Behind the Scenes at Erigo-X

Starting a new school year can be intimidating, especially when you’re a first-year student moving to a new city and making new friends. This doesn’t even account for anxieties about classes and starting your career path. My name is Grace Kuey and this was my exact situation not even two weeks ago. I am a first-year student at LIM, planning to study fashion merchandising. I am a part of LIM’s Fashion Scholars’ program, which has offered me a new and comforting home and some amazing opportunities. For example, I attended and worked New York Fashion Week events, pushing me out of my comfort zone and exposing me to the industry right off the bat.

The Fashion Scholars’ program is a competitive program for those that excelled in their high school, both academically and with extracurriculars. It includes a wide variety of honors and higher-level courses, while also allowing the students to participate in special events. 

One of the NYFW events Fashion Scholars were able to participate in was the Erigo-X runway show. This took place on

September 12^th, meaning that the scholars were given this amazing opportunity before they’d even finished their first week of classes. Students were split into groups within the Erigo-X show—some worked as dressers for models and others worked in the front of the house. I personally worked backstage with the models, dressing them before they went on the runway and then changing their outfits for their second look. This position gave great insight on what goes on behind the scenes at a fashion show. While it was chaotic, we were all well composed and completed the tasks assigned.  The students at the front of the were responsible for assisting guests to their seats and curating their goodie bags. 

The scholars and I are so thankful to have had the opportunity to experience so many different perspectives on Fashion Week. We shared our experience with scholars who worked other NYFW shows, giving each other even further insights. We learned a lot about professionalism and its importance. Moreover, many of us got to network and meet people who are currently working our dream careers.