On assignment for the first time at Australian Fashion Week, Voxfrock photographer Chrissy Dore took up a golden-ticket offer to crew with world-renowned backstage specialist and legendary veteran of fashion weeks from Paris and Milan to Sydney and Melbourne Sonny Vandevelde.
This is Chrissy’s photo essay and diary notes after a thrilling week spent not only observing the master at work but also being generously mentored by Sonny’s crew including the remarkable Eddy Ming. Bon appetit. (Scroll for news of applications now open for the next crew of Voxfrock rookie journalists and photographers.) Photos: Chrissy Dore
Working backstage with renowned picture genius, fashion photographer Sonny Vandevelde and former Marie Claire photographer-turned-video magician Eddy Ming was an experience like no other.
Sonny’s effervescence and warm personality became immediately clear on day one, even before we met. When I arrived and asked, “Where can I find Sonny Vandevelde” people gave me descriptions of a guy with “surf dude vibes” and “hair down to here” (a backstage worker pulling her hand to chin) who is “Everywhere” and “Always around…”.
I found Sonny insanely talented, a master at capturing the runway rush backstage but also, always looking for opportunities to shake things up and create ‘uniquely Sonny’ moments.
We worked mostly at Australian Fashion Week’s three-runway on-site venue Carriageworks both by the runways and backstage amid the hairspray, make-up brushes, phone lights and carefully ordered clothing racks.
Each day was filled with onsite and offsite shows from 9am. to 9pm. When on-site we’d rush on foot between galleries one, two and three, finding the fastest on-foot routes to drop memory cards back to editing.
For offsite shows we’d pack into Sonny’s surf-vibe Land Rover with various members of his team including photographers, videographers, his gorgeous editors and famed front-of house photographer, Ik Aldama.
Offsite locations were speckled across Sydney including such stunners as north Sydney docklands, the Icebergs ocean pool, city centre museum and modern architectural locations.
The biggest surprise was a late-night location at a go-cart fun centre situated on level 5 of a city car park. The show was followed by an exquisite 90s rave-like after-party.
Backstage, every time, the models were stunning. Inside and out. Familiar faces who worked most shows throughout the week must have been exhausted by day five, but continued to pose mid-line-up for photos pre-show, and exited the runway with pure joy. And they were fashion lovers at heart, smiling and chatting to each other, complimenting their own and each other’s outfits.
It was an absolute pleasure to spend the week surrounded by such passionate, ambitious and talented creatives at the top of their fields. And all, obviously enjoying every moment of their work: make-up teams, hair teams, photographers, media, producers, stylists, models and dressers; all gorgeous, positive people who made working backstage at Australian Fashion Week shows such a vibe.
