Such lovely chaos

THE STYLES at New York Fashion Week may change from season to season, but backstage, things never seem to waver; the run-up to every show is a Tilt-A-Whirl spin of hair-poufing pandemonium, lightning-speed lip lining and last-second alterations. And whether it's Trovata's peripatetic prepsters or Koi Suwannagate's romantic artistes, the feel is always a mix of pre-prom jitters among the stylists and steamer-wielding assistants, and daily-grind ennui of the swan-necked nymphs and the occasional Adonis, who bide their time texting and sneaking out for cigarettes.

And usually there's a crudely fashioned bulletin board leaning somewhere, filled with the photos of each model arranged in show order.

It's nice to know that even professional models need to know where they stand from time to time.

-- Adam Tschorn