WERK the RUNWAY: Cycle 3 Finale - "Words CAN Hurt Me"

   WERK the RUNWAY: Cycle 3's finale, "Words CAN Hurt Me" was styled by makeup artist Melissa Young / MUA Missy Young and photographer Eric McKinney / 6:12 Photography. Our vision for the finale was to bring awareness to the damaging effects of bullying and promote support of the anti-bullying movement that is growing across the country.

   With lights dim and room in silence, members of the audience were asked to consider these facts:
   - Approximately 160,000 teens skip school every day because of bullying.  In order for a child to get a quality education, they have to feel safe at school first.
   - 1 out of every 3 girls and 1 out of every 4 boys report weight-based bullying each year.
   - 81.9% of students who identify as LGBT in the past year were bullied based on their sexual orientation.
   - Each day, in the United States, there are an average of over 5,400 suicide attempts by young people between 7th grade and 12th grade. Kids who are bullied are more than twice as likely to consider suicide.

   Missy and Eric chose a collection of high fashion looks to bring this important and powerful message to the runway. Designer, Charles Josef contributed several looks to the finale, working with the co-hosts to bring their vision to life. The black fabric represents the darkness and depression felt by many kids and teenagers who are bullied. The sheer fabric represents the ability to overcome bullying by becoming comfortable with who they are, comfortable in their own skin.
   Makeup artist, Missy Young used red makeup tones to show the damage of bullying. Missy used contouring on the face to show the how bullying can harm the minds of our youth, causing depression, self-harm and even suicide. She used red and black makeup around the eyes to show how bullying changes the way its victims view life, how they view others (especially those who bully them) and how they view themselves. Missy also used makeup artistry on the male models to show bruising, as a reflection of the bruises that bully words leave on the lives of those who are bullied. Those hateful words become etched in the minds of those who are bullied.
 

   WERK the RUNWAY: Cycle 3 brought a high fashion runway event to Morristown, Tennessee for the third time on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at the Country Club. With a sold-out crowd and an amazing line-up, Cycle 3 was our biggest success yet. According to guests, the show gets "bigger and better every time."

   WERK the RUNWAY is co-hosted by award-winning makeup artist Missy Young and internationally-published fashion & fitness photographer Eric McKinney of 6:12 Photography. 

   Makeup for the show is by MUA Missy Young. 

   Hairstyling was provided by Harley Chandler, Desiree Huskey and Cassandra Wolfe with the Tennessee Institute of Cosmetology. 

   Music for the runway was provided by DJ Preston Husk.

   For more photos from WERK the RUNWAY: Cycle 3, check out 6:12 Photography by Eric McKinney on Facebook at www.facebook.com/photographybyericmckinney.
   For more 6:12 photos, visit facebook.com/photographybyericmckinney. If you enjoy my work, take a moment to click "like" on my page. You can also follow 6:12 on Instagram @mannequin612.
   Interested in booking a photo session with 6:12 Photography? Contact Eric McKinney at emckinney612@gmail.com to schedule a shoot.
   For more from MUA Missy Young, visit facebook.com/EcoChicDesignsbyMelissa. You can also follow Missy on Instagram @muabymissy.