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Fashion Show Director, Karl Marshall
133 Plays2 years ago
BONUS EPISODE - Host Taylor McAdams has the pleasure of sitting down in person with the Fashion Show Director at the Dallas Market Center, Karl Marshall. Fashion is in his veins, and he’s got an eye for production. Listen to his life story that got him where he is today. Go behind the scenes to the Western, Ag, and rodeo inspired Fashion Show during the Western and English Sales Association (WESA) show.
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Transcript
Welcome and Introduction
00:00:01
Speaker
You're listening to the Kick Your Boots Up podcast, where we swap stories of the West. Whether you're just waking up or getting in for the day, come on in and kick your boots up.
Special Episode Announcement
00:00:16
Speaker
Hi, everybody, and thanks for joining again for a special bonus episode here at RESA. We're so excited to be at the Dallas Market Center in Dallas, Texas. There's lots of things happening and going on.
00:00:30
Speaker
Really,
Meet Karl Marshall
00:00:30
Speaker
what you want to hear today on the podcast is none other than the director of the fashion show here at WISA, Mr. Karl Marshall. Karl, you're such a fun time. Thank you for taking time to be out of your busy schedule, all the things you have to do to be here today. Thank you, Taylor. It means a lot, and thank you to Justo for having me come up today. I'm really excited.
00:00:48
Speaker
Oh, yeah. And I'm so excited to show a little bit about what we got to see at the fashion show behind the scenes. I was there and getting to see kind of like a fly on the wall experience. And there's a lot to talk about there, but we can get ahead of ourselves. We got to we got to start at the very beginning and the humble beginnings, I guess I should say. So tell us a little bit about how you got started and how it all began for you.
00:01:06
Speaker
Well,
Karl's Journey in Fashion
00:01:07
Speaker
thanks. And this is something I don't always talk about a lot, but it is part of how I got into it because I do get that question quite a bit. A long time ago, we'll say 100 years ago, I was on the talent side as a model in the industry and was actually in these shows. So I have an interesting perspective of what that feels like and looks like, which I think does help me in production.
00:01:28
Speaker
So it started there and of course as you're aging out in the industry a little bit it's like where do those models go? I started to think about that and so I turned to more the stylist side and the behind the camera side of what you see behind the wall if you will and it's a fashion show and runway always intrigued me and I really enjoyed it myself and so I wanted to get behind the scenes and get in there so I got asked by a client once to
00:01:53
Speaker
do a show and I said yes going what the heck I don't know that I've ever done a show but I've been on some so I went for it and then that kind of started and Dallas Market Center was a great client for me as a model and I was asked by Dallas Market Center to produce a show years ago in the old apparel mark.
Relationship with Dallas Market Center
00:02:11
Speaker
It just kind of went from there and so I've been here ever since.
00:02:15
Speaker
And what a full circle moment. I mean, that's iconic. I've got to talk. I have so many questions just about that alone, because there's a lot of people in the industry that are starving models. They just want to be, they want to make it. They want to get signed by an agency. And so the fact that you've been able to do it, you walked the walk quite literally. And then now you're able to come back and pour your wisdom as the director. What's that mean to you? What's that like? Yeah, great question. Definitely felt very blessed that I got to do that career.
00:02:42
Speaker
It took me all over the world which was really the value for me was getting to see this planet and all the different cultures and dynamics which again I think does help me as a producer make things a little different if you will when I'm styling out or producing a show. A little different perspective but knowing how the model feels I think is the biggest asset when they walk into the room and you know there are people going through everything we are and just asking a lot of them in that moment but knowing how to speak to them in their language and getting their head a little bit because I've been there
00:03:12
Speaker
I think does help get the production across that runway. Oh,
Leadership and Team Management
00:03:17
Speaker
yeah, it really does. And I know I have a few more questions about you, but while we're on this topic, being there and being behind the scenes and seeing the way you just commanded a room, people just looked up to you, they respect you, they knew that you were the boss man, what you said went, and everyone just did it. Your team included the models, some of them you've worked with before, some of them were new. What's it like with the dynamic there, working with lots of different people,
00:03:40
Speaker
because you've been on their side and now you know how to treat them. What's that like? Yeah so first of all I do appreciate the respect and I actually I don't think you were there when I said it but I had never said that to the team but I wanted them to know by team I met models, dressers, everybody, my staff that I feel the respect and that means so much to me that they do stop and hone in and really I want to do that for them because I know what it takes to get out there and I want to get everything across.
