My first runway show in Atlanta had a zipper fail on the main piece

It was 2018, and I was backstage at a small show in Atlanta. The model was about to go out in this big silk dress I'd spent 80 hours on. Right before she walked, the side zipper just split open for about 6 inches. I had maybe 90 seconds. I grabbed a roll of double-sided fashion tape and a spare silk scarf from my kit. I taped the placket shut and tied the scarf around her waist to hide the mess. It looked like a weird design choice, but it worked. Has anyone else had to do a quick fix that actually changed the final look for the better?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley_martin1mo ago

Man, that sounds so stressful, but what a great save. Did the scarf end up looking so good you thought about adding it to the design later? Those backstage panic fixes can turn into the best parts of a piece sometimes.

thompson.nathan1mo ago

Totally, I had a show where a last minute safety pin fix on a jacket became the whole closure system. I mean, it looked so much better than the original buttons we planned. Sometimes the panic just works out.

pat_coleman1mo ago

Panic fixes are just sloppy work you have to hide later.