There are expectations of those who work backstage at a hectic catwalk show. It doesn’t matter if you are leading a team or part of a team, you’ve been booked to do a job that is much more than just being an artist.

Last year, makeup artist Nicki Buglewicz was given her first opportunity to lead a team of 15 MUA’s at the first-ever London Queer Fashion Show, which showcased five designers and was being covered by international press. 

In this audio story, Nicki shares her tips on how to make the most of any fashion week experience - whether you're leading a team or whether this is your first opportunity to assist. Listen in as she shares specific advice that has helped her become a reassuring and integral presence on shoots and backstage, and deliver her best work.  

If you're on the go and unable to listen to the entire audio story straightaway, here's a quick summary of some of the highlights and lessons...

Good leaders communicate and shoulder responsibility, even on someone else’s error

Be positive and maintain a level of enthusiasm and excitement for yourself and the team, no matter what. Nicki was in charge of 15 artists of varying levels of experience but the show had to maintain a certain pace as well as professionalism and artistic integrity. Things will go wrong, that's inevitable, but dealing with them in an open, calm manner will get those problems resolved faster and with less stress to the team.  

What do you do when a mistake happens?

When you spot a mistake, raising your voice or stopping the flow of the room's work will not bring results. Assess the problem quickly, decide a course of action and know which of your team is best positioned or has the ability to help you rectify the problem, then execute the solution. During the show, just before the models walked out, Nicki saw a model at the end who had wrong makeup. She placed 5 MUA's on the model, assigning one area of the face to each artist so that the makeup could be removed and reapplied correctly in the 30 seconds they had before the model was due on the runway. In keeping with her ethos of taking on responsibility, Nicki did not single out the MUA at fault, she kept the show moving forward seamlessly.

What’s the purpose of going back and giving out to somebody who has made a mistake? There is none. Everyone just banded together to fix it, and you know that’s the last time that they’ll ever make a mistake like that. 

How to deal with the demands of the designer

Designers can second-guess themselves and sometimes demand changes to the hair, makeup or styling, often at the last minute. Look at the bigger picture to determine the potential outcome - are the changes feasible in the time-frame, will the changes actually work with other elements of the show, such as the lighting or the collection overall? Refusing outright can trigger a damaging confrontation. Instead, reassure the designer that the original look they've agreed on will work, as their request might simply be fuelled by nerves. If they insist on a change, then negotiate - can the existing look be tweaked to accommodate their last minute idea? Use empathy but also commonsense to find a resolution that works for the designer, yourself, the team and the show. 

Make your mark when assisting backstage

When you're assisting on shows, you want to be remembered so you're chosen again next season. Keeping your positivity levels high is a must, as people will always remember a bad attitude and be far less inclined to work with you, no matter how skilled you are as an artist. Find the things within your craft that are unique to you. Nicki's energy, positivity and her intense attention to detail during skin prep made her memorable (and reliable) as a show assistant, and she continued to be booked for work.

Be proactive when prepping

Designers are busy. Sending materials, like lookbooks and moodboards, to beauty teams can slip through the cracks. A good team leader will get on with prepping despite this. In Nicki's instance, she did not recieve any makeup briefs from the five designers until the night before the show. Rather than panic and work through the night, Nicki had already researched each designer's previous work, their influences and current collection to create five looks per designer. When the briefs did come through, she was able to quickly tweak the looks she had already prepared and immediately present the designers with options.

Nicki's story offers many more lessons. To hear all of them, listen below. 

There’s no event like it in the world. Mastered Live brings together everything that you love about Mastered, but in-person. Shoots in incredible locations, powerful workshops, portfolio reviews with agents, the chance to find new collaborators, all crammed into an unique, life-changing, two-day experience.

Don’t take our word for it. Watch a short film we made at Mastered Live: London, and then find out how you can be a part of the next one. 

Watch Francisco's story:

 “I’m here to see who I can work with in the future, with shoots I’ve got coming up in the next few months”

-Jay Mitchell, editor-in-chief, 1883

Since we introduced Mastered Live in 2017, it has become a highlight of the accelerator experience. Work has been published in Nylon, Lula and Vogue Italia. New teams have formed. Professionals have gone home feeling renewed and inspired.

Join us. Be a part of Mastered Live next year. Here’s how:

1. Refer a friend to enrol in the 2018 Mastered accelerators

2. Give them this unique fast-track application form link: bit.ly/fast-track18 - make sure they add your email address to the form so we know you referred them

3. When your friend enrols through the fast-track form, you earn a place at any one of the 2018 Mastered Live events. We’ll get in touch when your friend starts the accelerator to find out which Mastered Live event you want to be at. If more than one of your referred friends enrol, you can attend more than one Mastered Live!

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Your questions answered

How do I know which peers I should refer?

Mastered is only for professionals commited to a career in fashion. We're looking for the new breed of talent. Creatives who are adaptable, gutsy, collaborative, and generous. Think about the people you would have in your team and you won't be far wrong.

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I have already referred people to Mastered this year and they have enrolled for 2018 – am I eligible?

Unfortunately, no. This is a brand new initiative and, as such, only those who are referred through the specific new link from Tuesday, 07 November 2017 onwards are eligible.

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Why aren't my previous referrals eligible?

This initiative has just launched and it is only through this new fast-track application form will we be able to track with certainty who referred which professionals.

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How will I know if I have earned a place to attend Mastered Live?

Once your peer enrols on the 2018 Mastered accelerator, we will send you an email to confirm their enrolment. As long as they start the accelerator in February, we will be able to confirm you’ve earned your place at another Mastered Live.

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I thought there was a cash referral?

We discontinued the cash referral system. You told us support with personal development and career is more valuable than money, and we completely agree.

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If three people enrol, can I go to all three Mastered Lives?

Yes! If three people you refer all enrol - we will happily invite you to all three!

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How do I make sure the people I refer, especially when someone may have been referred by more than one person, are associated to me?

Several creatives may know and think to refer the same professional. Our fast-track application page requires the applicant to submit your email address as the person who referred them. We will associate the referral to the email address they submit at this point.

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Will I be able to go to the same Mastered Live as the peers I've referred?

Yes, this is possible. We will ensure there are spaces available at all Mastered Lives for those who have successfully referred an enrollee.

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Will I need to pay for travel and accomodation at Mastered Live?

Yes. Travel and accommodation will need to be paid for by you. Mastered cover the cost of the two-day experience of shoots, workshops and portfolio reviews.

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When and where will the Mastered Live events be in 2018?

Dates and locations for Mastered Live in 2018 will be announced in the middle of November. Your talent manager will be able to confirm the details then.

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I still have questions, how can I find the answer?

Please get in touch with us by responding to this email – we will deal with all queries from there.
We can't wait to see you next year!

For the first time ever, we are opening up the most loved part of our accelerator experience by offering you a complimentary 30-minute one-to-one Skype call with an industry expert.

The mentors have extensive experience in the fashion industry and give detailed, discipline-specific career advice. They can discuss your work, answer questions about career direction, and provide you with actionable next steps. But don't take our word for it. Here's how the artists enrolled on 2017 accelerators have rated their experience so far: