My learning curve now feels like the long hike to Half Dome in Yosemite. I styled the hair and make-up for one of Serrahna's Spring Fashion Shows at Marica's restaurant. Her boutique is on College Avenue in Oakland, California. www.serrahna.com. She designs her collections using Indian Fabrics. I love working with Andrea. She is a beautiful, heartful woman, a talented designer, and she knows how to dress a woman. Walking into her store is like walking into a jewel-lined secret room. COLOR is all you see.
In working with her fashion shows, this will be the third year; I'm trying to integrate what I've learned in my workshops by shortening my timing and setting up my kit to make sense to me on location. Plus, work on being creative and trying to project how things will look on camera.
The show took place at the restaurant next door to her boutique, seated about 50 people, and was packed. Her customers are her models; we had four of them, plus her lovely sister. We prepped the models at Serrahna's; then, they would walk over.
The working space was tiny, and I had to remove one of my lights to be able to plug in a curling iron. It took me an hour and a half for the model, Diane, the brunette with long hair. Beautiful texture to work with, and lots of it. Looking back, maybe next time, I would put half her hair up. I applied colors like Trax Bas and Sketch from MAC.
The second model was Emily, the lovely blonde. She also had lots of hair, but straight. Had I not taken so long for the first model, I would have curled Emily's hair. I put it up in a chignon and used colors like pewter to line her eyes, greens, and Orb from MAC.
The third model was Debra, a lovely woman with curly silver, gray, and white hair. We used plums, purples, and wines on her eyes and lips.
We also styled Andrea's sister; her shoulder-length, fine blonde hung straight. The braid was an excellent choice for dressing her hair up, without much product and manipulation.
Overall, I need to work on speed and color choices for make-up. Sadly, I was out of lashes.
Note to self: Work near the window, or create a light source. Bring a little bag for trash—more color selection for eyes, cheeks, and lips.
Overall, it was a good time. The models looked natural yet finished. And through their changes from cotton to silks, they worked their way around the restaurant. Complete pictures of loveliness sparkling in the night.
Andrea's next show will be on May 18th at Khana Peena on College Ave. in Oakland.