[caption id="attachment_4142" align="aligncenter" width="403"]Model Wyinnetka Aaron modeling a new Sydney's Closet Cocktail Dress[/caption]Step behind the scenes when Sydney’s Closet goes to New York City to shoot our Spring 2014 Plus Size Dress Collection. What: creative juices flow overtime! Must nail incredible fashion photos of our Social and Party Dress Collections debuting for Spring 2014. When: one cold, snowy day in January 2014. Will it ever warm up this winter? Where: the 3,500 square loft space at the legendary Brooklyn Studios in New York City  just over the East River from Manhattan. Here’s where an A-list of magazines, celebs and famous fashion brands shoot photos and commercials. Just had to drop these few names that you’re sure to know: Christian Dior, DKNY, Cosmopolitan magazine, Carrie Underwood and Winoa Ryder. And most recently, Brooklyn Studios was the location where photographers captured the iconic image of athletes from the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics wearing their opening ceremonies fashion created by Polo Ralph Lauren. Who: A star studded cast and crew come together for this shoot.

• Model Wyinnetka Aaron from Dorothy Combs Agency manages to fly in from Chicago without weather delaying or cancelling her flight. It was a close call but she made it between storms!

 

• Photographer Stanley Debas, born in Haiti and based in NYC, focuses his lens on photography for plus size fashion. Stanley really gets – and respects – women with real curves! His images are living proof.

 [caption id="attachment_4152" align="aligncenter" width="302"]Photographer Stanley Debas and assistant Christoper[/caption]

• Stylist Susan Moses brings her savvy sense of style on set. Susan’s star studded client list includes Queen Latifah, Wynonna Judd and Nikki Blonsky. No one knows how to better fit a dress so it shows off a plus size woman’s real curves.

 

• Cast and crew: we shoot with a super talented supporting cast including hair stylist, makeup artist, wardrobe mistress, lighting director, photographer’s assistant and videographer. Every wonder how many people it takes to put one model on the set. For this shoot we counted more than a dozen, including the designer "moi"!

  Whatever: Here's what the day on the set - and into the night - looks like broken down on the clock:

• Early call: 7 a.m., a town car picks up Wyinnetka in Manhattan for the ride across the bridge to Brooklyn She arrives makeup free, hair loose and still looks gorgeous! How does she do it!

 

• Hair and makeup:  8 a.m. Wyinnetka is the chair with hair stylist and makeup artist working on her at the same time. That’s backstage efficiency! [caption id="attachment_4146" align="aligncenter" width="403"]Model Wyinnekta Aaron in hair and makeup[/caption]

   

• Breakfast is served: Cast and crew jump start the day with a buffet featuring gallons of steaming hot Dunkin' Donuts coffee (decaf and regular!) with an assortment of their famed sweets. For healthy options, there's fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and nuts. And of course, what’s breakfast in the Big Apple without bagels and smear cheese!

 

• Lights, Camera, Action: After  2 hours in hair and makeup, Wyinnetka steps on set for the first shot looking picture perfect. All morning and into early afternoon, Stanley clicks away as fast as the model makes wardrobe changes from one fabulous Mother of the Bride Dress to another. [caption id="attachment_4151" align="aligncenter" width="403"] Wyinnetka smiles for the camera in a new Mother of the Bride Dress[/caption]

 

• Lunch Break: We're starving! Soup, sandwiches and salads delivered to the studio from a neighborhood deli hit the spot.

 

• Hair and Makeup Change: For the afternoon shots, makeup takes Wynnetka's long locks down and pumps up the lips with a bold red.

 

• VIP Guest: Plus Model Magazine Editor Maddy Jones arrives on set to interview me for an upcoming article. But before I go on camera, I get a crash makeover. Hair styled, makeup done (did I mention the false eyelashes!) then out of my red turtleneck sweater and jeans into a black slinky jersey evening dress and towering heels. No one recognizes me!

 

• Set Change: lighting moves equipment around when we set up a white baby grand piano as a new set for our final shots.

 

• It’s a Wrap: after almost 12 hours at the shoot we pack up and head out. The creative juices keep flowing. On the ride back to Manhattan we’re already planning our next shoot!

[gallery columns="2" ids="4150,4145,4143,4147,4149,4144"]