Nicole Nance // Producer & Director
My name is Nicole, and I am the producer and director of Muse Behavior Runway & Artist Showcase. I see details first and the big picture second, which allows me to be open to change and to leave space for others' ideas. My brain loves to create a collage that “makes sense,” even if the pieces originally felt unrelated.
I believe in community over competition, always, and I hope to produce a show that the creative communities are proud to be part of. There is not one person or one show that can make or break someone’s career here; in fact, it is quite the opposite. I want all the uniquely talented people in fashion to feel celebrated and help welcome the audience into our world for the night.
I have been modeling professionally for 10+ years, working in New York, Portland, and the Seattle area. I have production experience across a number of runways and theater performances, as well as a strong background in wedding and event planning. With exposure across markets, I am excited to apply what I’ve learned to help progress the industry in the PNW. It’s not about trying to replicate; it’s about merging the best of both worlds in a way that supports artists' livelihoods and brings the creative process back into the spotlight.
What I bring to the table as a model:
Models have an intimate experience with shows. As soon as the casting call starts, we are engaging with production in a personal way. Models are tangibly involved in the design process as clothes are being tried on and fitted to our bodies. We hear the designers' spoken thoughts as they work through the creative process, discuss the quality of a production, and truly feel their passion as we help bring it to life.
Models and beauty teams are interwoven. MUAH artists are some of the most self-motivated and resourceful people I have ever met, and I’ve learned just how much time, effort, and money they invest in their craft. We see firsthand whether artists and models are respected or mistreated based on the level of diversity and ethics in decision-making processes. With photographers, our relationship is unlike any other role, and over time, we start to sense the intentions behind their lens and value those who understand the responsibility of working in the fashion industry.
What matters most is my awareness of whether everyone, from top to bottom, is respected. Models tend to be in the most vulnerable role and feel the impact of poor production standards, which creates an unsafe, unhealthy environment for everyone. I take the role of show producer very seriously.
What my well-rounded event planning experience offers:
From middle school through high school, my life revolved around theater and dance. I loved it all, whether I was on the stage or behind the scenes, I absorbed invaluable insight into live performance. I understand how important every single person is to creating an immersive and genuine experience for the audience.
I started event planning with weddings. It’s often said that if you can plan a wedding, you can plan anything. And while that may not be 100% true, the knowledge of coordinating vendors, event timing, working with different personalities, and resourceful problem-solving is the same. Give me a clipboard, and I’m unstoppable.
I have been fortunate to work for runway production companies such as Fashion District Northwest in Seattle, where I was shown that it is possible to fill everyone's cup. In addition to learning from well-established shows, I have been part of start-ups built from the ground up. I cannot express how valuable it has been to observe what works and what does not, and to use that knowledge to produce a show.
I am smart enough to know that I don’t know it all, and it takes a strong team to handle a production this size. I am thrilled to have Michelle Wise as our Production Manager and Maddie Hamilton as our Show Manager. You’ll be able to read more about them as we write up their intros!
(It’s incredibly hard to pick photos of all the friends I’ve met in fashion. So here are a ton I found…I couldn’t help myself, enjoy!)
