Blanche Macdonald Future Fashion Leaders, spearheaded by Tais Ricci, has a similar goal. Their mission is “To transform the industry by promoting visionary leadership, innovative design, and building inclusive communities”, the key to ensuring participants’ success being by “Empowering individuals to showcase their unique styles, drive innovation, and shape the future of fashion.” These values aligned perfectly with Grummett’s project and a natural partnership was formed. Eight students were invited to participate in this opportunity, including:

Porchea V. Mertineit: Creative Direction
Porchea was brought on as Creative Director for the shoot with many responsibilities including but not limited to; recruiting the team of students, organizing meetings, collaborating with the stylist, and facilitating communication within the group. Effective coordination was vital as Mertineit had to assign objectives for all the team members, provide scheduling and call times, and make sure the project ran smoothly. On the day of the shoot, she was kept busy ensuring all participants were properly equipped and happy. For Porchea, “Seeing everyone, including Selena, satisfied and excited about the work they did that day was so relieving.” Pulling off a successful photo shoot is no simple task, but Mertineit stepped into her role confidently, achieving amazing results with the team. She believes, “A lot of planning and clear and concise communication between you, the client, and the team is so crucial to the success of any photo shoot” and that, “Experiences like this are important for students because first-hand experience is valuable information for learning, building your portfolio, and networking. Those three things are crucial in any job in the fashion industry.”

Paris Grant: Stylist
As someone interested in styling, this shoot was important for Paris, who stated: “I have always thought about styling but wasn’t really sure how to get into it, or if it was right for me. This opportunity really allowed me to test out the waters, and be able to start a portfolio.” Following meetings discussing the vision for the shoot, Paris created mood boards inspired by Selena’s personal style and got to sourcing clothing, shoes, and accessories. For Grant, the most memorable aspect of the process was “Doing my first pull, and being able to be creative and come up with different looks. Also, the little meetings we had where we discussed everything, and figured out the concept was great too.” A unique challenge that came up was the fact Paris could not be in person the day of the shoot, so she had to ensure her plan was meticulously laid out and trust her assistant stylist, Hailey Charko, to execute the vision effectively.

Hailey Charko: Assistant Stylist
 After Paris passed her the baton– along with a whole lot of clothing– Hailey Charko was in charge of handling styling the day of the shoot. Narrowing down look options, steaming, lint-rolling, and organizing the outfits were all tasks she had to perform. Charko would also go the extra mile, helping her peers or stepping in to make adjustments between shots. All shoots will have some hitches requiring quick problem-solving, Charko explained, “We had a few pieces that were a little too big for Selena so I had to use belts and clips to make things look like they were fitted nicely.” She thoroughly enjoyed the shoot and believes “It’s very important to give students hands-on experience so we are able to tell if it is something we want to proceed in as a career. We got to see a glimpse and experience what a serious photoshoot is like and feel included in it.”

Shania Mohammed: Assistant Stylist
Shania stepped into the role of assistant stylist for the shoot, helping Hailey Charko tackle the many different pieces and their upkeep. Mohammed was the quintessential team player, keenly observant and quick to step in and help whenever required.

Hailey Park: Hair & Makeup Artist
 Another Hailey, Hailey Park, was the key hair and makeup artist on the project. She prepared by creating mood boards for inspiration and getting feedback from the team via Zoom for their thoughts on the two different hair and makeups that would be done on Selena. In collaboration with her assistant, Loretta Yu, Park went shopping for products needed to achieve their planned looks. As a result, the first look was a natural makeup paired with beach waves, transitioning to the second look; a low bun, soft brown smokey eye, and bold red lip. Park was “Impressed by the team's effective communication, positive energy, and the creativity and passion they bring to their work”, and she believes “It is crucial for students as it boosts their confidence and learning experience before entering the workforce.”

Loretta Yu: Hair & Makeup Assistant
 Loretta Yu was the hair and makeup artist assisting Hailey Park. On the day of the shoot, Loretta kept things moving smoothly by organizing their stations as well as keeping everything tidy and accessible. She was also responsible for styling the beautiful beach waves and low bun seen in the final results. After the initial work was done, Yu stuck around to do touch-ups, claiming; “You'll see me in BTS photos chasing Selena around with a tail comb and hairspray!” Loretta enjoyed the entire project, saying, “The entire experience was memorable! The location was epic and it was quite exciting to be a part of something with a group of fellow students and future bosses!”