My first time photographing the runway at London Fashion Week. If you have heard of how momentous London fashion week is, then you can imagine how difficult it is for independent creatives like me to get a media ticket. Especially since this year's show was rocked by the Queen’s death, the designers were quickly shifting their narrative to reflect a nation in mourning. It directly impacted the filter of photographers that will be let in to cover each show - professionals who can capture and depict every moment. I work as a freelancer, therefore, the British Fashion Council rejected my application, which was my biggest obstacle to attending London Fashion Week. So, I decided to email about 100 designers who would show their collections at the show. As I had anticipated, the most of my emails went unanswered, but I held out hope that one of them would be open to working with me and would secure me a media ticket. Thanks to my emails as a follow-up, a few brands thankfully gave me positive feedback. These brands include Chet Lo, Sohuman, Abigail Ajobi, Johanna Parv, Efytchia, Pronounce, Karina Bond, and Sinead O'Dwyer, with whom I have had the pleasure to work with during the September London Fasion week.
I look back at my experience now and I am super proud of the actions that backed up my determination to get the ticket for this show. Notably, I was the only independent photographer at the shows who was not affiliated with any publication or magazine. Receiving passes to photograph the runway was a fantastic learning experience for me, and several of the brands utilised the photos to promote their designs online. As Jaeda Dewalt would say “When we learn how to become resilient, we embrace the beautifully broad spectrum of human experience.”
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