In 2018 my fiancee and I flew as fashion designers to St Petersburg to have fashion shows. Based on the adventures we had on this trip a mini photo book/album entitled "LIFE ON THE EDGE" was created.
"I received an invitation to an event in St. Petersburg as a reward a few months ago in Budapest. After the last dozen or so fashion shows in Poland and abroad, trips like this have become my normal life...
front cover
PAGE 0-1 #introduction
PAGE 2-3 #arrival
PAGE 4-5 #Graffiti /day one
PAGE 6-7 #responsibilities
PAGE 8-9 #fitting /DAY four
PAGE 10-11 #after fitting /day four
PAGE 12-13 #walking /day five
PAGE 14-15 #after show /day six
PAGE 16-17 #return to poland
back cover
PAGE 0-1 #introduction
"I received an invitation to an event in St. Petersburg as a reward a few months ago in Budapest. After the last dozen or so fashion shows in Poland and abroad, trips like this have become my normal life."
PAGE 2-3 #arrival
"It started rough. As always :) Eve flew with sick sinuses. During the approach to landing she got a headache attack. So mossy that she thought something in her brain had burst. She was crying and you could see that she was in pain. She recovered for the next two days."
PAGE 4-5 #Graffiti /day one
"In addition, the whole first day Eve sat alone in the hotel :( Reason - I went to paint myself graffiti with a colleague from St. Petersburg and from the planned 4 hours became 8. Bad luck that it was one of the most beautiful days (perfect for sightseeing) so the anger was high so I tried to be polite already."
PAGE 6-7 #responsibilities
"After three days of sightseeing in St. Petersburg (graffiti, skateshops, the railroad - my picks / museums, pubs, popular tourist attractions - Eve's picks), the chores began."
PAGE 8-9 #fitting /DAY four
"At fashion shows there is always confusion, you always have to wait. There are always organizational failings. Although it should take a maximum of an hour to select models for eight creations, in practice it always goes down for a whole day. So, after a dozen such shows in the last year - this is what I have come to expect."
PAGE 10-11 #after fitting /day four
"In the evening there was an organizational meeting. We were informed that due to the large number of designers, some will be presented tomorrow and some the day after tomorrow - at the main show. We were to receive exact information by email after 10 pm."
PAGE 12-13 #walking /day five
"Since we were both participating in the main show, we had the day off. I tried to arrange with some graffiti artist to paint something but bad luck no one had time. Eve was happy about that because the whole day was for walking around and sightseeing."
PAGE 14-15 #after show /day six
"I rate the show as cool, it may not have been a top event but I've also had worse shows. The backstage was too small, which made the crowd and confusion a nuisance. Ewa won an invitation to the fashion week in Moscow. I won a voucher to some restaurant :) Tomorrow morning we have to return to Warsaw, the day after tomorrow we fly to New Zealand."
PAGE 16-17 #return to poland
This trip was very successful but also normal. Yes, everything took place in a big hurry and stress, but for a designer this is nothing new. On the other hand, an abnormal story happened during the return.
We did not leave for Poland on the scheduled flight, because we did not have time to send our checked baggage (3 large suitcases with 2 fashion collections). Several factors contributed to this: we did not have much time, going through the gates dragged to the max, and the fact that the lady from the baggage reclaim and send it to the plane on a moving conveyor belt before our eyes got up and went somewhere when we wanted to send our suitcases. Bad luck that the next flight to Warsaw was in two days, even more bad luck that on that day there were no more seats for flights to the Schengen zone - and the visa was running out in a few hours :( :( : ( We were advised in three places (the lady at the information desk, the customs officer, the cashier from the Russian airline) to buy a ticket to Warsaw via Moscow and were assured that when the visa runs out in Moscow (change after midnight - the next day) there is a possibility to extend it to return home and this is done without any major problems, only for a fee. This is what we did. This involved spending an extra more than 6 thousand zlotys, but there was no other choice, we had to fly to Warsaw as soon as possible because the next day I had a flight to New Zealand. Anyway, after several hours of hanging on the phone (airlines, family), finding out how and what to do in such a situation, and tremendous stress, I was very happy that we were going back. Hastily-as it turned out later.
