Few events are as exciting as the Massif Fashion Week held in Denver, Colorado every May. I attended the events this year and interviewed 9 different guests to capture their insights, anecdotes, and advice from the 2018 event. This episode is full of stories from executive planners, fashion designers, event photographers, and aspiring young fashion professionals. It’s an unfiltered glimpse into the heart of Massif, and I promise you won’t be disappointed. Be sure to listen! Outline of This Episode [0:43] Behind the scenes at Denver’s Massif Fashion Week [3:29] Kevin Alexander, co-producer and director of Massif Fashion Week [9:59] Luis Gonzales, hair stylist, on training new hairdressers for runway looks [15:03] Carloz Bryant on promoting the Massif brand through photography [18:51] Brittany Sconier on turning her ideas into a runway-ready piece [25:12] Stephanie Carlson on body positivity and fashion for sizes 8-18 [29:46] Julia Rhoden on working with local artists and finding her true focus [33:41] Chelsea Ma, winner of Project Runway Junior Season 2 [37:00] Geoffrey Mac on the differences between showing in NYC vs Denver [42:24] Qi Zhou on balancing fashion and motherhood What is the Massif Fashion Week? The Massif Fashion Week event is Denver’s “most exclusive, buyer-based runway showcase focused on high-end fashion design, quality construction, and ready-to-wear.” Not only does it serve as a platform for designers of all ages and backgrounds, it’s also bringing attention to the Denver fashion scene. Throughout this podcast, you’ll hear from the co-producer and director for the Week as well as many people working to ensure the events run smoothly. You'll also hear from new and veteran designers as they explain why they love seeing their pieces worn on the runway. Massif Fashion Week is one of the few fashion events based in a photography and film studio, and it brings together an incredible mix of designers, students, models, and buyers. This episode is one not to be missed! Denver’s Massif Fashion Week is great for designers of all ages and backgrounds Larger cities are often famously tied to high-end fashion. Think of NYC and LA. But Massif Fashion Week in Denver is evolving into a must-attend event for designers. It’s logistically easier to attend and more financially feasible for designers just starting out. On this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer, you’ll hear insights from both a designer fresh out of high school and a veteran designer who has had multiple showcases at Massif. You don’t want to miss hearing them tell their passionate stories, so be sure to listen. Designers love seeing their creations come to life during live events All of my guests for this episode explained that they love seeing their creations come to life during the Massif Fashion Week. From the early design stages to final fittings before hitting the runway, it all culminated during the week’s events. My designer interviewees describe the joy they feel when a buyer finds a perfect piece or when a collection exceeds everyone’s expectations. That’s what makes live events like Massif so incredible. You don’t want to miss hearing these stories first hand, so be sure to listen. You need THESE skills to successfully work fashion week events In order to successfully work at fashion weeks, you have to be comfortable in high-stress, high-anxiety situations. There are countless moving pieces that must be organized in order for events to run smoothly. My guests on this episode explain how stylists, photographers, managers, and designers all work together through the organized chaos to execute an excellent event. They exclaim again and again that even though it’s hectic, it’s 100% worth it. To hear how they gracefully work through the stress and how you can learn to do the same, be sure to listen to this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer. Resources & People Mentioned Massif Fashion Week website Follow Massif Fashion Week on Facebook C