Fashion Week Once Again Lights Up New York With Support From Scharff Weisberg

CalvinWhen Fashion Week brought its glitter and glamour to New York this fall, Scharff Weisberg was on hand to support an array of lighting designers and show producers with lighting, audio and video packages to enhance the runway shows and hot-ticket parties.

This season Fashion Week celebrated Calvin Klein's 40th anniversary at a party and benefit for the Highline development project. A temporary, three-story white building was erected in a vacant lot on the corner of 30th Street and Tenth Avenue; guests entered on the Tenth Avenue side to a huge open space with a grand staircase that opened onto a bar on the second level and provided access to the Highline where Estelle performed.

Scharff Weisberg Lighting provided JKLD with an ETC conventional lighting and dimming package for all of the rooms and the Highline level "It's always a welcome challenge working with JKLD on their many creative projects, but the Calvin Klein anniversary party in particular was an amazing project both in size and scope," notes Terry Jackson, Scharff Weisberg project manager. "It raised the bar for what was expected of parties during Fashion Week."

Scharff Weisberg also furnished a pair of Barco FLM 18 projectors for a spectacular billboard projection adjacent to the venue. KCD teamed with Calvin Klein on the project's design, which consisted of slipcovering an existing 40x30-foot billboard transforming it into a surface showcasing images from Calvin Klein ad campaigns. The source was a QuickTime movie played via laptop through a switcher, Barco Encore controller and ScreenPro II, all provided by Scharff Weisberg "It was somewhat simple but very impactful," notes KCD's Keith Baptista. "Scharff Weisberg always does a great job; we love working with the whole team."

Scharff Weisberg Lighting and Audio supplied equipment to the huge G-Star Runway show at the Uptown New York 7th Regiment Armory on Park Avenue. Produced by Dizon Inc. with Sightline Productions acting as lighting and sound designers, the project required considerable coordination and preproduction to ensure the company could achieve the client's vision within the time and budget allocated.

The main rig consisted of 300 moving lights comprised of VARI*LITE VL3500s and VL3000s and Martin Mac 700s plus conventional ETC and Thomas fixtures and dimming with a grandMA controlling the 8-universe show. Scharff Weisberg also furnished ARRI fresnels and soft lights for hair and makeup backstage.

The audio complement featured an enormous L-Acoustics DV-DOSC system in two arrays of 15 cabinets, Meyer 700HP subwoofers, Meyer CQ-2P and CQ-1P surrounds, and a Midas XL200 console

The company also worked on the G-Star After Party, in the Armory's Officers Chambers, which was hailed as one of the best of Fashion Week. Scharff Weisberg provided a UPA audio system and bar, DJ, product and performance lighting throughout the space to enhance the beautiful original architectural detailing of the building. The lighting package of LEDs, ETC Profiles and PARs, ARRI soft lights and fresnels illuminated multiple historic rooms and the Drill Hall Entrance.

Scharff Weisberg was also challenged to supply lighting to the Proenza Schouler show at the Armory. This fashion show, which was loaded into the venue simultaneous with the G-Star load in, required that a 660-foot runway lit from ground-supported towers be installed overnight. Scharff Weisberg furnished Thierry Dreyfus Lighting Design with a dozen Robert Juliat followspots on four independent towers along with ETC and ARRI front light and back light towers. Jonathan Goldstein also worked with Dreyfus on the lighting.

Scharff Weisberg reteamed with Thierry Dreyfus to provide full production support for his design of the Tommy Hilfiger show in the Upper and Ticket Lobbies at the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center. The company supplied an ETC conventional lighting and dimming package thatDreyfus used to light the gold leaf-covered ceiling and bathe the space in a golden glow that matched the custom-built hardwood runway and bleacher seating.

Gayle Dizon and Kirsten Nash of Dizon Inc. produced the event with Tim Darwish technical director.

For the fourth consecutive season Scharff Weisberg provided JKLD with full lighting support for the Marc Jacobs show. Produced by KCD, the event transformed the Lexington Avenue Armory into a fashion playground featuring numerous hanging mirrors, which cast a multiplicity of images of the parading runway models.

Scharff Weisberg Lighting also supported a number of smaller fashion shows during Fashion Week. The company furnished Design One Corporation with a complement of equipment for the Derek Lam fashion show at Terminal Stores. Regan Dodson served as production electrician. Scharff Weisberg provided JKLD for the Malo show at the New York Public Library where Andrew Merriweather and Nathan Winner were the production electricians. And the company supplied Number Nine Design with a package for the Vivienne Tam show at 40 Mercer Street. Andy Muller was the video and audio project manager. Scharff Weisberg supplied lighting and audio gear to BaD Lighting's Barrett Hall for the Zero + Maria Cornejo runway show at the flagship retail store at 33 Bleecker Street where a front of house truss goal post was outfitted with an array of Source 4 lenses illuminating the runway.

The Scharff Weisberg lighting team for Fashion Week included Chris McMeen, John Healy, Terry Jackson, Meghan Marrer, Drew DeCorleto and Erik Perry.

Scharff Weisberg and Video Applications, firms with extensive histories in the presentation and staging markets, recently announced a co-ownership agreement. While continuing to operate independently the two companies work together strategically to provide clients with state-of-the-art audio, video and lighting equipment and services. With a strong presence on both coasts Scharff Weisberg and Video Applications are able to deliver a large array of cost-effective services on a national level. For more information, call 212-582-2345 or visit our website at www.scharffweisberg.com. For more information on Video Applications, visit www.videoapps.com.