Fashion

Galia Brener
October 22, 2015
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Dominicana Moda 2015 Fashion Week – Day 1

Dominicana Moda 2015 Fashion Week – Day 1 https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Dominicana-Moda-Day-1.jpg 1200 400 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g October 22, 2015 December 23, 2018

Finally the day had arrived and it was time to make our way to the airport. I was that my very good friend Jens Prewo was coming to this fashion week as well. He’s a celebrity and lifestyle reporter for RTL, which is a popular TV channel in Germany. At the airport, we meet up with the glamorous Petra Cruz, who is the European Director of the Dominican Republic Tourism Board, along with the other bloggers.

Due to my crazy work schedule the weeks before, I have accumulated enough fatigue to knock me out for most of the flight to Santo Domingo. Of course only to wake up punctually in between for meals and drinks. How does my body and subconscious mind always know when food will be served? The flight seemed to be quite short, considering that we flew across the Atlantic Ocean. The landing was one of the smoothest that I’ve had so far on a long-distance flight!

As we stepped out of the airport, the hot air punched me in the face like a heavyweight-boxing champion. It was a fabulous high-on-heat feeling, which makes you giddy with joy, knowing that you got to chase summer for one last week this year! The 30 degrees wrapped me in their warm and comforting arms, cuddling me with the soothing sensation on my face and in my lungs. I’m a person that enjoys both summer and winter very much, however at this very second, I was overjoyed to have the summer sticking to my skin. I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply, felt a little shudder running through my entire body and stepped into the VIP shuttle that was taking us to our chic hotel.

As we arrived, we couldn’t help by notice how many people were running around the lobby, excited to be part of the posh Dominicana Moda. I checked in and went up for a quick make up fix and a change into my favorite gold Alaïa skirt. I met the rest of my group at the restaurant and we had a quick dinner before the first show.

The people were lining up and gathering around from all directions in front of the infamous Garden Tent – or otherwise known as the “Salón de Desfiles – Oscar de la Renta”. The women were dressed in tight, short dresses and high heels. I was pleased to see how incredible feminine they all looked. The difference to the European fashion and women was very obvious. The commotion was slowly starting and some women were pushing everyone from behind, desperately wanting to get in. I stayed cool, holding tightly onto my front row ticket. Finally the doors opened and everyone was excited to see the Azar Y Alvarez show! I didn’t know what to expect. I purposely did not search the designers online ahead of time, so that I can be pleasantly surprised or shocked with what I see on the runway! The house beat started to vibrate the entire tent and the first model came out.

I was blown away by the sheer color and vibrancy of the collection! The man sitting beside me told me that these colors and fabrics were the style of the traditional Dominican Republic clothing. It reminded me of my favorite hippie store in Ibiza that sells bags and dresses in such similar fabrics. Now I know where it comes from! I fell in love with a lavish white outfit that was made up of a long white maxi skirt and cropped top to match. I could definitely see myself wearing it. This white sensation made me think of a happy-hippie-bride, running away with her Fiancé to a place where they can be alone and make love.

The colors came pouring out from the backstage and some pieces were quite extravagant, receiving applause from the guests. It was a very large collection and a perfect way to start off the Dominicana Moda fashion week for me. Loud and colorful! The show ended and I realized that I have been awake for exactly 24 hours now. It was time to go back to my room with a large bed in the middle, made to fit a queen. I closed my eyes and smiled… looking forward to our next day in this hot paradise.

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Galia Brener
October 9, 2015
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Belstaff Pop Up Store Opening in Frankfurt

Belstaff Pop Up Store Opening in Frankfurt https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Belstaff.jpg 1200 400 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g October 9, 2015 November 9, 2015

Finally! One of my very favorite brands has made its way to our little city with a big attitude. What I love most about the Belstaff brand is that not only does it have history that goes back to 1924, but its timeless classic jacket can be worn in the next 100 years as well! I cannot imagine going on a Harley wearing anything else than my favorite black leather Belstaff jacket. I got mine many years ago, and it looks better and better with age. That’s the thing about timeless classics; they are always there to remind you that some things can never be replaced!

