OPEN -- fashions fade, style is eternal (yves saint laurent)

[invocate]

WHO: You~
WHERE: Warehouse in Enprise
WHEN: June 23
WHAT: Recolle Fashion Show
WARNINGS: None
NOTES: OOC post is here for reference

Thanks to some very generous sponsors, the Recolle Fashion Show was able to book a nice space, a large warehouse that's been converted into a multi-use venue. About a third of the space is blocked off by a large white divider to form the backstage area. A single white catwalk extends from the divider, heavily lit from above, with rows of seating facing it on either side. The catwalk is set about four feet off the ground and terminates at a platform eight feet square. A portion of the front row at the platform is reserved for the sponsors and their guests.

General guests can enjoy the fashion show itself as well as the afterparty. Light refreshment (think hors d'oeuvres) and music will follow the show, providing people the opportunity to mingle and discuss the outfits. Take pictures with your favorite model or meet some of the designers! Request a song from the DJ or live musicians. Guests can grab a plate and walk around, or settle at one of the tables along the perimeter of the space. There will even be a bar available, though it won't be open and ID will be required.

Comments

SET-UP / BACKSTAGE

[invocate]

[It takes a lot to set up a fashion show! The stage and seating needs to be set up. And there's a lot going on in the backstage area. Dressing areas, hair and makeup areas, water stations... not to mention the DJ equipment.

Once the show itself starts, the backstage is a hive of activity as the models and everyone involved in getting them ready bustle about. There's bound to be an emergency or two. Better hope someone remembered the safety pins!

Models: If you would like one of the designers to select an outfit for your character, put SURPRISE ME in your subject line, or contact them by PM. // Designers: See the players' comments on their characters personal styles here.]

Surprise me?

[keystaff]

[Sakura is at least, in her other life, no stranger to being dressed up. She is just less used to an audience. Which is why she might seem a little nervous as she is fitted into one of her outfits, trying to stay still as she is helped into it in getting changed. As her hair is done.]

I hope this works. And I don't trip or something. Does it look okay?

[cardcaptured]

[Xiaolang, in the meanwhile, was resisting the urge to pick at his outfit for the umpteenth time, nowhere near as used to Sakura was in this whole 'dressing up' business. But she was one of the main reasons he decided to walk in the show to begin with (that, and... Li-Na and Leon bullied him, but she certainly sweetened the deal), and for her sake as well as the city's sake, he was going to have to bear with it.

So when Sakura poses the question to him, he looks up...

... and suddenly feels all the breath evaporate in his lungs as he stares.

And stares.

Had anyone asked, he would have sworn he had seen flowers bloom around her in that very moment, the very air sparkling around her as he looked at her in quiet awe. But it's obvious as each second that ticks by as he's staring at her dumbly that she might be expecting an answer, and he can feel the heat creeping up his face as he realizes he can't get the words past his lips.

His mouth moves uselessly as he attempts to speak, only really getting out a few words in the process.]

You-- Y-You look--

[Sorry, Sakura, be patient with your boyfriend-- it's tough being BSOD'd by someone's utter loveliness.]

[invocate]

[For a moment, Li-Na is too pleased with how the costume looks to even reply. Then she gives her head a small shake, reminding herself she's running this show and should act like a professional.]

You look amazing Sakura.

[Let's be real, Sakura would look adorable wearing a paper bag, but a prince costume is 100x better than a paper bag.]

Hold on, I need to take a quick picture.

[to possibly use against Xiaolang shhhhh]

surprise me ♪

[adoringpast]

[ while everyone's bustling about in the backstage, sena seems to very relaxed. this is just his habitat, after all, a place where he'll always belong in no matter what he does... which is pretty sad when you think about it.

he has further objections to whatever the designers made him wore... maybe. even so, emergencies do happen ever once in a while, often in a form of his hair just not working with this outfit. so you might see sena in front of the mirror, trying to fashion his hair on his own because the other makeup artists are busy. he's doing a pretty good job so far but he's not that satisfied... help him?

or maybe when he sees you with no makeup on - whether you're one of the models or simply one of the helpers - he might motion you to come closer. ]

What the hell are you doing out here looking like that... [ he's miffed, but at least he's not too irritated ] Come here, I'll make it snappy.

mirror

[espansivo]

[along with music duty, leo's actually pretty good at doing hair... so he's helping out here and there with it. it's mostly a habit from his band days, since he and the others did everything themselves, and while he's no kyou-tan in expertise he did pick up quite a bit in those two years.

so he sees sena messing with it and swings on over, winking a notably green eye in his direction.]

