Last month, I was delighted to get an email from a beautiful friend of mine, Keti Bochorishvili, who is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. She told me that Tbilisi was having a fashion week and wanted me to be part of it. I was very honored to get such a lovely invitation and of course I agreed without hesitation! I was really excited because I heard so many positive things about the Georgian culture, food and traditions. What I was also really looking forward to was seeing the fashion style designed and worn there.
My flight was very pleasant and I got a chance to taste my first Georgian meal. I knew right away that I would love their food! (I will write a separate article about my cultural experience). Upon landing, I was greeted by a woman with sensual curves and shiny long black hair. I noticed right away that the Georgian women are very warm, friendly and beautiful. She brought me to my driver and they took me to the hotel, directly in the center of Tbilisi. I checked in and made my way straight to the spa. I wanted to relax after my long flight and look fresh and beautiful for the first day of the Tbilisi fashion week! I was pleasantly surprised to see that the hotel was stocked with Aromatherapy Associates – one of my favorite beauty brands. I love their lip balm because it heals my extremely dry lips within 2 days! I put on my favorite red bikini, jumped into the pool and did a few laps. After relaxing to the point of no return, I went early to bed, excited like a little girl before the first day of school.
I was greeted by the beautiful Natia Jguburia, who is the general manager of the Tbilisi Fashion Week. Together with the Georgian National Tourism Administration, they made it possible for me to be there and see their lovely country. Natia and I got along very well and bonded quite quickly. Along with her came Elene Rakviashvili, a stunning Georgian artist, who was to be our tour guide for the entire week. Elene and I also got on very well, and had many moments of fun, joy and laughter throughout the week. We were a small group of bloggers and photographers, including Daria Shapovalova – creative director of Mercedes-Benz Kiev Fashion Days and Gianni Pucci – photographer for Vogue Italia.
The first stop was the press conference at the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the public and the gorgeous Tako Chkheidze – who is the founder of the Tbilisi Fashion Week (TFW). The board members spoke a bit about the event, then we introduced ourselves and gave some TV interviews. After the conference ended, the countdown started and it was only a few hours away from the opening of the TFW. We went back to change at the hotel, and I opted to be completely clad in black. For the first evening, I chose an a-line black mini dress covered with sequence, which I got at my friend – Yulia Mettier’s Dress Affairs boutique in Frankfurt. I topped it off with my favorite black Versace leather jacket. I combined the look with combat-style boots with a 12cm heel from Jimmy Choo and my favorite Chanel Ombre Minaudiere bag in black and white. Those who know me, know my love for the black rock-chic look. My fashion rule is simple and easy: black when it’s cold, colors when it’s warm.
The venue of the TFW was very cool! It was a mall building still in construction directly at the Rose Revolution Square. We arrived a bit earlier and explored the location. There was a big hall attached, which exhibited some design pieces of upcoming and well-know exiting Georgian designers. I especially fell in love with the leather cuff with a 3D molded face on it from Chubika – a very creative designer that also produces funky hats without the top part. (Photo of cuff is below the article). Slowly the people were gathering, and the excitement was growing. I was pleased to see that many people were wearing black, not just myself. I later found out that the color black is very beloved for clothing in Georgia.
In the foyer, there were many interesting types. One could see that the Georgian people had a very good fashion sense and many unique outfits were to be seen. I was permanently looking from left to right, like a cat keeping track of a tennis match. The women were very feminine and were not afraid to express that. I really liked the bold styles and impressions! It felt like the foyer was getting smaller and smaller, and the crowd was getting larger and louder by the second. Everyone was ready to start off the fashion week. It was time! Natia took my hand, and we followed Tako upstairs to the runway. We were seated at the front row and given gift bags full of makeup to remind us of this fabulous evening.
The rest of the people came upstairs and found their places. Before the show started, they were playing “Crazy” by Ornette – a song that I fell in love with in Ibiza a few years ago. The moment felt right and I knew that it would be an unforgettable week. The lights suddenly dimmed, the bass dropped, my heart started beating faster, and two Matériel models walked slowly out. It was like a scene from the Matrix. The first word that came out of my mouth was a loud: “Wow!…..”
To be continued…