As I walked down the glamorous Goethestrasse, I was dazzled by the lights shining in my eyes. For the first time in a long while, I decided to wear my prescription Ray Bans to contradict my bright red Paris-inspired outfit. I was happy to see my two friends Jens and Olli waiting for me at the front of the store. Life is always better with smiling friend that are happy to see you. I hugged them both, and suddenly my attention was ripped away! The entire front of the store was lined with amazing bikes! Everything from BMW to Triumph and Harley Davidson. Goethestrasse has been graced by our handsome biker men, who came to admire the new Belstaff collection. Knowing my intense addiction to choppers, I couldn’t take my eyes off the machines. One was better than the other! After drooling over the bikes for a good 20 minutes, it was time to enter the cool pop up store.

The first sight that my eyes landed upon were two beautiful ladies that offered the guests a tray full of goodies – including Balvenie Whisky single barrel, Old Perth blended malt, Craft Beer, fine chocolates and other delights! I was pleasantly surprised to see that many of the guests were in attendance wearing their own Belstaff jackets, proud to show that they have good fashion sense. As we moved further into the store, I was warmly greeted by Daniel Tobias Etzel of WAOH, who is the man of Frankfurt when it comes to fashion and lifestyle events and opening parties. Once again, he did a fantastic job at organizing this Belstaff opening event and made sure that the brand got the real welcome that is deserves in Frankfurt! I’m pleased to say that we are the second city in Germany who is privileged to have this iconic British brand. Continuing with our tour of the store, I saw a huge glowing sign saying “Outlaws” with David Beckham’s handsome face starring back at me. He is Belstaff’s proud testimonial of 2 years, with his own capsule collection.

Daniel introduced me to Julia, the pretty store supervisor, and her right-hand man in charge, Harald. I couldn’t get the thoughts of the bikes outside out of my mind, and knew that they have to be on the feature photo. Harald picked out two attractive men for me and dressed us all up in his favorite Belstaff jackets. He assigned a bike to each of us, and the mini photo shooting on the Goethestrasse began! Stefan Höning, the professional photographer was about to take the photos, but as soon as I got my bum on the bike, the alarm went off and the siren blared throughout the entire street. It was exactly like in an embarrassing scene of a movie, all heads turned, everyone started laughing, people came outside to see what the chaos was all about and red-faced Gali was sitting on the bike and wishing that the earth would open up and swallow me together with the bike and the fabulous Belstaff jacket that I was wearing. But of course the only way to react was to laugh with everybody else. Then the tall, dark-haired owner of the bike came outside, gave me a flirty wink and the embarrassment rapidly washed away.

After an hour the people gathered at the front to listen to the magical voice of Sam King, who filled the entire store with a melody that had everyone mesmerized. I was highly impressed by his performance! That’s definitely a man with soul, rhythm and spirit. The people were enjoying themselves tremendously, the whiskey was flowing and the jackets were selling like hot cakes. I don’t know what Belstaff does to their jackets, but I noticed that any man who puts one on turns into a handsome-strong-warrior-biker-man! There is no better way to describe it, but their leather jackets make all men look hot. Or maybe I just have a thing for biker guys. I stood in front of the women’s leather jackets and tried each one on. Slowly, one by one – like a sugar addict locked inside of a Patisserie and cannot escape!

Another wonderful night was coming to an end. I enjoyed myself very much because it was a very warm and intimate opening event. Everyone seemed to know each other. One could see that the people were having a wonderful time and were savoring their evening. Slowly I had to step away from the bikes, say goodbye to my friends and make my way back home to my cozy little city flat, take off my 13 cm heels and get some beauty sleep.

If you’re also curious to see the collection for yourself, the Belstaff Pop Up Store shall be with us on the Goethestr. 3, until March 2016.

