Walking on the Runway: How much do you know about fashion shows?

A specialty store in New York called Ehrich Brothers put on the very first fashion show in the United States in 1903 as a way to entice customers and get them in the door.

A hot spot is defined as a spot on the runway where the lights are brighter. A cold spot is defined as a spot on the runway where the lights are dimmer.

During a fashion show, lighting can be used for dramatic effect but should never be flashy or distracting. Constantly changing lighting on the runway often obscures or distracts from the clothing worn by the models and makes it difficult for the photographers to take decent shots.

It may seem like all models are tall, leggy blondes, but most fashion show audiences want to see different types of people on the runway. Men, women, thick, thin, short hair, long hair and so on. But looks aren't all you need to look for. Choose models who have personality and can keep the audience engaged from start to finish.

House of Holland was awarded with having the best goodie bag from London Fashion Week in 2010. The bag included a clutch showcasing the designer's face.

Making your guests feel special is an important part of any successful event. Give them goodie bags; host a meet and greet with the designers, and have cocktails and finger foods before or after the show. Unless you're raising money for charity with your fashion show, however, you should never ask guests to pay to attend.

Starting in the 1970s, American designers began to host their own fashion shows. Before then, it was mostly department stores promoting their merchandise.

You can make the catwalk as long or as short as you wish. There are also many options for the shape of the runway. It all depends on the size of your space and your preferences.

Before opening night, event planners always organize a full dress rehearsal of the entire show from start to finish. Everything from the the emcee transitions to the production elements is carried out to make sure everyone knows what to do and it all runs smoothly. The models even get practice walking down the runway.

According to Slate Magazine, the average model wears a size 8 1/2 shoe.

Fern Mallis is the former Executive Director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and has been instrumental in the fashion world. She's most famous for her debut of the first Fashion Week in New York's Bryant Park -- a week-long fashion event for American designers -- in 1994.

Of course fashion shows are advertised on the Internet! The Internet is a great resource, and e-mail marketing and social media Web sites are commonly used to get the word out about fashion-related events.

The ideal height for a female runway model is between 5'8 and 6'0.

The ideal height for a male runway model is between 5'9 and 6'2.

Most designers craft their clothes into certain sizes. It's much easier to find a model to fit the clothing than it is to alter the clothing to fit the model.

Cindy Crawford and Twiggy are both famous fashion models.

The term "live model" is another way of referring to a runway model.

The first American modeling agency was opened in 1923 by a man named John Robert Powers.

The most important people always have the best seats at a fashion show. This includes photographers, editors, journalists, retailers, celebrities and anyone else who is likely to promote the event.

Current fashion shows can present up to 40 outfits in one evening. If there are 40 models to wear each outfit, that's great news. However, most shows have half the number of models than outfits, so each model changes clothes at least once.