Backstage is organized chaos with a countdown clock. Dozens of models, hair and makeup teams working in assembly lines, dressers with steamers, producers with headsets calling times. Your job is simple: be where you are supposed to be, when you are supposed to be there, in the state you are supposed to be in.
You will be told when to change, where to line up, and when to walk. Do not wander. Do not eat near the garments. Do not touch another model's look. The backstage crew has done this a hundred times. Follow their system and stay out of their way.
Energy Management
Shows run late, call times shift, and you may wait hours in hair and makeup. Bring snacks, water, and something to read. Stay calm and pleasant. Complaining backstage travels fast and far. The models who stay easygoing under pressure get invited back.
After your walk, change carefully, return everything, and thank the dresser. These small courtesies build your backstage reputation. Fashion week is a village. Everyone talks. Make sure they say the right things about you.
Eat strategically on show days. Heavy meals make you sluggish in fittings; no food makes you shaky on the runway. Pack protein-rich snacks: nuts, bars, fruit. Avoid anything that stains, bloats, or smells strong near garments worth thousands. The dressers will love you for it. Backstage nutrition is unglamorous logistics, but the models who manage it perform consistently through fourteen-hour days while others fade.
Memorize the show order if you can. Knowing when you walk reduces anxiety and prevents missed cues. Ask the dresser or producer for the lineup. Prepared models never miss their entrance.
About the Author – Ruben Burgos: Ruben Burgos brings over 25 years of music expertise and more than 15 years of model guidance to the table. He is the indie major pinnacle to retaining credits for musicians and helping them navigate this wicked industry without the fuckery.