Have fun shopping,

Your Gali

Feature photo by: Stefan Höning

homepage: www.stefanhoening.de

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StefanHoningPhotography

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My Jacket: Belstaff Sidney Moto – black leather – 1.695,00 €

Galia Brener
September 25, 2015
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FASH’N WIESN 2015 – Frankfurter Oktoberfest

FASH’N WIESN 2015 – Frankfurter Oktoberfest https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Frankfurt_Oktoberfest_2015.jpg 1200 400 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g September 25, 2015 November 9, 2015

Frankfurt is not just about bankers, the skyline, Handkäs, Grüne Soße or Ebbelwoi. This city is so multicultural and versatile that even the Munich celebrities are coming to our Oktoberfest! Yes, you read that correctly. Frankfurt has its own Oktoberfest, and every evening for 3 weeks, our tent gets hot and stays sizzling until the very end! However last night was the wildest of all nights, when the VIPs, celebs and local Frankfurt heroes came out to play at the yearly event – the Fash’n Wiesn!

Frank Kuhlmann had a busy few weeks with his glamorous event organizations. Last night was his Pièce de Résistance, as he brought us all together for a night to remember! Doing what he does best, Mr. Kuhlmann made sure that the energy was buzzing, and his guests were happy and excited with the evening escapades! We had an amazing time at his table surrounded by gorgeous models, actors, professional athletes, singers, writers and entrepreneurs. It was a magical evening because it appeared that everyone had a permanent smile on their faces. The vibe of the party was extremely contagious and one could tell that the people really enjoyed themselves. The band was rocking the stage and everyone was dancing and having a fabulous time! What I also love about our Oktoberfest in the Hausmann tent is that one can order the traditional Bavarian food, but also have the delicious Frankfurt dishes on the side as well. This way you get the best of both worlds. Needless to stay, we tried almost everything on the menu last night!

Walking around the authentic Oktoberfest tent, I bumped into a few friends and acquaintances that I have not seen in a long while. I really enjoyed catching up with them and having a nice drink to celebrate our friendship. I find that it’s really important to take care of and invest in friendships – this way they stay a lifetime with you!

I don’t know what it was about last night, but it seemed like the entire tent was in Flirting-Mode! Everywhere I looked I saw people kissing and dancing very close to each other. Maybe it was the passionate scent in the air, or the love-laced Mass beer, but last night was definitely an evening where the Love Gods made their presence known – and their target was the Oktoberfest in Frankfurt! I don’t want to know how many children were conceived after midnight in the city last night!

I was really lucky because I had the chance to wear a special dirndl. It is a one of a kind design by my friend Shanty Sutadji – owner of the label Shanty Dirndl Couture. I also wore her design last year and what I really love the most about her dirndls is that there is only one of each kind! So ladies, you will never ever have the situation when you are at the Oktoberfest and someone is wearing the same dirndl as you! Shanty’s dirndls are all handmade with love and passion for design and details. My pink one last night had intricate elements of silk, hand-sewn roses, Swarovski stones and enough lace to make even Marie Antoinette jealous! Thank you dear Shanty for making such a beautiful dirndl for me!

After a few rosé champagne glasses with the girls and some innocent flirting in between, I decided that all good things must come to an end. The others made their way to the Matrix Pop Up Club, but I heard my bed and leftover sushi in the fridge calling my name. Thank you to all my friends and acquaintance for making my evening so happy, lovely and warm! I wish you a nice weekend dear friends and readers :-)

Hugs,

Your Gali

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https://www.facebook.com/ShantyDirndlCouture

Galia Brener
September 18, 2015
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IAA Diary: Tuesday 15.09 – Maserati/Zegna party and the pre opening of the Matrix!

