You've seen the whip-thin, razor-sharp Neiman Marcus fashion director in those front row fashion show pictures, but this time Burien-native (yes, Burien native) Ken Downing was at the foot of the runway: directing traffic, calling attention to key details, and cracking an occasional line or two.

For the May 14 spring presentation at the Bravern , we took our turn in the front row—and backstage, too. Check out our exclusive behind the scenes chat and our front-and-center view on the season's best right here.