Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron White.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Aaron. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
This is a second career for me. I study marketing and PR and worked for Regal Cinemas for 11 years as a promotion coordinator. I accidentally stumbled into cosmetology by wandering into the Douglas J Aveda Institute here in Knoxville, Tennessee. When I found out how involved hair and makeup can be when it comes to Runway and fashion, I decided to drop everything I was doing and go back to school to get my cosmetology license. After graduating from Douglas J Aveda Institute, I then worked in a high-end salon here in Knoxville. I became an educator and then got involved with production at HGTV. That took me into fashion and runway.
One day, I came across the YouTube video called noise that was an underground avant-garde hair and makeup show that they do in Paris. I thought to myself that one day, I wanted to go to Paris and participate in this event. A week went by, I reached out to a friend of mine Kelly Absher who is doing marketing and PR for several local night clubs based here Knoxville Tennessee. He, then, got back to me and said that NV nightclub would be willing to donate their venue if I wanted to create a show like this. Jumped at the opportunity to reach out to several hair and makeup people are we started to proceed with creating Knoxville’s first avant-garde hair and makeup runway show. I knew from previous experience in working in a PR that by involving a charity I would then receive free Press. Because I have a form of muscular dystrophy called polymyositis, I reached out to the muscular dystrophy Association here in Knoxville and ask them if they would want to be the benefiting recipient of this event. It was a small event and initially, I felt that we would produce this runway show and afterwards, we would all just go out for drinks. Months went by and I was approached by Claire a national Runway director who attended my show and asked me when was I going to do another show? And that was the beginning of me producing and being a creative director for high fashion runway shows based here in Knoxville.
Has it been a smooth road?
I’ve never produced one week before in each show has gotten bigger and bigger and I’m bringing in bigger than the labels and brands. Each show has been a learning experience within itself so there have been a ton of obstacles to overcome. Whether it was with models, hair and makeup artists, benefiting charities, or just overseeing 150 or more people at a runway show that I’m creative director and producer of.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Last year, I officially became my own company The Aaron White Project. I specialize in high fashion editorial Runway shows benefiting different national charities! I think the biggest thing that sets me apart from everyone else is that I love to collaborate with other artists and I’m always willing to step back take a look and see it from their perspective to help me step outside of my own box.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Knoxville is a small community and up-and-coming and has a huge artistic downtown culture. I feel like Knoxville is a blank canvas and this city is ready to embrace and accept so many new artistic platforms.
Pricing:
- My shows tend to run about $65 a ticket with proceeds going to the charity
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/theaaronwhiteproject.com
Image Credit:
Javon Renee portraits – photography, Bruce McCamish – photography, Aaron white – photography
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