Charleston Fashion Week through our intern's eyes.

Our intern describes her Charleston Fashion Week experience.

Above: Mamie intern Nikki getting her make-up done by the amazing Jonny of Jonny cosmetics!

Above: Team Mamie lets loose after the presentation at Charleston Fashion Week.

These past two weeks at Mamie Ruth have been pretty hectic. This weekend was Charleston Fashion Week so the past two weeks were dedicated to getting ready for our after party presentation. We made clothes that would be worn in the presentation, VIP bags, feathered headdresses and leather fringed arm cuffs. We also received our super cute Mamie Ruth chap sticks for Charleston Fashion Week. This seems like a lot but this was just the half of it! My long hours made me feel like I was really in the fashion industry also. The day before Emily and Felicia left for Charleston I worked from 9am until 11pm! Seeing the presentation was very worth all the hard work though. The week before the presentation I think I learned more about sewing than I have since I started sewing when at 16! I helped make everything from leggings to sweaters. I worked with new fabrics like elastic and sequins. Not to mention that I am probably a professional hemmer with all the skirts that I have hemmed so far. I have also learned that every designer needs to know how to improvise when things don’t always turn out how you thought they would. It’s a part of being creative. I even made two skirts for myself like Emily taught me! I still have a little over a month left of my internship but I’ve already learned so much.
    Now for the good stuff, Charleston! When I arrived to Charleston I was already ecstatic because it was so pretty! Being an intern still, I got to the hotel room and I had a project ready for me, some finishing touches to the clothes for the presentation. Then Emily and Felicia asked me to be a model at the presentation! I, of course, said yes. I was honored to wear Emily’s designs that I also helped make! Felicia and I went to the venue that our presentation would be held at, we had dinner and the chaos began! We headed straight to the salon for hair and makeup and I was the ultimate intern. Running two flights of stairs about four times with hands full of bags, clothes and clothing racks probably made my legs look a little better for the presentation. Then I helped some of the models, put out snacks for them and helped Felicia with a few things. Then it was time for my hair and makeup! It was nice to sit back and be glamified. It was even better to wear some of my favorite pieces that Emily designed. My first look was a blue and gray, turtle neck, cropped sweater with royal blue mini studded leggings. My second outfit was a beautiful, full sequined, mermaid style, maxi skirt with a black, shoulder cut out, shirt. It was so glamorous! Now it was time to rush to the venue for show time. At first it was kind of weird to stand on a pedestal and have people stare at you but after the first 30 minutes I got used to it. When more people started coming in everyone was taking pictures of us. We were like pieces of art that Emily made! The presentation was from 10pm-12am but soon it was 11pm and already time for our second outfits. Then it was midnight and intern Nikki was back! We got all the clothes back from the models, gathered everything up and packed it all into the car. After that, the party began! It was so fun dancing and having a good time with Felicia and Emily. I also loved meeting the models and Emily’s photographer for the night was so much fun!
It was a great night and one that I will never forget! I’m so thankful that Emily and Felicia included me in their presentation and more thankful that we’ve become friends. They have both taught me a lot just this week alone and gave me an experience that most people won’t get to live. Charleston Fashion week was a success! It was my first but definitely not my last!