Anything I can help you with, Mitzy~? I'm used to takin' care of my band, so lemme do somethin' for you here~.

no makeup

[cardcaptured]

[Sena was one of the handful of familiar faces he knew backstage, so when he motions Xiaolang to come closer, he obeys without a second thought, although he does pass a curious look at his own outfit.]

Looking like what? Is there something wrong with the fitting?

[His ensemble looks fine enough... but the boy certainly does not, if the bags under his eyes and the obvious signs of stress were any indication.]

no makeup

[dornen_kiste]

_{[ Yogi jumped when the other addressed him like that, a garment bag in hand and his hair a bit of a mess, but then when wasn't it? And he had never worn makeup, ever. He blinked at Mizuki, not quite understanding and then - ]}

Oh! Okay.. um, I think you might be my model too?

_{[ He looked like the picture of the model for one of his outfits - a modern style suit with asymmetrical lines. ]}

Surprise me

[blessmefather]

[ ooc: Any questions PM me or thoughtbubble ]

[ Matt was sucked into participating before he even realized what was happening. He's been quiet and cooperative while waiting for the designer and stylists to make their decisions and adjustments. Now that they're putting the last touches on their work he has to ask ]

Mind describing it to me?

surprise me!!

[twostringsonebow]

[Goro's fine with whatever he's put into, generally speaking; he trusts a designer's eye and he can work with confidence to pull it off, too, so there's no complaints here.

Nor is he very nervous. For better or worse, this is simply a job for him, even if it's not quite as official, won't run in magazines like it usually would. Modelling, while not the place he feels he belongs, is something he's comfortable with and it shows; anyone who seems particularly nervous will be getting a gentle touch on the shoulder and maybe a glass of water to calm down with.]

Don't worry, there's no press coverage to catch mistakes. Things'll be forgotten quickly if anything happens.

[Com...forting in its own way, maybe.

Otherwise, he can be found looking to lend a helping hand where it's needed, whether it's helping to set things up or to lend a hand with make up and hair; he's a professional, after all, this is the least he can do to those he views as juniors for today's event... no matter their age.]

[ingodswelove]

[Ashura is thrilled to say the least. Getting to look at everyone else's fashions, getting excited to see what he will wear himself. It's even better, because one of his recently hired bodyguards, and the owner of Anastasia Fashions, is his designer. This is a dream come true for the effeminate male! And he can be heard excitedly squealing or chatting too loudly with other sponsors and models. Feel free to have overheard anything he says at any given point.]

[Avery (closed)]

[Ashura squeals as he sees the lineup that Avery has made for the occassion. He's always been a fan of the fashion industry, and getting the personal manager of Anastasia Fashions to give him his designs today? He couldn't be more thrilled.]

Ashura wants to try this one first! Or this one! But this one is pretty, too! Oh! Can Ashura keep them all? Ashura will pay you double for all of them!

[There he goes, loudly flaunting his money again.]


[Showing Off]

Look, look! Ashura got Anastasia Fashions to supply him designs!

[He gives a twirl and a dramatic flair to show off his outfit]

Aren't they amazing?! Ashura wants to shop there forever! They even carry designs by the great Carina! That famous singer! Have you ever shopped with them? Ooh! We should go shopping after this is over! You'll come with Ashura, right?


[Helping Out]

[You could be struggling with your outfit, or Ashura could just see something off about your appearance. Maybe a fold's amiss, or your ribbon's crooked, or whatever is wrong. It causes Ashura to head your direction and start fussing over you.]

Here, let Ashura fix that for you! You can't go on stage yet.

[He's already reaching for whatever it is; either dodge him or get doted on. Either way, he's all smiles.]

If Ashura had more servants and bodyguards, Ashura would rent them out to you. But Ashura knows a thing about outfits, too! Ashura puts on plays and performances all the time, and costumes are important.

Hair and Make-up

[toobigtohandle]

[Kenta has set up near one of the big mirror, and the table in front of him is all but crumbling under all of the great designer make-up, brushes, wet wipes.

Whenever it's your turn, he'll sit you down in the chair and have a look at both the shape of your face, your coloring and what you're wearing before getting to work. His fiancé is an habitual cross-dresser and a drag performer, and Kenta has been doing his stage make-up for years, so you are going to look fantastic.

If no one else is available, he will do your hair too.]

Next!

[invocate]

SET-UP

[Li-Na is going to be... all over the place. She'll be meeting with the sponsors to thank them for their support. She'll be supervising the arrival of all the equipment and its placement. She'll be making sure all the clothing is being staged properly. Then there's the food for the afterparty and the delivery of the piano for Bart to play on. Chairs and tables to set up. Lights and sound system to check.

