Runway Ready (7 page)

Many thanks to all our friends and family: Daddy, Maddie, The Kahns, Berks, and Saps: love you to the moon and back!

A big thanks to the inspiring Michelle Lesniak of
Project Runway
for her interview. Mickey wishes she can be you when she grows up!

To all our great friends at Vital Theatre for the AMAZING musical adaptation of
Fashion Academy
—thank you all for bringing the characters to life. Steve, Sam, Jaimie, Kyle, Julz, Michael, Shani, Annjolyn…couldn't have asked for a better team. To our brilliant cast, you brought such joy to the stage with your talent and heart. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and bravo!

And last but not least, a ginormous thank-you and shout-out to the gifted Sabrina Chap for the endless hours, endless laughs, and your brilliant music, lyrics, and partnership on the script.

Girl, you rocked it!

To Katherine Latshaw at Folio—always our cheerleader; to the gang at Sourcebooks: Steve, Kate, Alex, Elizabeth. We are so happy and proud to be with you!

“Ooh, la la!” JC exclaimed as Mickey walked into the hallway of FAB wearing an Eiffel Tower print T-shirt, a can-can inspired tiered ruffle skirt, and a purple studded beret.

“You like?” she said, giving her ensemble a twirl. She'd paired it with a mismatched pair of combat boots—one purple, one pink.

“It's certainly very Parisian,” JC said. “All you need is a croissant-shaped purse to go with it.”

Mickey pulled a long gold tube-shaped bag out of her backpack. “Baguette,” she said. “I'm one step ahead of you.”

“So what's with all the French-ness?” her friend asked.

“Didn't you hear about the international student runway competition?” she replied. “Mr. Stitchman insists someone from FAB win—or else.”

JC raised an eyebrow. “Win what?”

Mickey closed her eyes and sighed. “Only a trip to Paris Fashion Week—and the opportunity to present your designs at a FIFI gala.”

“FIFI?” JC gasped. “As in the French Institute of Fashion Industries?”

Mickey nodded. “Amazing right?”

“Amazing—and near to impossible. Every fashion student in the world is probably competing.”

“I know,” Mickey said. “Which is why I need your help. I've never been anywhere out of the country, and I don't know anything about Paris—except for what I'm wearing. Oh, and those colorful little sandwich cookies.”

“Macarons,” JC corrected her. “I have visited Laudere in France several times…”

“You did mention that…several times,” Mickey chuckled. “Something about staying with your cousin Angelique? Eating crepes and shopping on the Champs-Élysées?”

JC nodded. “My cuz moved to France a few years ago. She's very cool—and very fashionable.”

Mickey sighed. “Do I have to beg?”

JC's Chihuahua Madonna made a whimpering noise from inside her dog bag.

“Can you top that?” JC snickered.

“JC…”

“Fine. No begging necessary.”

“There's just one little thing, before you agree,” Mickey added.

JC raised his hand to silence her. “Don't tell me. Does it wear a tiara and a bad attitude?”

Mickey nodded. “Jade is determined to win. She and Jake are partnering up as usual.”

“And you think I'm afraid of the tantrum twins?” JC asked. “Pullease. You shouldn't be either. You can't cover up boring with bling. And you…well, you're one of a kind, Mick.”

Mickey blushed. “You really think so? How many times has Jade beat me on fashion challenges? And how many times has she gotten us in trouble with Mr. Stitchman?”

“Too many. Which means she's running out of options. Besides, I bet you've already been working up ideas while Jade was out getting her mani and pedi.”

“Well, I was thinking of doing a mini collection that draws from the iconic architecture of Paris. The Eiffel Tower, the Arch de Triomphe…”

“Love!” JC cheered. “Tell me more!”

Mickey pulled her sketchbook out of her bag. “Maybe colors that are muted, like grays and blues and charcoal to match the structures. Metallic silver and bronze, studding that looks like rivets. And the shape of this skirt—“

She showed him a dramatic A-line gown with a corseted back. “This mimics the lines of the tower.”

“It's amazing,” JC said breathlessly. “C'est magnifique.”

“Is that good?” Mickey asked. “I don't speak any French.”

“Oui! Oui!” JC added. “Translation: we've got this!”

“So it's a yes?” Mickey asked.

JC smiled slyly. “Madonna? What do you say to joining Team Mickey?”

Madonna yapped happily.

“That's a yes for both of us,” JC said. “Paris Fashion Week, here we come.”

Sheryl Berk has written about fashion for more than twenty years, first as a contributor to
InStyle
magazine and later as the founding editor in chief of
Life & Style Weekly
. She has written dozens of books with celebrities including Britney Spears, Jenna Ushkowitz, Whitney Port, and Zendaya—and the #1
New York Times
bestseller (turned movie)
Soul Surfer
with Bethany Hamilton. Her daughter, Carrie Berk, is a renowned cupcake connoisseur and blogger (
www.facebook.com/PLCCupcakeClub
;
https://carriescupcakecritique.shutterfly.com
) with more than 101,000 followers at the tender age of twelve! Carrie is a fountain of fabulous ideas for book series—she came up with Fashion Academy in the fifth grade. Carrie learned to sew from her grandma “Gaga” and has outfitted many an American Girl doll in original fashions. The Berks also write the deliciously popular series The Cupcake Club.

Check out Carrie's new fashion blog:
fashionacademybook.com
and Instagram: @fashionacademybook.