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2006年10月07日

Crows, Fishnets, Apples, and Big Apple

Despite colourful diction and stylish description, nothing compares with a picture, except perhaps a motion picture, unfortunately, neither of which I have. Therefore, permit me to bore you with a thousand words; tales of strange costumes and lascivious nights.

Crows
Two weeks ago I had a job at Calgary's Holt Renfrew for a Modern Amusement party. The Modern Amusement team was in attendance as well as the guys from Strut Magazine. Being the emblem of the Modern Amusement label, the crow was the main theme for the night. Crow silhouettes adorned the entrance way, a sculpture of spiralling crows gripping twisted shiny metallic tubing hung artistically above the DJ, and Modern Amusement crow tee shirts passed to and fro on the backs of Holt's staff.

Delicious hors d'oeuvres walked past and bars serving up a bottomless well of lemon and cranberry “martinis”, martinis, and French beer ensured freedom of speech and freedom from hunger. And lest you think that live crows were missing, fret not. Perched on feathered stools or confined in a wire cage were three humanoid “crows” With masquerade black feathered crow masks, the individuals styled head to toe in Modern Amusement gear, watched with bird like intensity, crowed at, and conversed with the crowd. Who were those creepy guys anyway? Well, I was one of them along with two other model friends.

Bizarre jobs like that as described above are categorized as “informal modelling”. Though not as glamorous as a runway show or fashion spread, who can refuse the opportunity to attend a fun party. Certainly not I.

After the very introspective shift — would you speak to someone wearing a crow mask? — we were able to partake in the festivities. To avoid becoming dehydrated at the after-party, I consumed a few quick beverages from the bar. My fears were entirely misplaced. Not only did the after party have more of the drinks featured earlier, but red and white wine were added to the menu. The hors d'oeuvres followed us too. Then, unlike most after parties where the guests trickle in, realize no one is there, and trickle out, even more people arrived!

Kudos to the organizers. If you need any further avian characterizations, please be in touch with my agent.

Fishnets
You would be very much mistaken to expect any less of the following week. Last Saturday marked the eclectic, ostentatious, and very theatrical fund raiser party held by Theatre Junction at a beautifully revived historic venue, The Grand. The 1930's Berlin inspired “Die Wilde Nacht” event drew the eccentric side of Calgary's population for one crazy night of revelry. At $250 a head, attendees were either rich, or beautiful, or both. Being of neither the former nor latter category, I will deign to place myself in the middle.

There was body paint, dancers, fairies, zoot suits, top hats, riding crops, mustaches, tails (as in tuxedo, not cat), a band, a pianist, singers, and a few other elements I missed entirely or deliberately omitted. Oh yes, and there were models. The boys' attire ranged from conservatively banal (a tuxedo) to rather interesting (combat boots, fishnet stockings, playboy trunks, no shirt, white collar, bow tie, tuxedo jacket). Before you look at the picture, you have one chance to guess on which side of the spectrum I was. The girls were in fishnets, underwear, and feather boas.

The night played out like a Thanks Showcase ad. I think I narrowly avoided (missed?) a ... well, never mind. Needless to say, the champagne was flowing and it was fun. Every moment was like a movie scene or magazine photograph.

I tracked down this photo from the Theatre Junction site:

Me, designer Kendall Yellowhorn, and fellow model Amanda

Apples
The interesting outfits keep coming. Two days ago on Thursday I was up early to sport the most cumbersome garment of my career along with the most extravagant hair style.

The first Thursday of every month features a fashion show at Calgary's downtown Eaton's Centre. This time it was “Brief Encounters II”, the second annual installment of a fund and awareness raiser for prostate cancer. Lots of male models wearing what I feel was most accurately described as “wearable art” though “wearable” is used in the most general sense possible.

The show opened with a piece entitled “Protecting the Beef”, cow patterned shorts complete with thick cow tail enclosed in a suspended barbed wire cage. One of the less cumbersome pieces featured little toy race cars sewn all over a pair of white boxer briefs with little wheels and checkered patterns around the waist. The rest played around themes of sexuality, masculinity, and of course, prostate cancer with varying degrees of wear-ability.

My garment, “Forbidden Fruit” was composed of some stone-wash green boxer briefs, apple-slice suspenders with apple slices going up and down both sides, front and back, and a clear plastic bowl of green apples held by my hands, cantilever suspension, or a combination of the two. I also had an apple “yo-yo” on an elastic string for an accessory and green striped KSwiss trainers for footwear.

My hair was a foot tall, swept back almost like a giant fat mohawk, supported by a steel skeleton of bobby pins and bound with ample hair spray. Real leaves rounded out the hair design.

My face was gold.

I could barely fit through the catwalk entrance.

I tracked down a video segment from City TV: City Style: Brief Encounter. You will catch a two second glimpse of me, sans head, early in the clip. Keep your eyes peeled for green apples.

I suppose I lied when I said there were no pictures or video and I managed to find both. Thanks Showcase! I mean, Internet.

Big Apple
Despite the enjoyment of all these local gigs, I shall be making my return to the International stage in a big way. Next Sunday, the 15th, I am headed to New York City with Fusion Model Management!

I had plans to return to Singapore around now, but when that fell through, I saw the opportunity to visit Cape Town and planned to make the trip in November. It seems Mode sent my pictures to Fusion in Cape Town who forwarded them to Fusion in New York who said “Can he come next week?”.

This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I hope things go well. Fusion is relatively new but already very successful. They are a boutique, editorial agency which is perfect for me and I have already spoken with the bookers on the phone who sound fun, friendly, and cool.

I have lived in Toronto, Hong Kong, Japan, Milan, and Singapore. I have visited countless other cities and countries, and I have even briefly graced the streets of New York. Still, despite a few lifetimes worth of crazy experience and enough stories to mess up all of the punch lines, I have a feeling this will be my grandest adventure yet. Wish me luck!

Posted by William at 2006年10月07日 12:37

Comments

Posted by: fdot at 2006年10月08日 15:57

Posted by: Danielle at 2006年10月08日 23:53

Posted by: William at 2006年10月10日 01:41

Posted by: Leo C at 2006年10月10日 23:47

Posted by: andrew at 2006年11月20日 21:36