We landed in Moscow a little after midnight. Our visa was already outdated (but the customs officer was supposed to extend it for us without much ado after all:) It turned out that we have a huge problem. We were not let through customs control and were put in a small room. There we spent several hours explaining, asking, writing up protocols and waiting. Eve cried, I tried to suggest a bribe - it did nothing, we were not let through on the flight to Warsaw. After a few hours, we were told to go to the airport consul (and to collect our luggage and cancel the flight). The consul turned out to be an earpiece in the wall, through which we were told to contact the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Our case.
We did not leave for Poland on the scheduled flight, because we did not have time to send our checked baggage (3 large suitcases with 2 fashion collections). Several factors contributed to this: we did not have much time, going through the gates dragged to the max, and the fact that the lady from the baggage reclaim and send it to the plane on a moving conveyor belt before our eyes got up and went somewhere when we wanted to send our suitcases. Bad luck that the next flight to Warsaw was in two days, even more bad luck that on that day there were no more seats for flights to the Schengen zone - and the visa was running out in a few hours :( :( : ( We were advised in three places (the lady at the information desk, the customs officer, the cashier from the Russian airline) to buy a ticket to Warsaw via Moscow and were assured that when the visa runs out in Moscow (change after midnight - the next day) there is a possibility to extend it to return home and this is done without any major problems, only for a fee. This is what we did. This involved spending an extra more than 6 thousand zlotys, but there was no other choice, we had to fly to Warsaw as soon as possible because the next day I had a flight to New Zealand. Anyway, after several hours of hanging on the phone (airlines, family), finding out how and what to do in such a situation, and tremendous stress, I was very happy that we were going back. Hastily-as it turned out later.
We landed in Moscow a little after midnight. Our visa was already outdated (but the customs officer was supposed to extend it for us without much ado after all:) It turned out that we have a huge problem. We were not let through customs control and were put in a small room. There we spent several hours explaining, asking, writing up protocols and waiting. Eve cried, I tried to suggest a bribe - it did nothing, we were not let through on the flight to Warsaw. After a few hours, we were told to go to the airport consul (and to collect our luggage and cancel the flight). The consul turned out to be an earpiece in the wall, through which we were told to contact the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Our case.
It was 4 a.m. on Sunday and, in addition, from Monday in Russia began a four-day holiday (the equivalent of the Polish 1st and 3rd of May). The Polish consul on duty received a call from me in the middle of the night, informing me that in this situation it could take several days. She added that I had to get on the first bus to Tallinn, just to avoid staying in Russia without a visa. She promised to do her best to make it as short as possible, but said to expect different scenarios. The procedure in such situations looks like this: a Pole does not have a visa in Russia, the Polish consulate in Russia sends information to the Polish Foreign Ministry, the Polish Foreign Ministry sends information or there any approvals or requests to its counterpart in Russia, the Russians issue a one-day visa to return home. So, being in phone contact with the Polish consul, we started nomadizing at the Russian consul (the handset sticking out of the wall). Several times we postponed the flight because there was no information, tried to take turns sleeping and somehow hang on. Around 9 am, we learned that all documents had already been sent from the Polish side. Around 3 pm, a gentleman came out of the door behind an earpiece sticking out of the wall and gave us extended visas. We ran to try to send our luggage for the flight that was about to take off. We managed to get in line for business class and somehow got it done. After landing in Warsaw, I quickly repacked my suitcases and went straight to check-in for a flight with three connecting flights to Dunedin, New Zealand. Eve was picked up from the airport by my brother, who came with my uncle to help us. I was tired from it all. Several hours later, I took a shower at the Hong Kong airport and felt better.
Despite more than twenty hours of total stress, which was growing all the time. Despite fatigue, such to the point of exhaustion. Despite the fear. Despite the big financial loss (the phone bill alone was over 1,300 plus new tickets, rebooking, penalties, etc ). Despite all the bureaucratic-visa-official Russian swamp. Despite the fact that at the mere mention of this situation shivers run through me. I believe that we were very lucky and a concrete adventure with a happy ending.
Despite more than twenty hours of total stress, which was growing all the time. Despite fatigue, such to the point of exhaustion. Despite the fear. Despite the big financial loss (the phone bill alone was over 1,300 plus new tickets, rebooking, penalties, etc ). Despite all the bureaucratic-visa-official Russian swamp. Despite the fact that at the mere mention of this situation shivers run through me. I believe that we were very lucky and a concrete adventure with a happy ending.
MOCKUPS: unblast.com
thank for watching!!!
