RUNWAY
Where Speed, Skill, and Lighting Matter
Runway work isn’t about the money—it’s about the energy, the adrenaline, and the sheer momentum of fashion week. You don’t do this for a paycheck (unless your name is Pat McGrath or Isamaya French). You do it to push your skills, to work with incredible artists, and to remind yourself why you love this industry.
Backstage is its own beast. Some shows have great setups, some are a total scramble. The work is fast, the space is cramped, and there’s no second-guessing. If you’re too slow or unprepared, you’re in the way.
Lighting? That’s another gamble. Some teams bring in professional lighting, others don’t. April Love rents TML lights for her backstage teams because she knows that when those models hit the runway, their faces won’t be green, their makeup won’t be blotchy, and everything will hold up under the lights. She’s worked too many shows to leave something that important to chance.
Not every show will have that kind of setup. And when they don’t? You bring your own light.
A Pro Kit is your best bet for backstage work. The Key Light Pro Kit or the Eyelight Pro Kit both give you what you need—a stand if the setup is a mess, a suction mount for mirrors, a Magic Mount for walls, a clamp for whatever is sturdy enough to hold your light. Everything packs down small enough to throw in your kit and carry from show to show.
Runway work keeps you sharp—your speed, your precision, your ability to work under pressure. And you never know who you’ll be working next to. Some of the most talented artists in the world still do runway—not for the money, but because it keeps them on their game.