Back To The Runway

My modeling career had been put on the shelf for sometime now. Now and then, I took out my high heels took a walk to and fro down the hallway or the living room, but that was about it. Recent unhappy events now have me rediscovering my fun-loving self, so off and back to the runway I go. The catwalk, ladies and gentlemen. One of the real good designers here is holding a fashion show next week, and I had been hearing the ads on radio for some time now but hadn't given it much thought. Then I thought, well, you really should go walk in that show. Friday, I called up some friends, found out who was in charge. Thankfully she happened to be someone I had worked with in preparation for Uganda Fashion Week a couple of years ago, and she remembered me.

 

 Me: Hi Camilla, etc, etc...

Camilla: Oh yes, I remember you! The tallest girl during boot camp...

Me, laughing: No, not really, Achen was the tallest.

Camilla: Yes, but you were the tallest girl with .... (she went on with a flattering list of good qualities, which included my not-bad-at-all runway walk while I laughed self-consciously).

Camilla, wearing one of Stella's designs. Not for the show. Just everyday wear.

So I tell Camilla I would like to walk in the show and she says, of course, do drop by for try-outs and fitting on Saturday. And yippee! went yours truly. Thank God for old friends and keeping in touch! I now had a go-see to go to. Come Saturday, I packed my high heels and went to go meet Camilla and the designers, and of course the other girls. And there were lots of them (they could have been 40, even 50), some dressed up in outrageously eye-catching outfits (you gotta put your best foot forward, right?). It's usually the new girls that go all out, though. Rules of a go-see are to keep it minimal while showing off your best points at the same time. Just another case of less is more.

Some of the girls at the try-outs.

I had worked with these designers before, the three of them (Stella Atal, Latif and Xenson), but had only worn an outfit from one of them (Stella) that show. Still, known or unknown, we each gave our best walks. People better than you may have turned up this time. The lucky ones got called out to try on their outfits, confirmation that it was an afternoon well spent. Of course God, as always, had a lot to do with my chances. Yet again, I was the tallest there and that always helps. The God-given height. To that I added the learned skill, some natural shine (?) and a short prayer, and guess what people? We got the job!

Camilla helping some of the girls with the outfits designed by Stella Atal. You can see the brown bark cloth and sisal.

I wish I had some pics of myself, but I couldn't get any. Plus the rooms were quite dark, making even a self-portrait doubly hard. I'll tell you a little about the out-fits though. They (those I've seen so far) are made of bark cloth, sisal, and organic cotton. Real African. Some have been embellished with calabashes/gourds (oh, I can't wait to bring you the pics!). To these very African designs have been added some foreign touches such as lace (e.g my outfit), and there are some halter necks, too.

We have more fittings next week, and we'll get our hair done into corn rows, true to our African roots. I love it all! I'll keep you posted, fab people!

         Katerina.