My booker Julien sent me a text message last week that I think is worth quoting here; "If I was to do an interview about my job and someone said what is your ultimate pet hate I'd say 'girls who don't answer their phone' So girlfriend, turn your ringer on loud, stick it to your forehead, find a way, but for Christ sake answer your phone when I call!!!"
I'd been aboveground (there's no cell service on the tube in London, unlike on the Paris metro) for thirty minutes, and definitely should have checked my phone, when I strolled into my agency to see Julien, only to have him refuse to speak to me until I'd read my messages. Woops. Request casting for Burberry, and only an hour left to make it (as aforementioned, this is often the amount of time it takes to get anywhere at all in the city). I arrived well before the hour was up, nice and sweaty from my speed walking due to uncharacteristically warm London weather.
Ten minutes later I found myself decked out in Burberry having makeup applied on-set (and still sweating).
The makeup application was actually rather unnecessary, considering that the entire shoot was for Burberry accessories and I will be completely unrecognizable in the photos. Nevertheless, it was pretty surreal to leave the house for a day of castings and end up on a Burberry set working alongside the brand's campaign stylist and models I consider to be Burberry-regulars (models who have done the campaign or worked for the brand regularly).
One day turned into four—four days spent in one of the most delightful working environments I have ever had the good fortune to happen upon. The people were delightful, the studio was well-heated, and the catering was, well, catering! Working with seven other Burberry-employed models gave me great insight into England's fashion industry, social intricacies, and vernacular (to 'munch' is to eat, to 'march' is to walk quickly, and 'safe' is a way of saying 'cool' or 'all good'). One shocking thing I discovered: for some models, the kind of set we had at Burberry—something I regard as a rare and almost dreamlike occurrence—is the norm. Cue look of utter disbelief.
These four days were quickly followed by two days' unpaid work which left me chilled to the bone—thank you, freezing studios and outdoor shoots in unfavorable weather conditions—and with a case of nasal congestion which even my hearing finds offensive. I pity anyone who has spoken to me via Skype in the last twenty-four hours.
When I haven't been working, I've found myself traipsing about to a surprising number of hair castings—this, I've discovered to be due to the upcoming British Hair Awards. I also had the weekend off—and what a weekend it was! In typical London fashion (as legend holds) Saturday and Sunday were punctuated by torrential downpours. This put a damper on my sightseeing plans but served wonderfully in providing the background music to the five yoga and meditation classes I attended over the weekend. The yoga mat is somewhere that I get a strong sense of home and happiness, and what better way to spend a rainy weekend then getting in touch with my bliss!
The second most jaw-dropping experience of my past week or so (after the realization that 'Burberry Dream Set' translates to 'Normal Day at Work' for some models) was the interior of the British Library. In a fit of post-casting speed walking I had managed to make it to the entrance half an hour before closing. I set eyes on what lay inside, and the security man at the front door actually laughed out loud at my expression of ecstatic glee. A COPY OF EVERY BOOK PUBLISHED IN BRITAIN! Hallelujah! This was also my first sightseeing venture; hopefully a taste of many delightful moments to come. After making the rounds to a few more hair castings, that is.
Until next time, from the land of awesome accents or wherever I may be,
So she's born in '90 like me. She's about 5'8. And she's actually a really awesome person, great personality!
