Backstage at Tell The Truth with Annie Gale | London Fashion Week AW25
Words and Photographs by Annie Gale
POV - It’s June in LA, you’re 22, and no one knows you flew in for this. You’re about to work backstage at the show that first made you realize – this is it, fashion shows are where you’re meant to be. That show was Tell The Truth (TTT). Fast forward almost two years, I’ve had the privilege of working with them twice since - this time in London. Rainy Womack, TTT’s designer, is an inspiring blend of authenticity, talent, and passion. Titled ‘Blood Moon’, the brand's debut at London Fashion Week last year left guests on the edge of their seats in anticipation of the following season. Rainy’s recent LFW show ‘Wolves’ further proved his expertise and unwavering commitment to his brand and the team at TTT.
Suddenly its this year’s LFW AW25, and my friend Lana and I secured the best gig of the day, BTS duty, shooting on otherwise defunct-in-our-iphone-age VHS cameras. 8 hours on set made for plenty of excellent footage. We captured rehearsals, fittings and what really goes on behind the scenes at a fashion show. Held at St Martin’s in the Field, backstage took place in the crypt – the team packed in one room, moving in sync as if we’d been creating together for years. Though I crossed paths with many familiar faces, most of the team had only become acquainted on the morning of the show.
If I could sum this experience up in one word, it would be Family. That is what being a part of a TTT show really embodies. There is nothing quite like it. Of all the shows I have worked on, nobody does it like Rainy. Even on his most stressful days, you will hear him asking volunteers their names and making sure they are getting the most out of their experience working the show. The support in that room is undeniable. Models cheered each other on as photographers captured BTS. The room was alive ahead of the big debut. Looking around, I was in awe of everyone dancing, energy buzzing throughout the space. Just before the big reveal, the team huddled together and howled. Closing in a similar fashion, the models stood in a circle, howling - the collection’s through line became tactile, no longer a team… But a wolf pack.
This runway is special to me because it puts into perspective just how far we’ve (TTT and myself) come in such a short amount of time. It’s easy to get caught up in the superficialities of this industry. All said, working with the first brand I ever assisted in a city neither of us are from, yet have made a life in, certainly makes me feel very lucky.
There is often a stigma that comes with this industry - people are uptight, rude, selfish. Though this can certainly be the case, if you’re lucky enough to peer inside TTT’s special little world, you’ll see that it is none of those things. Fashion has created a space for my inner child to flourish – one that celebrates my individuality. It is a space for innovation and hope for the future of designers. Beyond the glitz and chaos, it’s a community where creativity thrives, friendships are built, and ideas are born.
