Going "Live" At NYC Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Photo Credit: Debbie Mitchell

Last month I had the chance to do one of the things  I love the most, produce a live event, on the last day of Fashion Week. New York City Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week ended on February 14th which also happened to be Valentine's Day.   It was the perfect way this year to spend V-day.  I've been in reinvention mode as a blogger and SocialTV producer working in social media for almost a year and this felt like I was back in television at the helm of producing a live show!

As for Fashion Week, I hadn't been to one since  February 2010, the last one under the tents of Bryant Park  which I wrote about  a few weeks ago in Now Bloggers Can Get A Press Pass.  While Fashion Week debuted at its new home at Lincoln Center  in September 2010 and I haven't been back. Now, I was back amongst the fashionista's to produce the first ever Fashion Week Hackathon, a fashion and technology event, a perfect fit for my two worlds.

Photo Credit: Margarita Corporan

It was my first ever Hackathon and once I saw what it was about, I was psyched.  The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) partnered with Conde Nast and Decoded Fashion to produce  the Fashion Hackathon, a platform for fashion leaders and tech experts to share ideas and create an app that will take the fashion industry to the next level using technology. Teams had 24 hours to create a startup concept that promotes and/or solves any existing problems in the fashion industry.

Photo Credit: Margarita Corporan

The finale featured the top five teams (out of 78 apps created) and their idea for an app that could revolutionize the fashion industry.  The top teams (SWATCHit, Coveted, 42) were going to present their concept LIVE before an audience of over 500 fashion insiders, retail executives, leaders of fashions brands, VIP judges including  CDFA CEO Steven Kolb, Glamour Magazine, Editor-in-Chief Cindi Leive and Keynote speaker Designer Zac Posen.

Photo Credit: Margarita Corporan

Photo Credit: Debbie Mitchell

Decoded Fashion Co-Founders Stephanie Winston Wolkoff  Director of Fashion at Lincoln Center and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and producer Liz Bacelar are the brains behind the event. Liz who is expecting a baby any day now was running around like a pro. Read more about her producing while pregnant here.    As a producer for the Hackathon Finale, I had to keep the 4 1/2 hour live show running on time, greet meet and prepare the VIP judges, speakers and team finalists and finally make sure everyone got out on stage  on time with all their information ready.

Our rehearsal the night before was good.  It gave me an overview of what to expect for the event. Of course, with any production, there were a still few things left to be worked out.   By time we got to the tents at 7am the next morning, the show rundown was complete, we were checking show video and making any last minute changes all while watching the clock till show time.  With headphones to the control room  and walkie talkie in hand, I was ready to go.

Photo Credit: Margarita Corporan

There is nothing quite like producing live television or a live event.  The main reason is because it's live and there is absolutely NO room for error. On a live show or event, a producer's adrenaline is  way up.  They are thinking about 10 different things at the same time.  They have voices over the headphone asking questions.  They are checking and adjusting show times, changing things in the show line-up, double checking content and spelling and probably running around to find a personality who has strayed and is scheduled to appear on stage. The production went off without a hitch, the winning team, SWATCHit, will receive $10,000 and the chance to have its app launched by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Plus, great face time with the movers and shakers in the fashion industry. The app is a peer-to-peer platform that will connect global designers with growing markets and oversea producers.

It was almost 3pm and for me the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week had come to a close.  The excitement and energy of the day lingered on as my adrenaline  slowed down.  Suddenly, I was starving and very, very tired. But trust me, it was the best kind of tired. Let's call it a producer's kind of tired. LOL!

Thanks to the Decoded Fashion and SWW Creative teams for running a tight production. A special thanks to photographer Maragarita Corporan (margaritacorporan.com)  for capturing all the backstage action!

Photo Credit: Margarita Corporan

TV/Social Media Producer Debbie Mitchell is an Emmy nominated producer who is a member of the Producers Guild of America (PGA)  and  is currently a member of the James Beard Broadcast and New Media Awards Committee.  If you are a brand interested in blogger outreach campaigns, a blogger or personality interested in television placement follow Debbie Mitchell @SocialTVDeb or contact TheBloggerConnection.com.

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