00:04:05
Speaker
So same thing, even starting a little further back in with the Dallas Market Center, there's so much that that marketing team and the leadership here, Cindy Morris, really trusts me and I don't take that lightly. They also mutual respect there that they trust me to do what I need to do for their industry. So starting with Market Center,
00:04:24
Speaker
And then being so fortunate to have a team of people that have been with me for years, the stylists and the dressers, knowing the models, Dallas has an amazing pool of market and talent here for the models. And so that's fortunate for the Dallas American Center that we do have a pool of really good models here in town.
00:04:42
Speaker
And along those same lines, they were so good. Professional behind the scenes, but then also professional on the runway. There were girls that would walk out there and hire heel boots. Food side was like, oh no, that's rocky. They're going to break an ankle. They did it. They owned it. And even when they got to the end of the runway, that one final money shot, they owned it. Every single one of them hit their mark. It went in if they were a few steps behind. It was so beautiful to see. It just all happened so it was orchestrated or so organically.
00:05:09
Speaker
And I know it wasn't. I know there was a lot of planning and preparation. So talk about the planning and preparation because, wow, it shows that they've been practicing.
Behind the Scenes of Fashion Shows
00:05:16
Speaker
So the market center and market shows are an anomaly in the sense that a typical show that I do as well outside of the market center, we have sometimes a month to prepare. I'm in the store pulling or working with the designer. So we have time to really think about it, talk about it.
00:05:30
Speaker
We don't get to fit the models, which we don't get to do here. A lot of people don't realize that we don't actually get to fit the outfits. They're samples, so we have to take into consideration it could not be quite cut to the exact production quality yet or sizing or the zippers or the buttons aren't quite there yet. So I always tell the models you have to try everything on.
00:05:52
Speaker
you know go out there so we can know if there's an issue but we do what we call a pay-per-fit that means I just know them from their composites and has their stats but I know them so well I can usually gauge how it's going to fit on each body although they're similar there's little nuances like we all have about body types so doing all that really
00:06:13
Speaker
is a challenge but they come in and they do stay composed they there's a trust level i think where they know that's why i always talk about it don't forget your sample may not fit you like you would buy it but we're gonna make it work my team of stylists are getting amazing it will make it work so what you guys get to see out there on the runway is a little bit of a masterpiece of an illusion of some tricks we've done behind the scenes with the garments but typically with western i will say
00:06:40
Speaker
Things come out pretty true a little bit more than a contemporary side, so it's kind of ready to go. We have found in the wholesale ministry anyway. Oh yeah. Ready for the win way.
00:06:50
Speaker
And seeing just behind the scenes, all the models came out in line. It's all started so calm. Everyone was ready. They all had their first outfits on. And then once that happens, it's crazy. But one thing that I really hung on to was there was really not much model tucking and clipping. And if it was, the clips were hidden. You couldn't see it. It was quite literally like it was custom. And to talk about the designs of the outfits in general,
00:07:13
Speaker
I mean, there were trends that were set where there was like a green fur with green metallic shorts, something that crazy that I would have never seen to wear and it worked. It worked beautifully. Yeah, let's talk about your team a little bit then because like, I mean, truly they were, they would look at an outfit and without hesitation, no blinking, no thinking would grab an accessory to throw on someone or the hats. They were really worried and really took into consideration the hat size of the models. Because again, sizes are, everyone has a different head, right?
00:07:40
Speaker
Yes. And again, what a lot of people don't know is I don't really have access to this product. So about a little less than 48 hours prior to that show, which call me crazy, but I kind of like it that way. So we come in as a team. I have worked the Dallas Market Center's marketing team. So we've done months of prep work about talking about what trends and
00:08:01
Speaker
the theme and different things like that that we want to talk about here while you guys are all here and the buyers are here. We want to make it important for you all and listen to you as well. But we do have a vision and when I get here I hope that the vision is in reality that you is actually here in the showrooms. So I have either color blocked it sometimes that does help us put form to the function.
00:08:24
Speaker
There is a base foundation to the production of a show that I go stick to the system, stick to the foundation and then we can have fun with the design side of everything. So that does help. But I do tend to color block and I do that because to help the buyer. Because the buyers know their markets, they know their region or their small town or their big city or whatever they're doing.
