Be A Model or Just Look Like One

Waking up on Sunday morning, I felt stuffed from the previous night's Thanksgiving feast and exhausted from the fact that the métro decided to stop running in between my connecting trains, leaving me in the middle of Pigalle, the city's "Red Light District" at 2am to search for a cab. Left to my own devices, I had no choice but to scramble through all the French I have learned up to this point in order to find a cab, get home and to not be sold to a brothel. Mission accomplished and woke up with the only intentions for this overcast Sunday afternoon were rest, reruns and run on Champs de Mars.

I received a text from the friends that I had been with the night before and learned that they too got stuck in the middle of the city somewhere and that our rush to the métro was completely useless. The second part of the text was asking for a favor to help our on their photo shoot because some of the crew had bailed at the last minute. Although I was tired and a bit hungover, I was happy to help because I knew that whatever they were working on would be interesting. "No problem" I said "Who bailed out?" Hoping that it was a random crew member and that I would be there to hold clothes or put together styles. After a pause I was informed that it was the model who had bailed. The model had bailed...Merde!

An hour later, Kristy Sparow of  Sparow Photography , Phillipe, a rep from Beaute des Pieds et des Mains , stylists Betty and Adelaide and music/art director Boris arrived at my house for beauty prep, photo shoot conceptualizing and styling courtesy of Louis Vuitton. Not a bad deal so far! Imaginations were growing wild as the afternoon was spent preparing looks while studying the story board of ideas before we hit Champs de Mars for the actual shoot. I knew everyone in the crew except for Phillipe, the manicurist who I was under the impression didn't realize that I was a friend/replacement model because he kept looking at me strangely as I bear no resemblance to a model! When asking my friends if he was aware of the change in plans I received unconvincing affirmations while being shoved into the bathroom with a bundle of clothes.

We had a great time, tourists took photos, wives covered their husband's eyes as I changed bare buttomed in front of L'Ecole Militaire surrounded by a wall of coats. My short lived career as a fashion model was fulfilling and not as easy as one might think. I have a new found appreciation for this profession as I never realized how vulnerable it is to convey the look that the photographer is seeking; all with a straight face! Now I know how my cat feels when I put a feather boa on her and make her the subject of a Rocky Horror Picture Show photo shoot when I am short a "Dr. Frankfurter". (My cat and I seldom seldom agree on things when it comes to logic.)

Stay tuned for the actual shots due to be "released" after Christmas. In the meantime enjoy the behind the scenes shots taken by Monsieur Boris. You know, just another day in Paris...

The "changing" station