PFW

Fashion Week is one of the biggest style events that happens annually. It’s viewed by millions of people all over the world and influences trend for the upcoming season. Being able to send your work down the runway is a highly sought-after opportunity

for clothing designers, makeup artists, and hairstylists alike!

A few weeks ago, our adore stylist, Misti Dort, had the chance of a lifetime to head to Paris and work behind the scenes styling hair at this year’s Paris Fashion Week.

We sat down with her to get a behind the scenes perspective.

Misti, describe a typical day working Fashion week.

I arrived at the Ritz Carlton just before our 6:00 AM call time to meet with my team get photos of the looks that we’re going to be recreating; One of them was an avant-garde, slicked back style with somewhat of an over dramatic finger wave. 

Our studio for the day was a baroque style room – think tall ceilings, gold accents, wide crown molding, and luxurious furniture. It felt very French. I set up my tools and soon after the models arrived, all very casually dressed with both simple hair and makeup. 

From there, our day began and it was just as chaotic as you would expect it to be. Between other hairstylists, makeup artists, clothing designers, models, and other behind the scenes helpers, there were about 20 of us in a room trying to do our job while racing the clock to make sure our model was ready on time. On top of that, the electric systems in Europe are different than here. Just when I thought I was getting into a good groove, the power would go out and we’d frantically have to sort that out to stay on schedule. We stayed on a steady rotation throughout the evening and finally “wrapped” at around 9:00 PM that night.

Being a part of the process and seeing everything evolve from a photo to a full-fledged runway look was cool. Overall, it was such a great experience and I feel lucky to have been able to do it. I’ve worked so hard to get to this point and it’s been a career milestone that I have always wanted to achieve.

As for trends, what are some things you predict we will start seeing pop up?

I saw a lot of designers using bold geometric prints, rounded silhouettes, silk, boxy fits, and billowy fabrics, so I think we’ll be seeing more of that in the upcoming seasons.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to work Fashion Week?

It’s such cliché advice, but it is all about who you know in this industry. Go to events, make connections, and be sure to follow up with people you’re interested in working with. The initial meeting is important, but building a relationship is what’s going to get you places.

You’ve done Paris Fashion Week what’s your next big career goal?

I’ve been wracking my brain to come up with my next step and I think in the future I’d like to teach a class internationally. In the meantime, I plan to head back to Paris next season and just keep building those relationships.

We’re proud to have Misti on our team and encourage you to follow @Mistidoeshair on Instagram.