Summer's almost gone...

It's midnight, Well, it's officially Sunday, August 30. I just came back from another 'Trip-o-Latvia' of mine. Am sitting in my bed and listening to this timeless song 'Summer's Almost Gone' by The Doors. And guess what I find next? My storytelling muse is sitting next to me. Or maybe she came for a little spoon of my Nesquik cereals? Looks like no, as we slowly transmit our night talk on to the Summer topic. And the recollections of the past three moths begin...


The past three months have been a huge step forward for me. Actually, it's been several little steps that came one after another. Each of which is of high importance. Why? Because it's the only way to learn something new, experience it all and think outside the box. Yes, dear Nicola, the 'Think outside the box' phrase is now tattooed deep inside my mind, just like 'What's the essence?' and my other ones.


Since you left Istituto Marangoni earlier than our course did and you didn't manage to make it to our graduation, I never really had a chance to thank you for each and every brainstorming session you put me through. Some things take time to be realized, aren't they? You might not remember, but I clearly remember you saying: "You have a very bright mind, Anna. Just keep thinking outside the box". These words kept coming to me a lot over the past year. And the past three moths were not an exception.


Okay, okay, I'm done with an open letter to my Marketing lecturer, and for a note one of seriously the best lecturers we had while at Istituto Marangoni. Going back to Summer recollections and the learning and experiencing topics especially. I know I've talked through the main three moments of this Summer - experience from the behind the scenes of Alexandre Vassiliev's 'Invitation to the Centenary Ball' exhibition, several collaborations with Baltic designers and brands and travels around Latvia - quite a lot. But these moments are actually those tools that help thinking outside the brainpan and broaden my own mind. In first place regarding all the resources hidden in Latvia, as well as possibilities and strengths/weaknesses factors. Well, hello my Fashion Business mind! I see it's three of us now involved in this midnight talk.


Still there are some crucial points I so far haven't talked about. The points I feel like sharing. The points about the exhibition, collaborations and travels. Speaking about Alexandre Vassiliev's newest exhibition, actually my very review of it. That exact review Invitation to the Centenary Ball | Gowns made it to Top 10 stories of Practical Queen AP in just one week's time! Which is an absolute record so far. A huge 'Thank you!' goes to every single person who dedicated several minutes to this story and did spread the word across the world, digital world especially. Such a push forward that makes work harder in order to make the fashion intelligence matter.


The other thing that nudges working out the fashion intelligence harder are the so-called 'youngsters' of Latvian fashion, or simply emerging designers and brands. Despite the fact many of them lack financial resources, in other words, investments, what they do have are fresh ideas, creative thinking, worldwide approach and, not the least, modern education. In the industry, where according to Olivier Rousteing (of Balmain) success is not really equal to young age (unless we are into modeling talk), fresh ideas and creative thinking are what still comes first. #madeinLatvia (together with #madeinLithuania and #madeinEstonia) talks are yet to be heard on the pages of Practical Queen AP. Just keep up-to-date with the Projects and Fashion Planet sections, to know it first.  


I guess it's the high point to leave the fashion and fashion business talks aside. It's dessert time! And for then sweetest part of a Summer Wrap talk I reserved my 'Trip-o-Latvia' moments. Once again but I feel like pointing it out that so many gems of a little Eastern European country have been discovered over the past several months! To be fully honest, I never thought that by exploring Latvian one can find such outstanding, picturesque and more-than-worth visiting locations. To name a few, it's the Bīriņi Castle with quite a mysterious park nearby, Liepāja, especially it's pretty modernized promenade, Boulangerie cafe (about which am going to talk deeper in one of the upcoming stories), two Lillas Lavender fields and Baltic coast which beauty stretches from Venstpils and Liepāja straight to Saulkrasti, Tūja and Ķurmrags. 


To finish off, Summer's almost gone. Me, myself, my storytelling muse and Fashion Business mind, we suddenly ended up being in a group of four, managed to add some more puzzle pieces to this whole Summer picture. The puzzle haven't yet been put together piece to piece, but it's quite interesting to leave a little or big, mystery behind. Because Summer's almost gone, but more is yet to come...


Photo: Practical Queen AP