Brian Hill, the executive director of Phoenix Fashion Week, said that his work started over a year ago. The Phoenix Fashion Week team had weekly brainstorming sessions that began in the fall.  They practiced in real time with the teams, and as time progressed, more meetings were held.

“It gets stressful, but there is excitement for new ideas,” Hill said. “It keeps you fresh and sharp.”

During their executive meetings, Hill and the rest of the team decided which designers and models would be chosen to participate in Phoenix Fashion Week based on the attraction they received through social media. The social media team began putting out information about the fashion week, and from that point, the executives found their team.

“We’re always marketing and putting out great content which attracts the right people,” Hill said.

The people who become involved in Phoenix Fashion Week are the ones who help create their three pillars of success: Fashion, education and Community. It’s these three pillars that make up Phoenix Fashion Week.

But it’s not just the coordinators that have plans and work to complete.

Domiana Ndour, a model for the show, said that her practice doesn’t stop at the rehearsals. Whether it be in the grocery store, at home or in the mirror, she works on her walk.

“Anywhere I can practice my walk, I practice,” Ndour said.

The models for Phoenix Fashion Week were chosen in May, and from that point up until the show, there was a series of practices that the models walked through.

As it got closer to the day of the show, the practices got closer together until there were three practices per week. During these practices, there were also challenges that the models were required to do such as “walk offs.”  These walk offs helped the models to prepare for the actual show, practice their walk and to gain the confidence needed to showcase at the actual show.

“It’s competitive, but it’s a family vibe,” Ndour said. “We’re close, but there’s an undercurrent of competition, whether that be to win model of the year or something else.”

Ndour ended up being in the top six models of the year at the show.

In addition to the models and coordinators, the emerging designers had much to plan for in regards to the show.

Katie Anderson, for example, the creator and designer of GÄRB, wants everyone to “express their edge.” To reach that goal, her work for this line began in May.

Anderson launched her brand as a whole in January. She said that her inspiration for this line came from rock stars because of their power of expression. Between the confidence that these stars display and their ability to rock interesting looks, Anderson strives for the edgy undertones in her designs.

“The aesthetic of rocker-chic makes me feel the most powerful,” Anderson said.

In addition to GÄRB, the other emerging designers present during the show were House of Aven, Melode and ARACELI.

Her prep for GÄRB began with creating clear brand messaging. Anderson put her energy into getting all of the looks in order, inviting networks of people and, of course, planning the actual show.

As for the week leading up to Phoenix Fashion Week, Anderson said that her week entailed model practice, standard rehearsal, getting the outfits together, lots of social media and reach outs.

All of the emerging designers went through what was called designer bootcamp. Here, the designers strengthen their business skills in a real time curriculum taught by industry experts all over the country. They grow their brand by competing in various fashion business challenges presented to them more than three months leading up to Phoenix Fashion Week.

After all was said and done, Phoenix Fashion Week began. With the seats filled and the lights casting across the models in their designer’s outfits, the public saw what these individuals had been working on for the past year.

“This is just the beginning,” Hill said. “This was just a confidence booster. Now they’ve got to execute.”