IAA Diary: Tuesday 15.09 – Maserati/Zegna party and the pre opening of the Matrix! https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Maserati_Matrix.jpg 1200 400 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g September 18, 2015 November 9, 2015

Frankfurt was wild on Tuesday night. It seemed like the entire city was on edge and nobody wanted to sleep at all! The weather was getting a little colder, but the amazing events in the city made everyone hot with excitement. I was happy to have my best friend join me for an unforgettable evening in our favorite city! We planned this crazy little adventure from the first day the invitations arrived.

Our first stop was the chic Ermenegildo Zegna store located on the Goethestrasse. This fabulous Italian designer – who creates timeless pieces for men – joined forces with Maserati to bring us the glamorous Italian flavor on this chilly evening. As we arrived the store was already full and popping at the seam with Frankfurt VIPs, celebs and stylish cool people. The location was lined up with beautiful new Maseratis outside and men with chic black Zegna suits protecting them. Knowing my love for cars and choppers, I got stuck in front of the cars, observing every little detail and gadget – I was very impressed! Inside the mingling was already strong in action. As we stepped in, we were given a glass of cold rosé champagne and delicious bites of Venchi Italian chocolates. Not to be missed in action were both CEOs – Gildo Zegna and Harald J. Wester of Maserati. The guests were enjoying themselves – drinking and shopping simultaneously, smiling and having a good time. The event was organized by Frank Kuhlmann, who did a great job of bringing the interesting people together. I enjoyed looking at the new collections that Zegna had on display. I fell in love with a particular dark gray wool suit – fit for a king, or at least James Bond! I was happy to see many of my acquaintances, which I have not seen in a while, chat with them about life and also meet new interesting people.

As the hours passed, we had to rush to the next event, which was the pre opening of the Matrix Pop Up Club. I didn’t know what to expect but was very excited to see the venue, because Madjid Djamegari was posting little teaser bits on Facebook during the week and the photos looked fantastic! The Matrix concept was brought into life by the Gibson Club and Audi – two brands that are definitely in the lead with trends and innovation. When our car dropped us off at the pop up location at Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage, we couldn’t help but get excited about the view. The entire building facade was glowing a bright crimson red! The front lawn was decorated with a hot red Audi R8 to match. It looked like we arrived at Dracula’s winter palace. As we walked down the red carpet, we were greeted with open arms by a smiling and very happy Madjid, along with Markus and other men in black. We had a nice chat outside and the gentlemen welcomed us into their special event.

The beautiful new Audi A4 Quattro was presented on the ground level in the middle of a bright white spherical area. The contrast of the red car in the white dream-like sphere was amazing! The surreal journey was starting. We were handed a white Audi bracelet, told that this shall be our close companion and guide throughout the night. The elevator doors had white laser lights and a bright red interior, which took us to the top level of the adventure. As we got out of the lift and stepped into the room, it was indeed like stepping into the Matrix! My breath was taken away for a few seconds. We found ourselves inside of a large dark round room, with an intrinsic dome roof. It was made of many squares that got smaller towards the peak. On these squares were numbers and digits running down, like a code being generated in the Matrix! It felt like being in an ancient building in Rome, but directly in the heart of Frankfurt! DJ duo Andhim were situated in the middle, surrounded by a large bar area. The floor had computer motherboard-like marks, which were glowing with interchanging white and red lights. On the outer edges of the room, there were futurist virtual reality stations, waiting to take the VIP guests on an Audi tour in another galaxy. On our way to the bathroom we stumbled into a secret room with black light activated art on the walls. There was a bar with a huge variety of gins and tonics. Apparently this was the infamous gin room offering its many different delights.

We met many friends there and everyone was excited about this amazing pop up club and opening event. I haven’t seen Frankfurt this excited in a while. There was even a cool area, which offered fresh pulled meat burgers and other tasty delicacies. The DJ team did an excellent job of playing a nice deep house set, sensual and rhythmic, just the way I like it! All of a sudden, everything went pitch black, our bracelets started flashing a wild sequence of white and red colors and the dome roof came to life! It was glowing, flickering and changing with intense colors – a light show to remember! Everyone was cheering. Wow what a rush! I couldn’t get my eyes away form the dome, I was hypnotized! The drinks were flowing, the beautiful people were happy, chatting, networking, flirting and dancing. I would highly recommend for you to visit the Matrix Pop Up Club before it’s gone – it will surely be an evening you won’t forget!