It's a lot.

So when there is a brief lull in activity and things don't seem to need her constant attention... Li-Na slips off to the women's changing area for a quick breather. Between all the things that need to be coordinated and Leon getting killed and landing his ass in the hospital her brain feels like it's been going nonstop. So she just sits on a chair and takes some deep breaths.]

BACKSTAGE

[Once the show is underway... Li-Na is still bustling. Between her own turns on the catwalk, Li-Na focuses on making sure the show is running smoothly. She flits about like a butterfly, tapping people whose turns are coming up, congratulating others when they finish their walks, making sure everyone stays hydrated and cool.]

You are next!

Good job!

Water. Drink.

Fan. Cool off.

[And then there's managing the inevitable hiccups. Like one of the clothing racks getting knocked over. People getting their outfits mixed up and wondering why their clothes don't fit. Someone needing a bathroom break, but their outfit not cooperating.]

SURPRISE ME

[cardcaptured]

[As a relative and housemate of one of the sponsors (and the main organizer herself), there was no question that Xiaolang was going to get roped into this somehow. Before any of the other models begin to arrive, he throws himself fully in assisting Li-Na where he can with the set-up, arranging the chairs and helping unpack and organize the various deliveries and fashion necessities. It's a good distraction from everything that had happened in the past few days, to keep his body and mind busy to keep it from straying to less pleasant things, although it's not entirely foolproof. There are times he zones out for a moment or so, leaving himself open for someone to bump into him and startle him from his thoughts.

As the hour of judgement creeps ever closer, however, he's going to be herded away from helping and pushed to join the other models backstage, much to his chagrin. It's clear, despite his cute looks and good posture, that he was very much not model material, with the way he squirms as he's getting fitted or accidentally smears some of hard-applied make-up upon his face. (And good luck to whoever is tasked to tame the wild bedhead that is his hair...)

And while he was keeping his prickliness to a minimum, despite his discomfort with the whole thing, there's only so much he could take. At some point, near the end of the show, a blond, curly-haired young lady in a beaded pink ball gown flounces out of the men's changing room, cheeks flushed with anger, hitching up her skirts as she stomps and yells in a familiar, rough voice:]

I DIDN'T AGREE TO THIS! THERE'S NO WAY I'M GOING OUT IN THIS... THIS THING!!

[................ oh. Awkwaaaaaard.]

DJ setup

[amodelidol]

[The hustle and bustle backstage reminded Makoto of his mom's shows back home, except this time he's not trying to hide he's carrying his DJ equipment over to get it ready for the show. It's going to be his first public show and he's a little nervous, but he's really excited about it too. Once he has his headphones, he puts them around his neck then goes through the music for the show. If anyone has a song they want him to play let him know! He will definitely play it for you! For now he's in the DJ booth, checking his equipment and making sure that everything works.]

Surprise me?

[blondferret]

[Derek stands with his arms out looking around at his surroundings. This was way more busy than the calendar shoot he did back in October. And that was mostly well... the models were shirtless for one thing, so being fully clothed as a model was a bit different. He wasn't wearing something as loud as what Yogi made him that one time either, it was more... OK who put him in a time capsule?]

Where did you guys even get this?

Since he's more likely to bring his own stuff...lol Sorry for the edit!

[sakeplz]

[Jirou has fully expected that there might not be clothes that fit him given his size. So what has he done? Why, he's brought his own clothes! That means that as he sits there having a drink there's an entire clothing rack next to him. Currently he hasn't changed yet or put on makeup and is just sitting there in a silk robe relaxing.

If you'd like to help him get ready then feel free!

If you want to have a drink (and are old enough to have it) he'll gladly offer you some!

Otherwise you can expect this very tall model to just be enjoying the chaotic backstage atmosphere. You're all so busy! You should learn to relax some! Like him obviously!]

ORGANIZER/HELP OTA

[devilsadvocato]

[When he isn't showing people to seats and checking on the lights and cameras out on stage Foggy checks backstage to make sure everything is running smoothly. Li-Na is still doing good right? He'll step in if she starts to look super stressed. Anyone else need something?]

WATER

Who's thirsty? No collapsing in the summer heat guys. [He passes through the backstage area with bottles in his arms and offering them to everyone he meets just in case.]

SECOND SET OF HANDS OR SECOND OPINION

[Foggy's eyes dart between the models, designers, and makeup artists. He seems to be in deep thought but he doesn't say anything. At least not unless he's asked to.]

