Creating Genius Magazine Winter Issue | Page 17

Bringing the Party to the Fashion Show What do you get when you combine high-energy music with body paint, black lights and beautiful models? One hell of a party. Glamour & Glow is here to change the perception of fashion shows for good. So long are the notions of sitting around and acting annoyingly classy as models strut down the runway in next season's "in" fashion. Glamour & Glow keeps the energy high with models dancing on stage in glowing body paint, all under extravagant lighting to really bring the artwork, and your senses, to life. You've got your glowing drink and the DJ is maddening the venue with highenergy music, sending shock waves of energy through your body. It's an experience where you see things in a different light — literally and figuratively. Glamour & Glow: Behind the Scenes Dave Soko, the man bringing you Glamour & Glow, started his professional career in the finance and banking industry but has since gone rogue. After volunteering at events like fashion shows and huge weekend club parties, Soko founded his own event production company, a body paint and fashion party that has become Glamour & Glow. “It's an experience where you see things in a different light literally and figuratively.” After a production of shows running up and down the East Coast, Glamour & Glow is now breaking into the big leagues with two yearly shows in the world's entertainment capital — Las Vegas. Each show is totally unique to the city that it's in, changing things up with new local models along with a unique theme. If it were to be described to those who have never seen a Glamour & Glow show, Soko says, "It's the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show meets Cirque De Soleil." Of course, a show slated for Vegas didn't come without its fair share of struggles. "It was a real challenge coordinating the lighting to react with the artwork the way we wanted. A lot of our effort was also spent on getting our name out there via promotion and marketing," says Soko. Many times he contemplated throwing in the towel, but his perseverance and belief in his vision kept the idea alive. So then, what do we need to understand about starting a successful business? Soko describes what it’s like starting his own venture, “It’s a lot of sacrifice, consistent action and truly believing in what you're doing.You have to surround yourself with a great team, fail a lot and learn from it.” As Glamour & Glow continues to grow, so does a world of opportunities. Soko is currently in talks with event managers for South by Southwest and Coachella, two of the largest music festivals in the U.S. TrueTV has also requested to feature Glamour & Glow on a future show. To those who may hear more in the coming months, it may seem out of nowhere, but for Dave Soko and Glamour & Glow, it's something that has been in the works since 2008. It's a true testament to the fact that a vision combined with consistent action can get you anywhere.