00:08:45
Speaker
But I do try to help them. Oh, I didn't think about green to your point. You know, like maybe green would be fun to pull into my store this season. So I do that on purpose. And even with the visuals behind them, if you notice, I kind of color matched what was happening on the big LED wall just to kind of drive home that idea again. Like this could be a strong color for you to think about putting your store this season. And then luckily you guys are all great and have a lot of that to play with.
00:09:11
Speaker
I mean if you have the vision it's just so it just so happens that we deliver and so that's awesome that's really I mean truly some of the looks it would have you would have thought that they were orchestrated months in advance they have been a whole day production I mean every piece of accessory I mean there was tack people were walking out with just I mean ropes on their shoulders
00:09:32
Speaker
bridles, head stalls, breast collars. It was just so iconic to see, especially for this one I bet is a little bit more fun and different for you to have those extra pops to have. But then I guess along those same lines, a lot of people don't realize
00:09:44
Speaker
you know, the amount of product that gets taken and delivered and then also after the show it's a mess and crazy and now it has to be taken back to all these showrooms. Talk to us a little bit about the logistics behind the scenes. I love that you're asking all the questions that people don't know about because they see that 30-40 minute moment. Beautiful. There's a lot that goes into it.
00:10:02
Speaker
but we just finished wrapping up we call it and everything is back and my team and I were just talking and just for the western show alone when we did the math of how many outfits walked out during the show and then when you think about what was on that body when we start counting the the top and the bottom and the footwear and the
00:10:20
Speaker
or the necklace, or you know, let's say there's five pieces on a body. You do the math and we had over a thousand pieces, articles of product in our room, in our possession for the 48 hours, and that we got it all back with nothing missing. A lot to my team, of course, and just the system that we do. But, you know, we need to get it back up here to you all so you can have it to show your buyers and your customers. So we do our best to pull it out, you know, use it, get it back to you.
00:10:48
Speaker
in good shape and then not lose anything. So it always amazes me every market that I like. We didn't lose one thing or if we did for a minute, we find it. Like we literally lost one little necklace for a minute and sure enough there it was in a little box. And here it is, take it back to the showroom. So pretty impressive, my team and all that.
00:11:09
Speaker
That's a huge accomplishment. You definitely need to give yourself a pat on the back there. And having a little bit of a pageant experience, which is nothing near the amount that you do. But seeing the chaos behind the scenes of quick changes, people throwing things everywhere. And so yeah, you've got to commend your team there, too.
00:11:25
Speaker
But then another point or something that I'd like to really hone in on is the camaraderie between the models. I mean, even if they're kind of almost a little bit of actors and actresses a little bit, because even if they don't know each other, a lot of them probably do work together, see a lot of the same events. But even the models on stage, they have that smolder with each other or like when a guy's coming off and a girl's walking on, they have like that chemistry that the romanticizes what I think the buyers want to see. They want to see their clients wearing things. So tell us about that part of it, too. You had a ride on the money when I'm with them.
00:11:55
Speaker
That's part of that talk-through. Again, another thing with the Market Center shows is that we don't get to rehearse. So what you're seeing is happening live in front of you. I do what I call a talk-through rehearsal, and I have my little whiteboard. I don't remember if you saw that. And I'm kind of sketching out the runway and then saying, this is how I want this to go. This is the pattern. This is how this works. So that's all they get. So once they're out there,
00:12:19
Speaker
you know they're figuring it out as they go but they're they're good smart models and so I give them the direction and with Western in particular I remind them I go this buyer is looking to have fun they're just not you know this couture show that's straight out the product is amazing but they want to see it move and come alive so I always tell them to know your outfit before you go out there doesn't have pockets is it a big skirt that you can play with you know the guys are aligning is there
00:12:45
Speaker
You know, the guys are always a big crowd pleaser, obviously, every time we talk about that. But overall, it is them getting out of their head of being the model and just being more of a performer and making it fun for the audience to say, yeah, this could be you. This could be your customer. Look how great this piece is.
00:13:05
Speaker
So when I get them out of their model head of just walking down and back and say, no, we need to show the product. This is a buyer show. It's different. We need this product to come alive. It's important to the exhibitor. It's important to the manufacturer, to everybody, the Dallas Market Center.
