various guests, from young fashionistas to eccentric upperclass women, were streaming in among drapes, tassels and columns, finding their chairs, studying theatre costumes, greeting accuintances as well as strangers, chatting, drinking wine from the Gamle Raadhus popup bar ... Learning from couture professionals in India that uneccessary stress never generates quality, I even did an interview with Norwegian Fashion (the article will be published soon) less than one hour before my own show.
Backstage the models changed in a château-like environment, surrounded with historical paintings and classical wall details. Space, light, humour, good spirits ... - This is the way it should be! My always cheerful assistant did a very good job with ironing etc., while I was the dominatrix of the day and main steamer (two tasks somewhat linked together) of the entire thing. The hair and makeup team from Cosmo Beauty had their own corner in this beautiful white hall, and even assisted with lacing one of the Imperivm garments when time felt critical before the show scheduled at 21.35. And starting as scheduled, maybe five minutes too late at worst!
Working backstage I unfortunately missed Åse Strands show, that was very well received among the guests. This was one of her best collections, and I feel exactly the same about mine. Well, was it against all odds? No, one cannot fight genuine talent and unbendable willpower!
Pictures from the "Imperivm" show itself will also be published very soon.
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