Booked Tokyo Fashion NYC’s Runway show here in NYC at F.I.T.! I was really excited to be asked to walk in this show because let’s face it, I’m only 5’4 and my model friends are close to 6′, so I knew I had to grab this opportunity!

The whole experience was so fierce (I’ve learned that’s the appropriate term) and from the afternoon till the end of the show I was in a whirlwind of fashion.

My first look was by designer Akinori Isobe, from his line called Alice and the Pirates. This boutique clothing line features designs with a strong pirate and pirate-punk theme (obviously) and uses bold colors and patterns. My hair was braided on the side for an androgynous look.

My second look, and by far my favorite of the two, was a cool kimono inspired by Japanese rock singer Hide (pronounced Hee-deh). My favorite part about this look was my sky high faux hawk! But it was quite a challenge to get this look completed. After I walked with the first look, I ran to the dressing room and quickly changed into the kimono as the makeup artists began changing my make up. Then they had to reconstruct my previous hairstyle and quickly created the faux hawk. The minutes flew by and soon I was headed back toward the runway, with makeup artists doing touch ups, assistants pressing my fake nails into place, and hairstylists spraying a cloud of hairspray onto my head. Then I was back on the runway, walking and enjoying the crowd and the music. Sixty seconds later, I was backstage and it was all over.

Runway shows are intense, but they’re also a lot of fun. You have to be ready for the high energy around you and if you’ve been not-so-secretly practicing a Tyra-esque runway walk in your apartment, then you know this is a cannot-miss opportunity. :)