Purpose and Impact of Fashion Shows
00:13:21
Speaker
that you know we are here for a purpose and that really helps me actually produce the show is I care and I have respect for what we do here and then it all can make sense we're not just putting on a pretty fashion show which is great that it comes off that way but we hope that the buyers it's informative and they're like who I want that I want to run up to Justin and order a whole bunch of that or you know whatever it is that's my goal at the end of the day so when I hear those stories of feedback like I open three new stores or I got a huge order off of
00:13:51
Speaker
my jacket being in the show, and then that makes my producer's heart really happy. Oh, without a doubt, I'm sure it does in a million ways, but one moment in particular, I remember a little, like, leading up before, I mean, like, what, an hour before the show, you were kind of, your team was going through everything, and there was one model in particular, a male model, that had long hair, and a few of the looks he had, long hair,
00:14:13
Speaker
And then at some point in time, when he came out to start modeling some more equestrian type clothing, he had a bun. It was changed. And some of the girls were as well. I mean, they went from cowboy hats to no cowboy hats. Talk about the, I mean, just the detail. I mean, check it to worry about every strand of hair. Yeah. So we do. I mean, I try to script that as much as I can in notes. There's something amazing. I almost brought one. I should have brought it. And you may know of them. They're called up. Your guests are going to say, what is that? Why is that important? In production runway world is called a Margie bag.
00:14:42
Speaker
And a Margie bag is a clear bag that's hanging on every outfit in a show, and it has all these little compartments, and that's where we number it, and it's where the structure and the foundation happens. So we can put all the notes in there of what we would like to see happen, and so that's where I'm messaging my vision of the moment to happen, whether it happens every time or not, we'll see. But in general, the model is reading that, so they're getting in their head, oh, I need to put my hair up,
00:15:10
Speaker
I would need to keep this unbuttoned or buttoned and then the dresser is also thinking through that because that person is looking at it and then by the time it gets to my lead stylist they already know what to do but then hopefully it's come to them pretty prepared so they can just tweak it like you said add something to it and send them out.
00:15:28
Speaker
Send them out, exactly. And one thing too that I noticed you touched on a little bit earlier that I think is so important for everyone out there to understand is everyone here at WISA gets an opportunity to throw something in the show. So it's kind of one of those things that's fun to see what you're going to get when you get there. And we do our very best, I will say. That show could be easily a three hour show and I don't think everybody wants to sit through that. If they were hungry, when we want to get out of here, it's been a long day.
00:15:52
Speaker
But that was a long show last night. That was 177 looks, which in that show is actually big. We're normally around 130, 140. So I was really pushing the models. We got it done in 44 minutes, if anybody was timing it. You were. I was, because I wanted it under an hour for sure. But the Western group will stay and play and hang out and party, so that helps.
00:16:15
Speaker
But yeah, so getting that all out there was a challenge, but we tried to spread the love and get everybody in the show that we can, but obviously we can't get everybody in the show or we'd all be here all night.
00:16:27
Speaker
That's true. It probably wouldn't be. We'd probably still be having the fashion show right now. We'd both be tied up for that. That's hilarious. Well, I know we're almost out of time, but I really do want to hear your thoughts. I'm genuinely curious to not only see where the fashion trends for you personally, where you think are going in the Western industry in the future, but also maybe like some fashion world, I mean, in general and fashion show tip. I mean, what do you think is going to happen in 2024 and beyond?
00:16:50
Speaker
Yeah, that's good. And you know, it's funny, I get asked questions a lot about that. I think your personal style is so personal. So I'm not one to quite go, Oh, you should never wear that. Or you should only wear this. I'm a little bit more I like self expression. So you do you is kind of a little bit more how I
00:17:08
Speaker
Drive in life with fashion in particular, but yes I am hired to help you know drive some of the trends and things like that So I would say what I it Western in particular the culture here I have a lot of respect for the Western culture when the market center sent me to NFR and the different places like that just to learn more about the culture it was so important to me I do have background with the dad who is a
00:17:32
Speaker
rodeo competitive guy and a cowboy, East Texas cowboy. So yes, he got the son that was like, I don't know where you came from. But we were very close. But just having that respect in the culture, I think it helps me to produce that show because it is fun to be in the contemporary crazy. But there's a lot of respect here to how things are worn. And actually, I see in the Western industry that there is a very, very particular way to wear things, which I do respect.
00:18:00
Speaker
And I try to do my best to show that on the runway. Again, we don't get to fit it, so the fits aren't always there the way a cowboy would really wear those jeans or a cowboy would really wear something. But we try to get it as close as we can.
