New York Fashion Week Day 1.

You’re always told to do things that scare you. Get out of your comfort zone. Don’t stay stuck, because being comfortable isn’t what makes you grow.

Even coming to NYFW is a gigantic step for me. I came alone (should be fine, right? I’ve lived in four different countries). The truth is, a lot of social situations feel quite difficult for me. Chatting to you in my chair feels almost like a comfort blanket; it’s safety. It’s one-on-one.

Alas, I put my big girl pants on and didn’t skip the welcome drinks, even though I had originally bought tickets to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on the same night. (I switched them to the next day, and if you’re anywhere in the world where it’s showing, it’s a must-see, FYI.)

I got some small talk in with a few stylists, and that took the edge off a little. Collected my product haul and left by 9pm to get back to the hotel to sleep. I woke up every hour on the hour in the build-up to my first ever show.

I’ve been navigating the city via subway; it’s felt as easy as being back in London. I do love a city with easy-to-navigate public transport (you will not find that in LA).

I got myself close to the show venue an hour early, because being late for anything work related makes me so anxious. I grabbed breakfast in a café beforehand to fuel me for this big event that felt like such a hurdle.

Now, I’m used to working weddings; what’s more stressful than that, right? The difference is that at a wedding, you and the bride are controlling the room. I help create a calm atmosphere, and we make sure to have time and space. Even if you’re in a tiny room, most likely it’s still bigger than some prep rooms you’ll see at Fashion Week.

There were four or five chairs available to use for hair, and the set-up felt chaotic. Opting to use one kit per two people was the way forward.

Our lead stylist was Frank Rizzieri, a very seasoned veteran at any Fashion Week in the world. When you’re assisting at Fashion Week, especially for your first time, you are prepping the models’ hair for the lead artist and watching and learning.

A model with curly hair walks in. I try to shy away… (why, when you blow curly hair smooth on a regular basis? 🤷🏻‍♀️). A stylist who made me feel comfortable (because she knows Oran) pointed out her Dyson and told me to use that, so I was like, “Okay Terri… you’ve got this.”

Someone else picks up the Dyson; we’re pretty much at a limit on how many dryers we can plug in, of course. So we move into the hallway. My kit wasn’t out at all, and I start low-key freaking out.

I can only describe it as performance anxiety. It’s like my mind went blank and I forgot how to do something I naturally just do.

We were working in pairs, and I really wanted to make sure I wasn’t taking over and that the other girl was involved. Again, we could only use one hairdryer.

I didn’t want to be rough with the model, and I really hope I wasn’t, but I also felt like I had to be quick. Frank comes to check my first section, and I could tell it wasn’t where he wanted it to be.

We decided we had to straighten her hair, so in the areas I’d blown out, we split the model’s head in half, and another girl started straightening to my left in the hopes of working quicker.

We then had two flat irons out, and I started to flat iron the opposite side at the front from where I’d just finished blowing smooth with a mixed bristle brush.

Frank then came over again, and I wanted to vomit. I felt like I was meeting this famous person, and it was so surreal and wild. It was like I was frozen. Unfortunately, I hadn’t smoothed out the section enough (I’d only straightened the front section of the left side of her hair), and I was asked if I understood why I needed to get the hair smoother, which honestly was daunting. The vomit feeling got even worse.

We cracked on. I then asked the other girl with me what temperature she had the irons set at; she was using 300°F, which in this case wasn’t enough heat (however correct in terms of not wanting to use too much heat on curly hair). We got it done; it did take way longer than it should have but hey this is literally my first fashion week rodeo, same for the girl I was paired with. Matt was there with us closer to the end, guiding us to the finish line.

Frank came over and finished the model (as he did for most models), and I watched the rest of the hair and touch-ups after that.

I’m sad I didn’t really get to see the hustle and bustle in the main get-ready room, but the experience was still cool.

I could have quite easily just taken the lead and got the hair done; maybe that is what I should have been doing. The internal limiting beliefs I put on myself took over a little.

I’m very glad that all of my internal anguish didn’t make me want to put the tools down after being corrected. So many times in my career I have wanted to run and hide. Many times I have.

Ultimately, I know I am a good stylist, and blowing a curly girl’s hair smooth is something I am actually more than capable of — even if I didn’t prove it this time 🤣

However, I am rigid and too caught up in perfection and how other people will perceive my work — which, at weddings, is actually perfect. Fashion Week is a need for speed; I’ll get there.

I’m going to go into Monday with a little more comfort. One show is done, and now I know what to expect.

I didn’t put the tools down.

I didn’t disappear to the bathroom.(The Richardson’s bathroom and me were very well aquatinted🤣)

I didn’t quit mid-model.

I adjusted. I observed. I learned.

That’s growth I think.

Thanks for reading me blabber on,

Terri

The shoot worked on was for Yinan official.

Photography by Alex Lv Photography

Check out Yinan official Instagram to see the carousel of the models.

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