Lisa Carter – Experience helped relax me

Simon: So, do you remember the differences between the two Shows? Were you the second one you were like, “It’s ok, I’m a professional, I’ve been through this before.”

Lisa: I’m sure I sweated less. No, it was still as nerve racking but obviously I’d done it before, I knew what to expect, so that edge was taken off but it was still you know, fast paced and me trying to do the right thing and hoping it was all going to go ok ‘cos you know the dressing and things, I wasn’t accustomed to doing that quickly and unzipping and everything. I mean if you’ve got a good Dresser, they’ve got it prepped for you and ready so that you can just step into it but if you’ve got someone who’s not experienced … I mean I think the people, that were dressing us were either Staff from the shop or maybe like a mum friend or something, so if they didn’t know what they were doing, it could be high stakes that you were not ready in time.

Simon: Yeah, and the flow of outfits is important I guess that they’ve decided the order in advance.

Lisa: Yes, and I don’t know if they were given printed material. I think it was Elizabeth Pack’s sister who used to be on the microphone talking everything through because when you came out, there was somebody talking. I think it was her sister saying, “And here we are modelling this jacket by so and so and the skirt and the shoes are by so and so and also available in this colour, and notice this detail on the skirt, the lace trim or whatever.” All of those thigs and really selling it to you as well you know. “Suitable for any holiday …” They would just have a whole story about you outfit which was quite nice actually because it gave you something to work with, you know?

Simon: Ok.

Lisa: If she’s talking about the jacket, you take off the jacket and put it back on and you know if it’s got a nice fastening you can do up the fastening, show them and undo it again and you know do a bit of a shimmy and then she talks about the bag and you can you know, swing it about, show (laughs) it’s nice, you’ve got something to work with, it was a collaboration. So, there was someone at the front doing that.