One of the definitive moments of every fashion journalist’s life is the first time they attend one of the Greats’ (Milan, Paris, London, New York) fashion weeks. My past week was pretty much a dream come true: not only did I get to see first hand many of the things that go into making a show a success both on and off the catwalk, but I also got to learn a lot about the inner workings of the billion dollar worth industry that is fashion.

Here are some of the things that I took away from my time at Milan Menswear Fashion Week:

Although shows take months and months to produce... they are usually over before you can say: ‘What’s she wearing?

The backstage team is extremely well prepared. Having had the privilege of interviewing the head of the MAC makeup team and seeing his team in action, I was impressed by how complex and inspiring the process for such a seemingly minor component was. After the show’s aesthetic theme is decided upon by the designer, the head makeup artist lists down all the components of the look and what makeup items will be needed to complete it on two separate papers (one for males and the other for females). Once the chosen look is applied to each model (and sometimes there can be up to a hundred models in one given show), the team of makeup artists routinely go around and check that the makeup hasn’t budged. They actually wear what look like tool belts full of makeup, brushes and sponges to get the job done quicker... I’ve seen MAC makeup artists practically chase the models to the edge of the backstage to arrange an eyelash that had gone astray.

There’s a lot of waiting around involved. Sometimes models spend hours and hours backstage just milling around or in some cases sleeping. Many of them don’t know each other or don’t speak the same language which means that if you’re not a particularly social person to begin with, you’ll easily get bored.

I had never realised how much patience is required to be a model... not only do you have to wait your turn to have you hair and makeup done, but you also have to make your peace with the fact that people will keep randomly whipping out their cameras as if they’re on an exotic safari and putting them in your face regardless of whether or not you’re exiting the lavatory or happen to be mid-sneeze. The good part is that over time they get used to it. As one lovely lady told me when I asked if I could take her photo: “That’s what I’m here for.” They also eat a lot.

Photographers will do anything for the perfect shot. Whether inside or outside, I’ve seen people surprising attendees from behind trucks or practically risking their lives in the middle of a busy road to get a shot of someone in a passing car. What’s more, the minute one of them realises he might have struck photographic gold, the rest will descend like the biblical plague of locusts and chase their quarry down alleyways or as far as they can get without a burly security guard stopping their entrance. It’s actually scary how persistent they can be.

It’s over way too quickly. Although shows take months and months to produce and prepare for, they are usually over before you can say: “What’s she wearing?”

After the models were lined up according to a board with their photos and names on it and sent down the runway, the show was over within a matter of a few glittering minutes and the attendees exited in a blur of flashing lights leaving behind empty benches and sad looking programmes... and just like that, the Cinderella moment was over.