Natahlie at Elite PH: Rad Hourani

DIY. Do it yourself. Do or die. That what where my mind was on the night before the Rad Hourani show.

The board was not locked and the early departure of girls to London (given the removal of the Donna Karan from the NY schedule) was wreaking havoc on the final bookings. But then I thought to myself...when I first saw Rad's show, almost a year and a half ago in a tiny art gallery in the Marais in Paris, there were no stars there. The only Top 50 girls who had deemed to support that debut show was the Mode Models circle highlighted by Julia Dunstall and Meghan Collison. Meghan was on the October cover of Vogue Italia then and opened and I got such a big wave of premonition I told Rad that if he ever came to New York, I'd cast for him for free.

That show wasn't about stars and so on that night before the looming FW 09 I said to myself ..."If there are none tomorrow then so let it be. That's God's karma talking to me and here is where I just humble myself on the one hand and find my elegance on the other. No begging. No drama. Let's just look for the kids. New kids..the now kids...fresh kids...the kids overlooked...underestimated...kids who will walk without the rancor and the ego and the shade. " I thought let's just lock it down, let just grind and filter and refine and stay true to OUR realness. Young realness. True realness. New realness. Let that be the prism through which this collection is seen. Let us cut clear, clean new glass.

Backstage the day of the show, there they were, all gathered. I felt like I was on a spaceship. I felt I had fast-forwarded to the future. I was looking at the open , hopeful faces of all the kids who had come together and I realized it was alright. 8 agencies converged, and had made the show happen and I watched the kids mingle and banter and huddle and whisper . You could feel their excitement and enthusiasm. Their freshness. They changed into their looks and turned into an army. It was then I saw the wonderful edit that Rad and Patti Wilson, the show's style consultant had effected during the laborious fittings. I saw their passion, their precision , their selectivity and then I watched the faces and forms of all these beautiful teenagers merge into unison with that vision, with that ideal.

The cult kids that came out in droves to the show were that displaced army that used to follow the Misshapes at their now defunct Manhattan jam. Asymetrical haircuts, English accents aplenty, cropped half-jackets, 80's looks, size 0 jeans, army boots, tote bags, limited edition trainers. I thought, uh-oh...here it comes...the buying audience. I saw Tommye from fashionolgie sitting close to Jenny Shimuzu. Fabien from Frillr, (as beautiful of any of the kids backstage ) shyly went back upstairs to the standing room gallery, declining to sit with me near the exit ramp. The first thing I thought when the luscious house lights that Starworks had brought in went up was ..."What a clear, clean light !" . As the show unspooled, I lost my sense of judgment. It's no longer for me to judge. It's out there and it's done and though I read the "best collection ever" notes with a smile I sense the adventure has only begun. Once again I can only express my complete appreciation to Rad for putting so much trust in me. After that first show when I volunteered my service I didn't imagine how much self-renewal would come from the experience.

I then want to offer my deepest gratitude especially to Neal Hamil who in addition to supporting the show, sent Jenny Shimuzu over to witness from the front row. Mr Hamil's kindness was the domino that tipped a cascade of confirmations that saw Marilyn, Trump, One Mgmt, Major, Wilhelmina and Request wholeheartedly offering their support. To Katia at Major who treated the booking like it were blue chip, to Gaspard at Request who without agenda or conditions, reached out to express his complete support of what Rad was attempting to do, to Kevin at Wilhelmina whose honesty and passion I used as a guideline on which of his new faces to trust, to Sonny and Christopher at One for being so mindful in booking Janete to this show even when we had to cancel other girls from One ..to Doll at Elite , Lisa at Trump , Cheri, Chris and Kwok at Marilyn ... I just want to use this page to say thank you so much for giving a hardworking young designer a chance to generate something true. There are lots of people out there struggling to express themselves . That process is grueling. But grueling is good. The most beautiful thing about talent is that success or failure is not contingent on other people's opinion. It is completely up to you. Do or die. Do it Yourself. DIY. And good people will embrace you. I know this to be true.

Keith at Request: Ph Rad Hourani

Siri at Trump: PH: Rad Hourani

Taylor at Wilhelmina PH: Rad Hourani

Tanya/Elite PH: Rad Hourani

Sofia/Major PH Rad Hourani

Janete/One PH: Rad Hourani

Christina/Elite: PH Rad Hourani