Before arriving to London last Friday, I’d received 3 digital invitations from designers showcasing throughout London Fashion Week. I thought, “Well, three’s not so bad for my first year!” When I had arrived to my hosts’ house, I was handed an entire stack full of mail, all of which were hardcopy invitations to showcases throughout the week. You might say, I was somewhat shocked.

Although I ended up receiving about 15 invites or so altogether, I attended nearly half of those due to lack of preparation, as well as several severe camera malfunctions. I even canceled my day trip to Brussels, which I had scheduled for Saturday. But it was definitely worth it, as I was able to do a bit of sight-seeing in the short amount of time I was allotted in between my shows. My time here has most certainly been chaotic, but I’ve managed to find a few moments of peace, whether it was sitting along the River Thames or sipping tea with new friends at the SoHo Secret Tea Room.

This city is so magical, and the locals and strangers I’ve met at shows and on the street have been so unexpectedly kind to me that even with the short duration of my stay, I feel I’ve submerged into the London experience completely. I’ve covered so much ground in my sequined sneakers, and my hosts even began teaching me Cockney Rhyme Scheme, which I’ve been having loads of fun with.

Photo: Carousel at a small carnival along the River Thames.