My First Fashion Show

Toad Lillie made it's runway debut with the 5th Annual Forbidden Fashion Show - part of Seattle's Metropolitan Fashion Week's closing gala. Ten models strutted their stuff in Toad Lillie fancies at the Museum of Flight, a dramatic venue made even more dramatic by a full orchestra.

Official photos and video will be released shortly. I was able to snap a few behind the scenes photos of the models and I prepping. What you won't see is the madness behind the stage. While Toad Lillie opened the Forbidden Fashion Show, there were seven evening-wear designers that walked the runway before us. This meant several of my models were stripped of evening gowns while my assistant Lucie and I dressed them and chased after them with stockings, shoes, and jewelry while a swarm of hair and makeup people simultaneously worked their hair into theatrical chignons. At one point my closing model (who wore the Chantilly bridal set with a full veil) had eight of us working on her simultaneously. She was such a trooper!

It was all so exhilarating, and rather emotional too. As I sent each girl out one at a time and saw them sashaying in Toad Lillie finery to an audience giddy with anticipation, I found myself unexpectedly laughing with tears in my eyes. A hard year's worth of work as a one-woman show was suddenly immensely gratifying. I pulled it together for the finale as my closing "bride" and I practically skipped hand in hand with huge grins to a roaring crowd. One of the best nights of my life :)

My first time in a full length gown! With my opener Gabriella wearing the popular Tease ruffled bedjacket and matching bra/panties, and Shanzay wearing Glace camisole and tap pants from the new bridal line.

Four of the ten models. You can't see the male models from the men's underwear line pumping iron before they walked out. All we had to do was put on extra lotion and lipgloss :)

The venue! The singer is actually a model himself who crooned to "Feeling Good" as Toad Lillie made it's entrance. Check out the suspended airplanes! The night opened with sassy stewardesses in cheeky 1940s style costumes and an announcement for passengers to take their seats before takeoff. A roar of an engine started the festivities.