Behind the Scenes of Bishme Cromartie's NYFW Debut
All fashion lovers know and have experienced their binge-watching periods of endless Project Runway. Even through the show’s changes of judges and production companies, it marked its 20th season earlier this summer. The finale named Bishme Cromartie as the winner this past Thursday, September 7th. But Cromartie was not a new face on Project Runway—with season 20 allowing 14 beloved designers to return from across the past 19 seasons, Cromartie was back for redemption.
With his winning title, he also received a cash prize of $250,000, a mentorship with the Council of Fashion Designers of America, a spread in Elle magazine, and a six-month retainer with the PR firm, Agentry PR.
As one of Agentry PR’s Summer 2023 Fashion Interns, I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer and assist with a few of their client’s runway shows during NYFW. With Agentry PR representing Bishme Cromartie, I was able to help behind the scenes of the show and see firsthand the winner’s latest collection.
On September 12th, guests of all kinds came to support Cromartie. From past Project Runway contestants to the panelists and mentors themselves—Christian Siriano, Nina Garcia, and Elaine Welteroth brought the essence of Fashion Week with them to show their love for the young designer.
As an intern or volunteer during New York Fashion Week, you do the task you’re assigned and keep up with the hectic energy of the day. The show was at 1:00 p.m., so we began setting up at 10:00 a.m. The busy backstage of hair and makeup artists, models, and production crew created the soundtrack for the morning as I started preparing the front-of-house space for guests. I was tasked with labeling each bench by area alphabetically and later placing the cards and showing outlines on each bench.
**All images taken by the author
As the day continued, I caught glimpses of the soon-to-be-released collection, deep avocado green and indigo denim blue were a stark contrast to the powerful gold chrome looks Cromartie created. As we got closer to showtime, the models did their final walkthrough, determining the perfect pace and taking the gorgeous chrome green and matte black gladiator heels for a test walk.
With much anticipation, and standing in corners to be out of the production and PR’s frantic routes, influencers and Cromartie supporters began being let into the space and scouting out their seats. As a front-of-house volunteer, I had also been assigned to help guests find their spots in sections D and E. While fashion icons like Christian Siriano, Nina Garcia, and Elaine Welteroth sat in section A, and influencers like Caroline Vazzana, Kevin LeBlanc, and Chris Lavish were close by, I had the opportunity to sit past Project Runway designers. Of course, Bishme Cromartie’s mother, Regina Diddley, was in attendance, as were Prajjé Oscar Jean-Baptiste, Anna Yinan Zhou, Hester Sunshine, Nora Pagel, Kara Saun, Laurence Basse, and Korto Momolu
**All images taken by the author
As the lights on the runway brightened, anticipation quieted the crowd, and I stood off to the side in the priority standing area. The first model came out in a black mini dress with beautiful tree root-inspired green details. Following this look, Cromartie did an excellent job transitioning from rich green to dark indigo denims, and black satin dresses. Sprinkled throughout were gold and chrome looks that brightened the collection from the dark forest it began in.
**Video recorded by the author
Each look was adorned with some kind of statement adornment—buckles, cinches, chunky silver zippers, or intricate beadwork. The collection was finished with a stunning sheer mermaid-style gown with gorgeous tulle ruffled at the ankles and an architectural top that circled the model.
**Video recorded by the author
As the models started walking out one after the other, signaling the close of the show, guests became loud and loving towards Cromartie, cheering for him and his stunning debut collection post-Project Runway win. He later came out to thank the crowd and walk the runway himself, clearly overwhelmed with the response.
Past Project Runway contestants stayed behind to give their love to Cromartie, as most of the guests hurried off to the next NYFW location. All the while, ENews interviewed Christian Siriano, Nina Garcia, and Elaine Welteroth against the white wall embellished with Bishme Cromartie’s signature logo.
**All images taken by the author
Interviews with journalists continued for the panelists from Project Runway and Bishme Cromartie himself. His mentors spoke highly of Cromartie, praising his work and dedication to his stunning details and designs. The three fashion industry leaders personally congratulated Bishme before leaving the venue in a rush, like everyone else.
With the production crew packing up, Agentry PR whisking Cromartie away to thank the next guest, the venue began quieting down and resembling the plain white studio it had been prior. The day ended just as quickly as it began. The show was a whirlwind of fashion celebrities, rich tones in Bishme Cromartie’s designs, and the lucky experience of being a part of it all.
Comment below with your favorite look from the collection!