Living in Manhattan this past summer was one of the most incredible experiences thus far. People say that magic happens in New York City, and it's true. In September I had the opportunity to work as a Model Brand Ambassador for the Tommy Hilfiger fashion show.
How It Went Down | After sending in some shots and getting the okay, I was invited to the Hilfiger offices in Chelsea where I had some pictures taken. Within the same day, I found out that they chose me to work as one of their ambassadors for the two day event. On cloud nine doesn't even cover how I felt.
The One Day Prep | Before the show, we received and email and packet with a rundown of the two days. One of the pages covering how we should present ourselves. Ie. channel your inner Gigi Hadid/model off duty; looking your best without trying too hard (aka. minimal makeup and effortless hair). After a day of prepping, it was time. I found my way to Tommy Pier with the assistance of some local New Yorkers and the whirlwind began.
my beauty inspo for the event.
Day I The Fashion Show | We got the lowdown about who was where, and what Pop Up we were working. Then we were debriefed on our outfits, the woman ending on, "to the girl with the size 11 foot, sorry we don't have that, so you're going to get men's shoes." Long story short, I got some men's shoes. After the training, we got lunch and hung around the pier. Around 4 the models had their run through. With the bass booming in the background, I watched as Taylor Hill, Gigi, Hailey Baldwin and other models practiced their walks. It was pretty surreal.
these were our looks for the event. Myself, and some of the other model brand ambassadors.
Soon enough, it was time for the show, one by one, A Listers, Influencers and other Insiders made their way to Tommy Pier. The concept of the show was #TommyNow aka. see now buy now. Attendees could purchase the merch immediately. We were ready to sell, with a pop up shop full of clothing, and an interactive wall (built out of multiple monitors), where shoppers could browse lookbooks, videos and do some online shopping. The show began with a robot-like voice welcoming everyone to Tommy Piers. Very futuristic. The first track was none other than Rihanna and Calvin Harris, and the hits kept coming. Models jetted out and walked the runway in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Gigi started the show with other models following, one by one, then two by two in a matching, twin-like formation. The clothing was a mix of sporty and nautical, with a variation of tracksuits, stripes and reds, whites and blues. As soon as it started, it was over. Ending with Gigi and Tommy holding hands and smiling. Even though it was only 10/15 minutes, I felt high off the energy of the show, and was ready to take on the crowds. The night ended with us selling out of a lot of merch, and them letting us enjoy the free perks of the pier.
right to left, Chanel Iman, and Lineisy Montero.
twinning in this sporty set.
Gigi and Tommy closing the show
Day II Gigi Comes | Before our shift, there were whispers of Gigi coming to see the pop up shops. The pier was open to the public, and no one gave us a straight answer, so we weren't sure if it was true or not. During the first part my day, Kourtney Kardashian and the kids walked right passed me, ~without a body guard~ emphasized by a coworker. I'm sad to say that I didn't see her because she was so short (like 4'11" and wearing flats short). I did get a glimpse them further down the pier though, so it still counts. The day continued, and I took my lunch break. When I came back, I noticed crowds of people swarming. I hurried back to my pop up (which was surrounded by people) and squeezed my way back in with some help from security. Gigi was right in front of me, she went through the racks of clothes, thanked us and continued walking the shop and getting her picture taken, with Yolanda in tow. She was definitely nervous because of the huge crowd, but tried to keep a smile on her face. She took pictures with fans, and was on her way to the next shop.
This was a truly incredible experience, and it was in part from the *magic* of the city, and me putting myself out there. No matter how crazy something seems, apply yourself because it just may work out.