Shows started at noon today at the ‘Bryant Park’ tents, so thinking ahead; thought I'd best pack my bags for tomorrow's exit and tonight, let my hair down and party like a rock star. A last ditch effort promoted by my lack of interest in any of the after events hosted these past eight days.

This round, I just focused on work and the major changes developing in my life right now. Plus with my mega budget (!) I didn’t get the shopping experience either, although the amount of swag from free giveaways at Fashion Week on my bedroom floor make up for it (Home Depot office accessories, Havaiana jandals, tee shirts, perfume, hair products, make up)... all useless ‘swag’ that I definitely don’t need, but makes great gifts for girlfriends back home who have supported me in making my life as sweet as it is.

My Zambesi dress made it to the chosen frock of the week, a navy cowl back and wonderful cut across my butt, simple but classy, me to a T.  Packed my heels and off I trekked to face my own finale for day eight of Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week spring/summer 2009.  What would unfold?

Baby Phat

Baby Phat fashion show was tonight’s special and it was my mission to find out where and when.  I knew the show was off-site and there was much talk of the difficulty in getting in if you're not on the exclusive guest list, a celeb or prominent photographer.. So my challenge for today was to find the right accommodating paparazzi photographer who would know, and sure enough! The Roseland Ballroom on Broadway starting at 7pm was the all the information I needed, but I was warned that if I wanted to get in, I'd better leave now! The time was 3pm and I hadn’t shot any shows yet today!

MBFW is a massive eight day week; we are talking 200 shows and 65 presentations off-site as well as all the Bryant Park shows adding another 80or so.  My hard work and gamble is starting to pay off, investing in my own faith for the past two trips. I knew in my heart something good would grow from it, for me as a photographer and my business Catwalk Studios,  and sure enough I have hooked up with www.modacycle.com and www.fashionwirepress.com, contracted to shooting Australasian Fashion Weeks and to fly back to NYC in fall '09 to be part of the Fashion Wire Press team!

Arriving at the Roseland my timing was perfect, the crew were still in the process of setting up. Feeling right at home in this environment I met with the stage manager and he asked if I was Makeup? "Not this decade" I thought, but told him I was here to shoot and was early, happy with that he told me to collect my pass off Natalie!  He he, sweet, I’m in! And off I went to boldly write 'New Zealand: Amanda Dorcil' on a prime spot upon the riser!

Kimora Lee Simmons had now arrived with her two girls Ming and Aoki Lee who were in fine form, sashaying up and down the runway like Miss J from America's Next Top Model, while mum made sure everyone was doing their job. Models started to arrive, it was a visual feast of cultures including; Indian, Asian, African, and Russian. Makeup and hair were transforming their tight afro-cropped hair into long flowing locks, nail technicians were attaching nails and bodies were being bronzed for the extra airbrushed bling effect only the international models receive...it's all in the detail.

I was still milling around snapping the story as it unfolded on my trusted friend; the Sony700, in front of the Baby Phat photo wall. Celebrities were announced, I didn’t know half of them and when asked, was meet with sniggers and remarks to the extent that I shouldn’t be there if I didn’t know, ‘Paparazzo’s can all go get haemorrhoids!’ Celebrities that did stop to see the show were Serena Williams, LeToya Luckett, Maxwell, Ice-T, and Kanye’s former girlfriend Alexis Phifer.

Show time! This was it, last show for the season, the music was an R&B commercial mix down, but what made the grade was the BASE! OMG my internal organs felt like I was standing on a vibra train! It was phat and clean with no distortion, this is what you get when you mix a fashion designer with a music producer!

Dinner at the Plaza

After the show I caught a lift to the Plaza with one of the BP models and her retired French boyfriend of 31 (yum). We were invited to the sit-down dinner for her selected few, I sat with a former model from the '80s and her friends who were part of the Phat team. The Plaza ballroom was magnificent, never have I been in such an enchanted glamorous room, and food in my belly gave me a moment to think about my future from here. After dessert I moved on to the party, where the room was pumping, everyone was enjoying, friendly, and partying like rock stars…. So I joined in.

This brings to an end my wonderful journey toNew York fFashion Week for 2008.  It was hard work, testing of one's faith and survival, and often laced with small emotional meltdowns, but at the end of the day it paid off, securing the next season of runway shows and affiliations with image banks… Catwalk Studios was also a topic of conversation and a few seeds were planted… time will tell, and until next season…VOTE for FASHION!