She was still raw with lots of potential but still lacked experience. But, she knew what she wanted to be, and she didn't let anyone tell her that. And that was something.
I remember writing this a few months back for my entry about Carrie Bradshaw. I didn't really fully realize what it meant until now.
Yes, I am aware that I've been pretty much MIA for the past weeks. Ever since the Bride Show, I've been so busy that I cannot even remember what I've done during the time. I was caught up in school, home, work, and of course, personal stuff. I am so sorry.
But I'm back now. So much has happened in the fashion world for the past couple of weeks. New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week and now, Paris Fashion Week. Oh, and let's not forget about the most heartbreaking news in the history of the world, John Galliano getting kicked out of Christian Dior.
I wish I could turn back the time for all the entries I've missed, but I can't. So instead of grieving about what has been done, or in this case, what has not been done, I choose to move forward. :)
The biggest reason why I've been MIA is because I joined this Fashion Design Competition of Si Fashion Galerie in Dubai. It's a design competition for fashion design students, emerging fashion designers and brands, and pretty much anyone who has the passion for Fashion. So, since I'm two of the above, I joined. The criteria for judging, if the participant is chosen to be one of the 15 finalists, is that whoever gets the most sales within 3 months of exhibition in their boutique is the winner.
Last week has been one of the most hectic weeks of this year, to say the least. I submitted my application last Sunday, February 27. They required the participants to fill out the application form, write a 500-words essay on how you see your brand in the coming two years, and samples of previous works (ready-made garments, sketches.. etc.). On February 28, I received a call from Katrina Yakusheva telling me to prepare for an interview in Dubai the following day.
It was my first time to go to Dubai by myself, and I have to say that it was a very refreshing experience. Being out there on my own felt so good. I've never felt so independent and free. It felt like I was going to Dubai for the first time. :) I got to their head office in Bur Dubai 5 minutes before my schedule. I wanted to make a good impression, and being punctual is the sure way to do it. The street where it was in was like a fashion designer's heaven. There were rows and rows of textiles shops. I couldn't look away.
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| It looked exactly like this :-) |
We talked for around an hour. And he asked me standard questions like why I wanted to join, what my future plans are, and the like. It was really fun talking to him, and it felt less like an interview as the time went on. Finally, he told me to come back on Saturday to present 2 ready-made garments, one of which I will wear.
After the meeting, I hurriedly went home to prepare for the requirements. I only had 4 days to do everything, so I really had to rush.
Thankfully, I have my very own angels, my friends. Ittaf Adnan of TRIO Couture, despite her heavy schedule because she was preparing for another show (I'll get to that later), helped me so much with constructing, stitching, and finishing them. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be able to finish the first dress in one day (Thursday, March 3).
And that left me with the second one, the one that I was supposed to wear which was a jumpsuit. I only had one day left and it was my first time to create a jumpsuit. And if it wasn't for Mercy and Fatami, I know I wouldn't have been able to finish it. Mercy did the neckline for me out of zippers, because she knows I will only injure myself with the needle if I was the one to do it. And of course, how could I forget everything that Fatami has done for me. Thank you )to you and your family) again for welcoming me in your home and for being so hospitable. :) I can never thank you guys enough!
Thankfully, I have my very own angels, my friends. Ittaf Adnan of TRIO Couture, despite her heavy schedule because she was preparing for another show (I'll get to that later), helped me so much with constructing, stitching, and finishing them. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be able to finish the first dress in one day (Thursday, March 3).
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| a dress from my New York, I love You collection |
And that left me with the second one, the one that I was supposed to wear which was a jumpsuit. I only had one day left and it was my first time to create a jumpsuit. And if it wasn't for Mercy and Fatami, I know I wouldn't have been able to finish it. Mercy did the neckline for me out of zippers, because she knows I will only injure myself with the needle if I was the one to do it. And of course, how could I forget everything that Fatami has done for me. Thank you )to you and your family) again for welcoming me in your home and for being so hospitable. :) I can never thank you guys enough!
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| the jumpsuit from my New York, I Love You collection |
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| L-R: Fatami, Me, Mercy taken at the Al Khawarizmi Fashion Show last Sunday Congratulations again Fatami, Ittaf and the rest of my classmates for a job well done! :) |
The second and last screening came and I was nervous as hell. They told me earlier that day that I was meeting with their head designer, Noha Karam. I was so anxious that I feel like I couldn't eat. There were a lot of things going on in my head. The whole interview was kind of a blur. I remember stuttering a few times, but I kept my composure as best as I can. I was happy with it though. After walking out of their boutique, I felt so relieved. I did my best, and now I'm leaving it all up to God.
Miraculously, despite stuttering and spacing out a few times, they called me this morning to tell me that I got accepted and now I'm officially a part of the 15 finalists for their competition. I was beyond happy. I didn't know how I'd react. I can't believe that all of that was happening to me. But, it was. It's happening. :)
But with great power comes great responsibility, I've learned. And so with that victory came a whole new set of responsibilities. I'll be more busy than ever and as early as now, I can already tell that I won't be having as much time for this blog like I used to. I feel sad, because I know that I'll be missing going out and looking for mazuonas in the streets. I'll miss writing about things that inspire me every now and then.
I am not closing down this blog. This will still go on. All I am saying right now is that this won't be my top priority anymore. It breaks my heart to say it, because everything begun because of this site. It opened a lot of doors, chances, opportunities, and possibilities for me. I am not saying good bye. After all, if it weren't for this blog and all my inspiration, I wouldn't have the courage to become fearless. So hang in there, I'll still be here. :)
But I have to say now that I wouldn't be posting the kind of stuff I used to post before. Yes, I am still open to advertisements, promotions, press releases and the like. So to anyone who is interested, please don't hesitate to contact me through email. This blog will become more personal. If I was posting a lot of news articles before, I might not be able to that a lot this time. I would probably be posting about this new journey I'm going through. But the frequency of my posts will become less, depending on my free time.
It's not a hiatus. I just won't be around more. I'm so sorry dear readers. :( I will still try my best to maintain this though. I hope you guys will understand. Who knows maybe it will be a better blog if my posts will become more personal? I guess we'll just have to see for ourselves, right? I hope you continue to support The Mazuona.
And I hope that you will always choose to be your own mazuona. Be fearless. Be yourself and see where life takes you. You'll be surprised.
The Mazuona is not saying goodbye. I'll be back soon. I promise. :)
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