I am writing this article two years later, but I remember my first fashion show as if it happened yesterday. The whole first year of my latex journey in 2020 I worked hard on five collections, which included facemasks, dresses, leggings, jackets and coats and my first haute couture designs.
In 2021, there was still an active pandemic in the world, which made it impossible to organize large social events in closed spaces. In the summer, however, due to the hot weather, some restrictions were temporarily reduced and I was allowed to organize a private show for a hundred people.
From the very beginning, I played with the idea of organizing my first fashion show ever on a boat during the magical full moon. As it always happens in life, when you really want to achieve something, life will test your will and determination. Two weeks before the set date of the show, we didn't know if it would finally happen. We originally wanted to organize a fashion show accompanied by music on the ship Avoid, but two weeks before the event, the owners regretfully informed us that they had not received permission for such an event from the Prague municipality.
Cultural events were heavily controlled at the time and non-compliance was punishable by liquidation fines. My dream seemed to collapse like a house of cards. I had a team of models ready, printed flyers and invited guests on the guest list. So, like most of the organizers, I bitterly accepted that I would have to postpone my dream for another year, even though I still had a glimmer of hope in my heart.
I remember walking up the Vyšehrad hill and going to my favorite spot next to the old well by the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, which also became the inspiration for my gothic catsuit. In this place I do meditate, visualize and find peace of my mind. It's a sacred place with massive ancient energy, a place where all the history of Bohemia began. A pagan witch and queen Libuše predicted the glory of Prague, which she founded, on this very spot 13 centuries ago with these words:
"I see a great city whose glory will touch the stars. There is a place in the forest, thirty furlongs away, the Vltava River runs around it. To the north, the Brusnice stream is surrounded by a deep ravine, and to the south, a rocky mountain next to the Strahov forest. There, when you come, you will find a man in the middle of the forest, and a hewn threshold (czech word Práh) of a house. And you will call the castle you build Prague. And just as princes and voivodes bow their heads against the threshold, so they will also bow against my city. Honor and praise be to him and he will be famous in the world."
That fateful day, when I was sitting in the middle of the foundations of the oldest church in Prague, I sent a message to the universe that I would insist on my vision and find a way to materialize it.
Few minutes later, on the way from Vyšehrad, I suddenly had a desire to go for a walk on the riverside, even though it was in the opposite direction from where I was supposed to go. However, I followed my instinct and the moment I went down the stairs, I suddenly saw a beautiful big ship on the Vltava river that had never been there before.
I immediately ran quickly to the ship as if it should sail away and requested a meeting with the manager, to whom I chaotically explained in a whirlwind of emotions that I absolutely needed his ship in two weeks. The owner of the boat gave me an amused grin, then nodded towards the waitress and ordered me a drink.
We sat up on the terrace on the boat and Máca simply told me that he liked my idea and that he was curious about my fashion show. He said that it would not be a problem to organize this event, because his ship is sailing next week to the other side of the river, which is managed by the Prague 5 section and which is more benevolent and accessible to cultural events. Damn I was so relieved!!!
He had never seen latex before and was interested in everything related to it. I left the boat that day with the premonition that when one door closes, another one will open if we are brave enough to knock on it.
7/23/2021 was a magical full moon in the sign of Aquarius, which is also my personal zodiac sign. The whole day went completely smoothly since the morning. Everyone arrived on time and in a relaxed mood. A total of six photographers came on the ship, who changed the models one by one, and thus hundreds of beautiful photos were created, which you can see below.
The program from six o'clock in the evening offered, in addition to a fashion show, a short fire show by a dancer Kateřina Šmídová from the Boomcats group and the debut exhibition of photographer Daniel Müller, who takes stunning dark artistic nudes with the light paint. I am including several of his photos in the gallery, in which I am myself.
The whole event ended at about three in the morning despite all the restrictions and bans. Even though it was 30 degrees outside that day and all the models were drenched in sweat, it was, in a word, a wonderful unforgettable experience for all of us and also one of the nicest days of my life. I wish i could relive this day one more time again and I wish next time i could take you with me.
At last but not least, I'd like to personally thank all these people who made my dream come true. I'm still amazed of the amount of people who were part of this.
Here's the list of:
Models:
Barbora Marie Toch, Caesar Santos, Denisa Chalupová, Diana Sangho, Eliška Havlíčková, Gabri Elinka, Hela Ko, Lara Rose, Lea Slančíková, Lucie Švamberová, Lukáš Pavlíček, Lusinta Castro, Martina Chromá, Michaela Janoski, Monika Spurná, Pavlína Švecová, Sabir Agalarov, Tereza Žižlavská, Traw Murr, Veronika Stehlíková, Zuzu Lička
MUAH: Peťarda Doe @desolaart
Photographers:
Zdeněk Bierhanzl, Martin Sai, Jiří Akir, HeynyPhoto, Leonard Beitler, Petr Ferkl
Special thanks to: Tomáš Drbout for very helpful hand, Máca for providing us the space, Gory Ruffian for graphics, Qes for saving our afterparty