The party was still going strong, as I was getting ready to go. I didn’t want to leave the matrix yet – I wanted to stay in this magical wonderland forever. But the clock struck 12 and Cinderella had to run home. Dear Frankfurt, you never cease to amaze me with your dark delights, your bright surprises and your ability to metamorphose like a radical chameleon. I love you, my favorite small cosmopolitan city with a big attitude.

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Ermenegildo Zegna & Maserati event:

Matrix Pop Up Club pre opening event:

Photos from the Matrix Pop Up Club Facebook page:

Galia Brener
June 14, 2015
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Fashion Frankfurt photo shooting – June 2015

Fashion Frankfurt photo shooting – June 2015 https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Jaguar_EType.jpg 1200 400 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g June 14, 2015 November 9, 2015

Thank you dear David Hello of Frankfurt Fashion, Edwin Kaufmann – Make-Up&Hair, Luzius Ziermann and Ethno Princess for this amazing photo shooting! <3 It was a wonderful day with you all!

Make-Up&Hair: Edwin Kaufmann – Make-Up&Hair
Model: Yes, No, Maybe? by Galia Brener
Photo: David H. Stylefederation – www.frankfurt-fashion.com
Location: Frankfurt Ostend

Special Thanks:
Luzius (please see Luzius Ziermann)for the car and atelier.
Paulo for the lovely ice cream truck.

Big Hug to the whole Team!

Thank you,

Galia <3

Galia Brener
June 12, 2015
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Dior opening in Frankfurt – June 2015

Dior opening in Frankfurt – June 2015 https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Dior_Opening.jpg 1200 400 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g June 12, 2015 November 9, 2015

Finally the time has come when the house of Christian Dior has decided to grace our little cosmopolitan city with its presence. I would like to welcome Dior to the beautiful new location on the Goethestrasse 13 in Frankfurt. Finally there is another beautiful French couture designer to enrich our little fashion street!

I met with the glamorous Emanuela Canto, who is now the director of Dior in Frankfurt. Emanuela greeted me with a warm smile and an endearing hug. I could see the excitement and happiness in her eyes – a true symbol of a person that follows their dreams and gets the job done right.

The interior was stunning! The new Dior store is any woman’s dream-come-true. When you enter inside, it’s like being transported to Paris in the 20s. The style is very feminine and glamorous. To me, it appeared as if we entered a private Boudoir, filled with beautiful delicate clothing and accessories. It almost had a subtle voyeuristic and sensual quality to it as well. Emanuela gave me a tour and I fell in love with the store right away. Downstairs one can find the beautiful bags, jewelry and accessories. Upstairs is where the clothing, shoes and ready-to-wear collections are displayed.

I was dressed up in the new “Esprit Dior Tokyo 2015 Collection” and fell in love with it because it has a tough-edge to it, yet also very feminine due to the body-contouring silhouettes. Knowing my leather jacket fetish, I fell in love with the cropped dark blue biker jacket. (Shown in the photo below). I am also a huge fan of the A-line dresses and skirts, and thankfully many are to be seen in this collection. It felt wonderful being clad from head to toe in Dior. I have to admit that it did have a slight warrior-princess-feeling to it. I felt at home in the store and enjoyed my evening there tremendously. I will definitely be coming back soon again.

Thank you Dior for finally coming to us, and thank you Emanuela Canto for making the store and experience so perfect!

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Galia Brener
May 30, 2015
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Tbilisi Fashion Week 2015 – Part 1

Tbilisi Fashion Week 2015 – Part 1 https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Tbilisi_TV.jpg 1200 400 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g May 30, 2015 December 23, 2018

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…