currently: reliving it all.
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| Blogger life in the blogger zone. Day one. |
For a week, I spent my time at the Viaduct Events Centre. Between the cans of free Red Bull, watching all the expensive fashions, meeting New Zealand's "elite" (I use that term loosely) and sitting in various photo pits, I got to live out a dream of mine to report from NZ's Fashion Week.
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| Totally legit front row viewing. Maybe. |
I really couldn't have asked for a more brilliant experience. And again, I'm so thankful to web editor Holly and the lovely people at FOUR, my NZFW Co-Insider Mr Sammy Salsa, and my BBB (Best blogger bud) Anne-Marie for all the encouragement. Plus my parents, specially Dad who spent a lot of time sharing my stuff all over his Facebook. I bet all his Facebook friends would be sick of seeing my name over their feeds!
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| Full house at the Liam/Ruby show! |
I've spent a lot of time thinking about what to write in this post. Whether I should share loads of photos or share what I posted. (If you do want to see what I wrote or photographed, check the Published Work tab.) But when people ask me what I thought of my experience, I just think of how much I loved to be a part of it all!
I truly think I was in my element.
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| People. So many people. |
I reckon it's unlikely for someone at 21 years old to figure out where she wants to go in life, but all I knew is that I want to do this again. Next year, and the year after that, and the year after that, and forever more. The entire time I felt pretty comfortable to be surrounded by all the excitement. Stressed at times, maybe. Fell asleep with my laptop on at night, sure. Pressured to get things done to deadline - yeah that happened too. And I did feel far from comfortable when I lost feeling in my lower half while sitting in the photo pit. But it thrilled me. And as dorky as this sounds, having my Delegates pass was the coolest thing ever. One flash of my pass and I got to get in to pretty much every area. Exclusive!
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| This is where heels would come in handy. |
Meeting people was heaps of fun too! And not just those who are on the telly. Though I'm not regretting meeting David Farrier and Samantha Hayes (who looks absolutely flawless in person. Dang.)
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| David Farrier, me, Sammy Salsa and Sam Hayes. |
I'm talking about all the other people I got to meet too. Photographers, models, bloggers, PR people, and just general fashion enthusiasts. We're all people with different tastes, different styles, but all lovely and appreciative of good fashion. Even in the photo pit where personal spaces were invaded - we weren't out to get each other's heads (though we tried to avoid photographing them). I think the biggest issue we had was with security, but even the men in the suits eased up by Friday and were having fun with the rest of us. Call it odd - especially with this attitude of fashion being bitchy and heartless, but I didn't find that happening at NZFW.
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| Day two posing. |
One of the most important things I did learn though was that you really don't need to care what you wear as long as you have confidence. Sure, call that a cliché statement, but fashion is all subjective. Wear your own style, not someone else's. Be comfortable!
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| Day three - posing on REMIX mag. (it's fake btw) |
Also, when you're in the photo pit - don't wear heels. You can't do it. Even in flats you hurt so don't expect to have extra class in heels. It just means extra pain. I would have to wait 30 minutes before a show to get myself a good photo spot, then wait 15 minutes on average after the scheduled time for people to file in. You don't want to wear heels when you're waiting about that long.
The five days of fashion, frenzies and fun were some of the best experiences I've ever had. I'm in no doubt uncertain that I want to be a reporter during NZFW. And hey, since I accomplished my goal to be "media" at NZFW, maybe it's time to aim higher. Melbourne Fashion Week? New York Fashion Week? These options could be endless.
I can't wait for NZFW 2013. :D
