No sooner had i stepped into the city from The Lukenya safari last Friday than i got the call from Mr. Producer,  “Young girl  you are going to cover the fashion event tomorrow, so you better have prepared! ” That was cool, I thought to myself. I love fashion + my girl Wanjeri, was going to working there too, she is a writer with Urban Perspective (UP) pull-out formerly a magazine, which was part of the sponsors for the Fashion event.

That Friday night, sleep didn’t come easily. Couldn’t find a nice dress, even worse I didn’t have any HAT! I mean who has a HAT anyway? Unless if you are the duchess of something?  Contacted all my fellow fashionistas, MissJJT, Alicia and Louise, they all didn’t have HATS!

It was Saturday morning and still didn’t have a HAT! My big sister happened to have gone to town early that morning and on her way back made a stop at Maasai Market. At the verge of  a breakdown, I got a call from her, “What colour of  a HAT would you prefer?” and the rest was history 🙂

Made it to the office by 1.00pm to pick my cameraman and the driver did his usual magic! Around 2.30pm we were checking into the exquisite Zen Garden and immediately I thanked God for my HAT! All the ladies looked amazing and HOT in various HATS.

As soon as I got in, it was like a reunion with my baby Wanjeri. Trust me, this is the kind of place where you want to at least have a partner to marvel with. No reaching into your hand bag un necessarily to remove the dirty bills that you have accumulated in your purse from the matatu change to buy a drink, NO. All the drinks were in the house, so was the food and loads of goodies.

Does this sound like heaven? Wait, the real deal was the Fashion Avant Garde.  I loved the print coloured little dresses, goodbye LBD (Little Black Dress) and welcoming bold and assorted colours! The HATS that came in all sizes and shapes. 89% of the gentlemen were graciously groomed and had the looks to complement it, quite the sight-seeing for me and Wanje 🙂

If you watched O.C and Gossip Girl, this sure was a scene out of those socialite parties, kisses in the air, pleasantries everywhere, poses for the cameras (the photographers sure had a field day that was officially the first big photography event of 2011, they must have pixx to last them till September!) champagne and wine in plenty, savoury delicacies as air high as the waiters trays, from smoked salmon & cream cheese bruchetta, calamari rings, gloss pinacolada, assorted sushi platters to dosaja Danish pastries, just to mention. YES! All that is ACTUAL food, haha don’t worry I must have eaten half those things and didn’t even realize what they were. Let’s just say, I tried as much as possible to serve what looked edible 🙂

The whole time, I was up and about trying to guide my cameraman as to what to capture and not while the same time trying to find me something at the Fashion exhibition where there were loads of regalia, from silver & African ornaments to shoes and dresses that were a tad costly! I particularly feel for a silver funky/chunky necklace that was retailing at 3,200/= I really tried to bargain but the elderly white woman who was selling them insisted, “My price is FIXED!” She was actually really nice to me, I got her card so am just gonna rob a bank in the course of this month so I go to her house and get all those damn necklaces 🙂 Wait, she should have just sold that necklace to me for 2,000/= now am gonna commit a felony! P.s do white people ever accept bargain?

Inside I came across one designer who makes clothes from recycled parachutes. I thought I saw something like that at the FAFA last year so I asked her, “Were you also showcasing some of your designs at FAFA, I might have seen something of the sort” She shot at me, “If you stayed for the whole show then you probably saw me and my designs!” WOW. Of course I looked like I wasn’t going to buy the exorbitant parachute dresses but Mrs. designer, you didn’t have to be that rude. Honestly I wouldn’t even buy those things. I am more of an afro-centric enthusiast when it comes to Fashion. So I moved on to these gems, earrings made out of bird feathers. The gist of them is you can wear one by itself or both but wait a minute one earring was going for 2,750/= what the fuck is that? For a feather? I specifically took the picture of them so I can start making my own feather earrings! Geez! I am also currently looking to buy beautiful birds with parallel featured feathers. Anyone tip me!

Before the fashion show I finally caught up with the multi tasking  diva @Makosewe for  a short interview right before we sneak for  a picture! Oh did i mention, loved her deep blue YSL dress which had matching velvet shoes, should have taken a photo of them damn! A staggering 97 % of all the event attendees lived up to the High Fashion dress code stipulated.

BONUS: All the event tickets sales will go towards supporting women in need of freedom. As of 91/1/2011 more than 40 women and babies have been detained in Pumwani hospital because of inability to clear their hospital bills! In the words of True Love Fashion Editor and also the event Co-coordinator, “People have been giving out in so many ways and it’s the same every time, we tried to bring in a different kind of twist to it, Fashion! I am glad that the event was totally sold out for a good cause”

Well, I am glad that I love my job and that I now own a bigass blue HAT  🙂 In anticipation for the next Fashion event to outdo Fashion High Tea, in all the semantically possible ways!

Special shout out to Densu, Laftone, Wanjeri, Grace Makosewe, Pollyne and all the HOT men in attendance!