NEW YORK, Sep 14, 2004/ FW/ --- Season after season, journalists, photographers, retail buyers and guests expect that the fashion season will be clockwork. For the veteran attendees, we all know that there is a lot that meets the eye in organizing fashion week. The Spring 2005 New York season is not an exemption.

Beginning with registration, handled by 7th on Sixth, it is already a big challenge. Yet, season after season, Jacquie Kelleher does the job with aplomb dealing with over 1500 journalists and photographers who historically attend the shows season after season.

You never see her photos among the who’s who of the fashion season. She is one of those who work behind the scenes. Yet without Jacquie, Fern Mallis, the Executive Director of 7th of Sixth will be faced with 1500 members of the press needing their credentials for the show, because it is Jacquie who actually works hands on with the fourth estate before and during the shows.

Then, there are the security and guest handlers during the shows. Day in and day out, rain or shine, and during the wintertime, snowy or a clear day, security stands guard at the entrance of the tents, acting both as crowd control and greeter to the press, retail buyers and guests.

Inside the tents, it is a similar story, but on a different scale. Security and guest handlers make sure that attendees to the shows are led to their proper lines.

Inside the venue of the catwalk show, though there are greeters from the fashion house and show production companies, there is also security and guest handlers who make sure that everything is running smoothly.

You never hear them complain, and you never hear them lose their tempers although they have been on their feet for the past 10 hours. Always polite, and ready to smile, they are firm and has a no nonsense air about them.

When one of the first daughters attended a show at the tents, she managed to escape from the eyes of the Secret Service agents assigned to her. But an eagle-eyed security officer at the tents spotted her and immediately told the Secret Service. So, in a span of 1 minute the First Daughter was “back” under their protection.

When asked why he did that, the security officer immediately answered, “It’s my job.” And when asked if he even likes the First Family to go beyond the call of duty, he said, “It does not matter whether I like the Bushes or not. What matter is that she is the President’s daughter and a guest at the tent and her security is important.”

Talk about dedication to the job! Jacquie Kelleher and the tent’s security team are the unsung heroes of fashion week. Without them, we will be more than a little lost during the season.