00:18:15
Speaker
For the trend in general, I feel like we definitely live in a culture that's more fluid in general. I think that's going to, you're going to see that in the western industry as well. And there's disparate regions, which I love. You know, I was thinking about you guys when you asked me, I was raised in El Paso, Texas, which, you know, west Texas, and we were very pointy boots in El Paso.
00:18:37
Speaker
When I came to college out here in Weatherford College, a very small college, it's more of an ag school here in this region. You didn't wear pointy toed boots in that region. I learned about some other styles, more rounded toes and square toes, and I was like, oh, I thought every cowboy boot was a pointed toed because that's what my daddy raised me.
00:18:56
Speaker
Yeah, so you know there are cultural regional changes to I think in the Western industry where I'm learning about that and I see where that makes sense. I've seen the Western industry just get a little bit more flashy and more fun. I watch the CMAs just to see what they're doing there because I think that
00:19:14
Speaker
shows a little bit of that very elevated fashion forward, the Western feel. And generally, when you cross over that rocker cowboy, that boho cowgirl, there's just so much in the Western industry. And then there's the working cowboy, right? And I have some friends that are involved in that. And I see that true working cowboy. And it's a uniform. And they just need it to function for them and what they do. So I love that part of it, too. And you guys cover all of it, obviously.
00:19:40
Speaker
the products that can cover that working cow boy, you know, to that fashionista rocker, you know, cowgirl. And I love that. It's fun to watch. Well, thank you. I completely agree there. The product is awesome. And that's part of the reason probably that I love working at Justin is the diverse. You can have your cowgirl jeans and boots one day and then dress it up with a dress and some fashion suits another. So that's one of the things that I love. But I want to kind of go back a little bit. You mentioned that you grew up in El Paso, Texas. And that is near and dear to our hearts, having our factory in El Paso.
Memories and Future Predictions
00:20:10
Speaker
Yeah, so I guess I mean you talked a little bit about the trends there, but what does it mean for you then to be kind of like a? I don't want to say a homegirl man, but the state of Texas is your home and so do you think Texas has their own fashion?
00:20:22
Speaker
I think so. I love that you brought up El Paso because those are my roots and I remember as a little boy going to the big Justin store and that smell and the whole thing and like I'm gonna get a new pair of boots you know like maybe every once a year or a couple of years my dad would take me over and get me a new pair of boots and I just love that memory of Justin in particular and
00:20:43
Speaker
I do think, you know, Texas, we love to be bigger than life, and there's so much diversity in all of our regions, just in our one state. Like I said, there's West Texas, Central, North, South, and it's all a little different the more you move around just the state of Texas, that you can see that expression change, but yeah, everybody comes together, and I think learn from each other, and maybe take a little bit from each region, we'll mix it up, and I think it's done really well, and I love being a part of it.
00:21:13
Speaker
Oh, I do too completely. And one last question before we go. I know you have so many things to do, but you mentioned earlier that you color block the show. You kind of have like a power color or maybe a few power colors. What do you think is a good color for 2024?
00:21:25
Speaker
I'll tell you what I really enjoyed watching come down the runway last night. It was green and actually you kind of are right on trend right now with that. I just thought the green was really fresh and just having a fun color. I know Texas women tend to love brights as well. I love sequins in the show for sure. And I love when a woman's like, yeah, I'm doing that.
00:21:45
Speaker
I think that's a good call. But green is just, I think, kind of a fun color because we know blue. Obviously, we know blue. We know black, right? Red is a strong color in the Western industry. So I just thought, why not green? And so I just think the tones of green are just a fun, new addition for anybody, male or female, to kind of add to their wardrobe for the next season or their story. You want to add some green in there.
00:22:10
Speaker
I love that. I'm a green fan myself, but I love seeing there was a green hat, a green fur. I love that green hat. And then to be able to pair it with the green Clara here at Justin, or I know there's like several men's western boots that have just a top. The shaft would be green. So it's just like a little subtle hint of color right underneath the jean. I appreciate that you really honed in on the green aspect and that you took the colors in every detail into consideration. That was fun.
00:22:35
Speaker
Carl, thank you so much for being here. It has been so fun. We could talk for days, I'm sure. Yes. But thank you for the hospitality just at the fashion show. And thank you for everything that you're doing in the industry, too. It's really the difference. I appreciate that. I appreciate it. Thank you for your time, Taylor. And thank you for inviting me and Justin Binks. It was great to see you all. It always is. And I know January will all be back together again for the really big show. Can't wait. Yeah. Thank you.