Fierce Faces & Lurking Lizards...

Saturday was my inaugural encounter with London Fashion Week. And an encounter it was. An alien encounter. Despite being surrounded by aspiring designers and stylists for four years of college, I don't think I was prepared for the outlandish nature of those who actually live and work in the fashion industry. I found the audience members at the show more amusing than the show itself, and boy did I leave that place feeling like a normal girl-next-door. The outfit I ended up wearing was carefully chosen after changing my mind like fifty times. But, I should have known that no one would be looking at me; they were all too concerned with making sure everyone was watching them. But, I guess that's a life truth isn't it? We are all so worried about what everyone is going to think of us, we don't even realize that they are all equally as concerned about themselves. And therefore, no one really takes notice of anyone else but themselves. And if we do happen to stare at another person, the examination only takes place long enough for us to compare ourselves to them and figure out how we are better or worse. It's exhausting, isn't it? I thank the Lord for helping me to know who I am because I am defined by Whose I am. Not by my t-shirt label. Nor by my car (or bike.) Nor by my job (or lack thereof.) As my mom likes to remind me, the elite and the underdog all put their britches on the same way - one leg at a time. People are people, whether crazily, conservatively, or barely dressed. And God loves them all the same. Praise Him!

So anyway, the "Fashion's Finest" show that I attended provided ample opportunities for appreciating all varieties of God's crowning creation - humans. I hope I didn't openly gawk too often, but I was seriously in awe of the bravery and confidence in which all manners of dress were worn.

Why hello, striking woman with a chain necklace. Your vintage camera is awesome. And you somehow look really friendly and peaceful in spite of your goth lipstick and shiny silver robot jacket. Kudos.

Power to you, super tall lady, for balancing in 6-inch, bright red platform wedges. I would have twisted an ankle 3 inches ago.

Dear man with a butterfly pinned on your vest, props for not falling completely flat on your face when you stepped out of the rain and onto the marble floor in the lobby. Next time, you might want to stifle the obscenities you were compelled to say quite loudly. Perhaps uttering them under your breath would draw less attention.

Here's to you, vivacious lady in the front row, for stomping and hollering every time something outrageous walked down the runway.

All of the above made our little student group appear so tame. Taking a hint from the rest of the fashionable crowd, we took our time in the swanky Westbury Hotel very seriously. We tried our best not to give away how excited we were to be there, but I think our short photoshoot in the expensively furnished reception area probably did just that.

We decided this was Asha's throne. The woman has already worked for the UN, is getting a master's degree from Cambridge, and aspires to be a Minister in the Indian government. And what am I doing with my life?

How rude of me, I haven't yet introduced Xenia, my newest friend. She just arrived in Cambridge to do a research project in Criminology. Born in Russia and raised in Germany, she speaks like a million languages fluently. Pretty sure she should be a spy. Again, why do I get to hang out with such fascinating people?

Oh my, I almost forgot to mention how Asha, Xenia, and I started our afternoon in London. The day was already a hoot and a half before we even made it to the hotel. What made it so awesome??? CHIPOTLE! The finest Mexican grill this side of the Atlantic. I cannot describe how ridiculously giddy I was while chomping on my lime-salted chips and medium spicy salsa. Definitely not exactly the same taste that I remembered from home, but it was certainly close enough to tide me over until I get some real Mexican cuisine in March.

Ok, so after stuffing ourselves and breaking the cardinal rule of the fashion world (no eating on the day of a public appearance or special event), we made our way through the misty drizzle to the hotel. After being ushered into a fancy elevator and taken up one whole floor (seemed silly to me not to just walk the flight of stairs, but whatever) we exited straight into a fashion dream. It was exactly how you picture a runway setup to be. Fancy room, people wearing headsets and barking orders, rows of chairs lining each side, and tons of photographers staking their claims at the end of the walkway. We were originally relegated to the second/back row of seats because our tickets were the free kind you get from knowing someone involved with the organization. But we didn't mind one bit.

Anticipation was building.

Lights...camera...

These girls could have joined the models on the runway. So photogenic! (Note the press in the background. I loved the constant shutter sounds and flashes when the models were stomping past us. Add to that the bumpin' jams, and it was just like a movie!

Then, to our great surprise and happiness, we were moved to the front row almost at the end of the runway. So, we had prime viewing when the models stopped to pose and turn around. We even got swag bags, complete with an energy drink, a tasty organic granola bar, an eyebrow enhancing gel(?), OPI nail polish, and a mini bottle of pink vodka! I already ate the granola bar and will definitely try the nail polish, but I'm not sure what to do with the energy drink or vodka. Could probably use them to strip the recurring mold off the bathroom wall.

Our illustrious leader, Sela. Thank you so much for getting us the tickets! (PS - Besides founding Touch of Africa and breaking the cycle of poverty through trade, this lady is dreaming of becoming an MP in the House of Lords. Geesh. Incredible.)

This was me trying to play it cool as I stuffed my goodie bag under my seat. Oh yeah, I'm totally used to sitting front row at Fashion Week. Except usually I'm sitting next to a movie star or a supermodel.

The Fashions Finest show is an off-schedule show during London Fashion week that is intended to give exposure to up-and-coming designers, models, hairstylists, and makeup artists. This 3pm show featured five different collections by five separate designers: Ocansey Bianchi, Bukki, Gruni, Bzion, and Rouge by Rachelle. I don't remember which pictures go with which designer, but if they transition from up-and-coming to rich-and-famous, hopefully I will recognize them. There were a variety of categories, from sportswear to formalwear to recycled head pieces. I tried to capture a few of the most memorable looks with my trusty telephoto lens.

I was very thankful for her bra. You would have been too had you seen a later ensemble that was just as sheer but without the bra. It was like Gwyneth Paltrow's 2002 Oscar disaster. I mean, dress. Look it up, if you dare.

The hands were definitely unique. I felt like she had an invisible friend hanging around her neck giving her a hug.

Who knew that sleeveless Harry Potter robes would be all the rage? Cambridge University, that's who! They've been rocking formal gowns since like 1200 something.

Wonder how long it took them to get those tiny hairs to stand straight up like that. They didn't even bend while he was strutting his stuff.

I retract my former statement. How long did this styling take? Probably longer than my own. If the runway thing is a flop, he could always do hair gel commercials.

Special guest, Lady Gaga, made an appearance dressed as Little Red Riding Hood.

Fierce as fierce can be.

Arch your eyebrow. No smiling. In fact, you are only allowed to look dead or ticked off.

It seemed that the crowd's favorite collection were these wild hats made from recycled materials.

Maybe this one will turn up at the next royal wedding. The Brits sure do love a good fascinator. Stranger things have happened (see below.)

For those who missed it, Princess Beatrice actually wore this to Will and Kate's wedding last April. And then she auctioned it off for charity, raising around $130,000.

Rango! Gurl, you got a reptile on yo' head!

Amazing what old bottles, cans, and other assorted meshy stuff can become.

Obviously, it was a once in a lifetime experience, and I'm so happy to have shared it with some amazing friends. I can now understand how easy it would be to get swept up in the glamour of high fashion. The ambiance, the brouhaha, the pretentiousness of it all is absolutely thrilling. A+ for entertainment value. I'm so glad to live so close to a bustling city like London, and I hope I can find similar events in Houston next year.  And although I was not fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of darling Duchess Catherine, I will continue to dream and seek out opportunities to do so. What a remarkable Saturday afternoon! Definitely one to remember.