Dovile and I had a last second photoshoot on the lava by a lighthouse. Then came time for the show. We only had a couple of hours to set up the make-up station, the clothing racks and get all of the production team sorted out.
Derrick liked my outfit, as I knew he would. It was a tight white romper that perfectly accentuated my ass and curves. I paired it with spider web fishnet tights and chunky black punk boots.
I joked, “One day when I’m famous, these photos of what I’m wearing are going to get leaked and I’ll just have to laugh along with everyone.”
The Paris Fashion Week guy stared me up and down then pulled me aside to properly introduce himself.
“I’m Princeton.”
“Nice to see you again, Princeton,” I said.
He was surprised by how opposite my vibe was from when he had first met me. I came off as a shy nerdy hiker chick and now I was a sexy outgoing flirty girl. I forgot how fun it was to change appearances.
“Why are you not walking the runway?” he asked.
I deflected, “Oh god, no. I’m too shy for that.”
He shook his head. “This is the real you,” he said, “you need to let this girl shine. You have the walk, I’ve seen you.”
I rejected the offer but accepted the compliment.
The show was intense for me and I ended up being the only one who bawled their eyes out. The vision I had didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to again. It seemed it was becoming a trend to have breakdowns at these events.
Karalana did a great job in bringing the event together, however it wasn’t really taken seriously how much time and help I needed to get my models properly dressed. I couldn’t do quick changes in 20 seconds like the other designers nor could I think clearly under high pressure.
My show started almost an hour before the time I was scheduled to go on, unbeknownst to me because I couldn’t hear the intercom in the back. I never did get official helpers so I pulled random people aside. My models were not properly dressed nor could I get them in the complete look with all of the accessories and base clothing underneath. It was all rushed/messy rather than sensual/natural. One of the girls went out completely topless which I actually ended up loving since my dresses are meant to be shibari styled. It was just so fast and chaotic that I didn’t even notice.
I also experienced a deep jealousy when Dovile had the most perfect, seamless show as all of her models had time to get dressed and lined up even with time to spare. I realized I needed to start making contracts before I did fashion shows because although I communicated what I needed numerous times, it didn’t do much if it wasn’t actually written on paper. I just hated having to do that with friends. I often trusted people automatically with their word and what they gave me at face value.
Besides my portion of the show, it was a huge success. The crowd was overflowing, tickets were sold out, people were standing as if it were a concert. I really was impressed by how it all came together. It was the first fashion week in Iceland and I knew it would only get better with each coming year!