This One Time I Worked for Mac Duggal

“So there was this one time at band camp….”

Yes, I am a fan of the hit 1999 movie American Pie and that one line always makes me laugh. The truth is I have never been to band camp, but I did work for Mac Duggal once. Yes, I had the opportunity to work for one of the leading designers in the pageantry industry. I bet you are wondering how did I land such an awesome gig? Honestly, it is all about connections (Thanks Kerrie Juliana) and being at the right place at the right time.

Team Elite (Ashley, Kerrie, and Krystle)

On August 1-4, 2017, I served as a dresser in the Mac Duggal Showroom at AmericasMart Atlanta World of Prom in Atlanta, Georgia. AmericasMart Altanta World of Prom (affectionately known as “Market”) occurs twice a year in April and August, and hundreds of buyers and designers participate and attend this well known event. From dresses to fashion shows to great food, this pageant girl was right at home.

As a dresser, I had to assist the models by dressing them for the four fashion shows that took place each day over a span of four days. The tasks included zipping, unzipping, hanging dresses, and making sure the models looked runway ready.

During my breaks, I was able to venture off to the other showrooms (The perk of having a buyer’s guest pass) and meet some “celebrities” in the pageantry industry such as Steven Roddy with the Pageant Planet and Carl Dunn with Pageantry Magazine. As a pageant media professional, you can only imagine my excitement for meeting others who are influential in pageant media. Plus, it was cool to finally meet Steven since I am one of his Media Correspondents for The Pageant Planet.

Steven Roddy, CEO of The Pageant Planet

Carl Dunn, CEO of Pageantry Magazine

So what are my thoughts about my Mac Duggal experience? Honestly, being a dresser is not a glamorous job. I stood on my feet for hours at a time, and my fingers were beat up. On the positive side, I got to meet some amazing models who were grateful and appreciative of our assistance. Some of the models are former pageant queens, and one model is the daughter of legendary actor Steven Seagal.  I also want to give a huge shout out to the Fabulous models who kept me laughing. They were upbeat and smiling the entire week. You ladies are the real MVPs!

I also have a new found respect for models in general because they have to constantly change in and out of dresses with a limited amount of time plus endure blistered feet. I thought I wanted to be a runway model, but the way my flat feet are set up, I would not last one show. Plus, I do not meet the height requirements (Bless my 5’4 self). I will just stick to aspiring to become a print or commercial model.

I also had the opportunity to meet the man behind the brand, Mac Duggal. He is such a nice and humble individual, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on his staff for this week long event. I am a firm believer that there is a purpose for every opportunity because it brings you closer to achieving your goals and realizing your dreams.

Mac Duggal Showroom