PEP TALK

[He rests a steady hand on the shoulder of whoever looks like they're about to make a mad dash for the exit.] Deep breath. You've got this. Imagine the audience is a field of pumpkins.

CATWALK

[invocate]

[Models walk down the catwalk to the platform at the end, pose to their heart's desire, then return to the backstage area. The models have been given the choice of styling themselves from their own wardrobe or letting one of the designers choose their clothing. Models can walk solo or as part of a pair. They can model just one outfit or up to three.

Audience, please keep your hands to yourself. Anyone who gets too close to the edge of the stage might find themselves dealing with security. Feel free to take pictures of your friends though! Just don't blind them with your flash.]

INTRO

[invocate]

[Li-Na steps out onto the catwalk, microphone in hand. She's wearing a simple, but elegant cheongsam, that is actually one of her own.]

Hello, and thank you for coming to the Recollé Fashion Show! I would like to thank our sponsors for the evening, without whose support I would not have been able to accomplish this: Ashura Charbonneau, Avery Holland, and Leon Zhong...

[Her voice catches slightly on Leon's name, but she forces herself to smile and continue.]

Everyone has worked so hard to make this show happen. Thank you to all the models, the organizers, the designers and stylists, the musicians... This has really been a team effort, and you are all wonderful.

[Li-Na signals the DJ and the music starts to play.]

Please enjoy the show!

Li-Na's walks

[invocate]

[Li-Na models three different outfit over the course of the show (though technically she wears four, if you count the blue cheongsam). Each outfit progressively gets more and more extravagant.

First, something from her own wardrobe. A cream colored lacy top with elbow length sleeves, paired with a pink mini skirt with button and ruffle details. And on her feet a pair of wedge sandles.

Next, a gauzy and floaty ball gown. The undergown is a pale blue, while the overgown is a light pink, giving the overall gown a lavender hue. With an off the shoulder neckline and lace detailing on the bodice, the gown exudes elegance.

And finally, something very different from Li-Na's usual aesthetic. The gown hugs Li-Na's torso down to her hips before flaring out in two large flounces. The right arm is bare except for a lace wristlet, while the left arm is covered from neck to wrist with a wide sleeve. The fabric is predominantly purple on the upper half of the gown, but rainbow streaked on the skirt. It is eye catching to say the least.

Though she's done it twice already, Li-Na is still nervous when she takes her final walk. The dress is just... out there. Maybe not by a fashion show standard, but at least for her. She generally doesn't wear such bright, loud colours. And the silhouette is... much more mature than she usually aims for. She can't deny that it's a gorgeous dress though. Just not one she'll wear a second time.]

Jirou's walks

[sakeplz]

[Jirou does a number of walks throughout the show. Of course he's mainly here to represent Hirata Fashion even if his mother currently isn't here to watch him walk her things. He knows she's proud of him all the same.

His outfits vary quite a bit. A fine suit to start with. Flawlessly tailored to him and it shows off that beautifully masculine form of his, his golden eyes lined darkly. It's the perfect way to show off the outfit so people can desire it.

Another is an elegant dress that shows off his fantastically long legs. Somehow he looks exactly like a woman now despite the fact that only a walk or so ago he looked just like a man. He smiles his painted lips and winks eyes that are now with a stunning cat eye, hair twisted up and off his neck.

For his final walk before the end of the show, he makes sure to make a statement with a dramatic red gown. Now his eyes are fully done up with long lashes and dramatic red makeup that makes those gold eyes pop for the crowd. He does a good pose at the end of the run way before turning in a way that makes that cloak swirl brilliantly around him before he walks back down.

All in all he puts on an amazing show, a professional to the end. This is something he's been doing for years, after all.]

AFTERPARTY

[invocate]

[The show is over, time to mingle!]

Live music

[royaldifficulties]

[ Unlike the specific music that went into the actual show, DJ equipment and all, the afterparty is more relaxed - and there is live music.

Bart is behind the piano. Even this far into the month, the blue eyes still have a mildly wild look, but his hands are steady and his performance is suitably flawless and quiet both, to fit the occasion.

Though even he does take breaks, and lounges around with a glass of apple juice, leaning against a wall and watching the entire thing. ]

[sakeplz]

[Well now that that's over Jirou can be found mingling with the crowd in a more "simplistic" dress. Well, at least in comparison to the one he ended the show with. Naturally he is doing what? If you guessed drinking then you got it right!

Jirou is fully enjoying alcohol as he mingles with those who came to the show. And if he's not doing that he's likely lingering with Kenta. That is his fiance after all! Would you like to hear all about how amazing Kenta is? Jirou will tell you!]