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Written by Alexandra Pullen Cover photo of Walter with Alexandra and Isabel (SFC Scholarship recipients)

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As an apprentice with American Ballet Theatre, I’m no longer a student and therefore no longer need the money that the Shoot for Change Scholarship offered to cover my tuition. But I’m so excited that the scholarship is continuing to make dreams possible for other aspiring dancers.

During this past fashion week, I invited one of my best friends, Isabel, to attend a fashion show with me. At the time, I had no idea about the significance of going to a fashion show with her.

Two days later, we all learned that the second recipient of the Shoot for Change Scholarship was Isabel!

Isabel is the perfect candidate for this particular scholarship because not only is she a fantastic dancer, she also has impeccable and unique taste in fashion. I could not be more excited for her! She’s so creative at piecing together beautiful looks, composed of quirky elements that she accumulates from various thrift stores. Also, next NYFW we’ll get to go together the entire week! Everybody wins.

Isabel showed up at my apartment in one of her ethereal looks: a long romantic-style lace white skirt with timeless accessories, like her vintage Chanel shoulder bag, to complete her ensemble. Suffice it to say, she looked stunning. As we walked across the plaza (fresh out of the disgusting subway), photographers snapped our photos, handed us business cards, and demanded our names. Were the photographers mistaking us for actual important people? I always thought the street photographers only photographed quasi-celebrities (reality stars and such), not average people like me. I shouldn’t flatter myself, because I knew the photographers wouldn’t have looked at me twice had I not been accompanied by drop-dead gorgeous Isabel!

Having been slowed down by all of the photographers, we rushed into the 9 PM Emerson runway show at 9:20. I assured Isabel not to worry because the shows ALWAYS start fashionably late. The looks were very young and fresh, and the music made the experience all the more exciting! Isabel was shocked to be leaving the theatre at 9:45, considering it started at 9:30. Even more bewildering to her was that 15 minutes would be considered a long show.

On our way out, the infamously cutthroat Kelly Cutrone, PR maven, asked us how our experience was. I don’t know what was more exciting — the fact that Kelly Cutrone approached us or that she was actually nice!

Isabel was gushing the whole way home and she had officially been bitten by the NYFW bug!