The Independent Order

Roleplay => Convention Centre => Topic started by: Achkaerin on March 23, 2022, 01:57:13 PM

Title: Gowu Fashion Show 2022 (Open RP)
Post by: Achkaerin on March 23, 2022, 01:57:13 PM
OOC - anyone can feel free to participate in this


The buzz around Artisan House (https://www.urbanrealm.com/images/news/newspic_3422.jpg) was familiar, the complex played host to several annual events, among them a political party conference, an art show, a couple of dances and of course the current focus the Gowu Fashion Show. It wasn't a huge political event but it was a networking opportunity, the exhibition stands were a whole lot closer to mini shops than pop up stands, the stages were being given their final polish and the odd final briefing was happening. For Aiika Riko (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=49.msg3613#msg3613) this was one of her favourite annual engagements, mainly because she didn't need to think too much about politics and could instead focus on being someone interested in fashion, she was curious to see what the new trends and innovations were as she perused the exhibition space.

The job of hosting the show, like the majority of international events in Gowu, fell to the Chief Councillor Xiaoling Tsu (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=49.msg686#msg686), she sipped on a glass of lemonade as she circulated around talking to the guests, making a point to look for those she didn't already know. She also had the small matter of opening proceedings to take care of, as the background chatter died down Xiaoling smiled.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Gowu fashion show, I look forward to being challenged, wowed, dazzled, enticed to buy something. But most of all I look forward to joining with all of you in celebrating the wonder and innovation of the fashion industry." she said "Now please have fun."
Title: Re: Gowu Fashion Show 2022 (Open RP)
Post by: DaveIronside on April 01, 2022, 10:10:34 PM
Stagia had for the past few years switched from being a fashion brand to a social enterprise. Its staff today was comprised mainly of students gaining experience of the fashion industry and the brand had taken to hosting monthly showcases to give new designers a place to demonstrate their progress. Queen Stasya (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/770686153011232769/959555523378806824/unknown.png) still played a part and by wearing an outfit designed by one of the students it was certain that girl would get a boost to her future. Stasya had brought with her a decent sized delegation, Alexandria Samuel (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=91.msg14609#msg14609) had taken a lead in making the arrangements for the visit while her Ladies in Waiting, Jessica (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=91.msg20336#msg20336) and Emma (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=91.msg20337#msg20337) had been bust that afternoon ensuring that supplies for a party the Queen intended to host after her show were delivered. The Queen had even brought her own journalist, Sally Jones (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=91.msg10998#msg10998) along to document the event.
Title: Re: Gowu Fashion Show 2022 (Open RP)
Post by: Markus on April 03, 2022, 06:09:04 AM
Raisa Ignatov was one of the top Samantran fashion designers. Her main specialty was Samantran traditional clothing for women or ie as it was called in Samantra. Back home in Samantra, Raisa was very well known with prominent Samantran women wearing her design including the President of the Duma (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=2420.msg23237#msg23237), the Minister of external affairs (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=2420.msg23329#msg23329) or Princess Ludmila (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=2420.msg23329#msg23329). After the Sacred War which ended in 1954 Samantra began a long process of recovering and by the early 2000s the nation was already prosperous and the theocracy firmly established in Samantra.  The Samantran Orthodox Church, using its massive influence over all social life, greatly promoted “a return to tradition” and the use of traditional clothing for women was part of that agenda.

Raisa Ignatov was one of the designers that embraced fully the “return to tradition” mantra and focused almost exclusively on it. While in Samantra Raisa’s designs gained national attention and sold extremely well, selling them aboard was a different matter. There she faced much tougher competition and a more diverse public. It was for this reason that Raisa Ignatov decided to participate at the Gowu Fashion Show 2022, to gain some spotlight so that more people heard of her designs abroad. She was confident in her work and knew there was a market out there for them. Whether that market was in Zaporozh, Halych, Volhynia or maybe somewhere completely different and unexpected like Zamenhuf, she didn’t know exactly.

Unfortunately for her, ignorance on much of international politics would cost her. First because she didn’t realize that Gowu was part of Achkaerin and secondly because she underestimated just how much it could cost her on a personal level to take part in such an event in Achkaerin. Getting the visa for the event has hard enough since there was no Achkaerin embassy thanks to the Samantran government. Getting the attention of the OPCS (Office for the Protection of the Church and its State), Samantra’s intelligence agency, was much worse. She had to explain to them for hours on end why she needed to go to Achkaerin when the Rus’ world had a much better alternative such as Lodja. And she had to be convincing enough since she knew that upsetting them could mean losing her Church endorsement for her designs which in Samantra basically meant bankruptcy.  So when most of her models called her saying that under no circumstances would they attend an event in Achkaerin she understood their reasons. Still Raisa didn’t give up, she used the few models that agreed to take the trip and went to Gowu.

Raisa, like most Samantrans, was not well versed in foreign languages. She spoke some Ardian/Latin and that was about it. Still she managed get along fine in Gowu and make the necessary preparations to present her designs. 

 
Spoiler:  Raisa’s fashion parade • show

(https://i.ibb.co/1bHxNLB/p3.jpg)
Samantran models going on stage to present some of Raisa’s designs. All of them were inspired by Samantra’s traditional clothing called ie. They were rich in color, conservative that even most Tamorans would not complain much and often featured headscarfs so they would also be appropriate for going to church.

(https://i.ibb.co/rb0wvXG/P1.jpg)

(https://i.ibb.co/5BNTzzJ/p55.jpg)

(https://i.ibb.co/tXB1FBR/p7.jpg)

(https://i.ibb.co/dj3M5RD/p22.jpg)



(https://i.ibb.co/YQBPnmw/Right-hand.jpg)
  Would the hosts, guests and regular visitors like her designs? That would remain to be seen. In case visitors wanted to try out some of her designs or even buy them, Raisa set up an exhibition stand where they could do just that.

(https://i.ibb.co/JQmFqPW/s1.jpg)
Visitors at the fashion show would be greeted at the entrance of the building and invited to try out traditional Samantran cazonac (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cozonac) and wine and also visit Raisa’s exhibition stand.

(https://i.ibb.co/nrwzzcT/Creator2.jpg)
Raisa Ignatov, featured above, was not shy to wear her designs and today she did just that. She walked across the hall to see who had arrived, where the hosts were since she had been too busy with her fashion parade to notice the obvious.
Title: Re: Gowu Fashion Show 2022 (Open RP)
Post by: Achkaerin on April 11, 2022, 09:56:11 PM
It was Aiika who approached Stasya, "A very exquisite outfit Your Highness." she said bowing politely "I am curious to see what surprises your brand has for this show." then she realised that Stasya probably didn't know who she was after all they'd never met "Aiiko Riko Home Affairs Councillor."

Xiaoling had spotted Raisa's exhibition space, checking her floor plan upon seeing it, she raised her eyebrows she hadn't expected to see a Samantran brand there, it didn't bother her but considering the fact that Samantra's entire foreign policy appeared to be rooted in a decades old grudge she could only imagine what would be thought of this. Still perhaps this was a good thing, who knew? Making her way over to the stall Xiaoling grinned "The last time we had designs close to this around was eight years ago and that was when an exhibitor who was showcasing clerical dress got the wrong week and turned up thinking it was the Synod of the Catholic Church in Achkaerin. But I digress." she said "Xiaoling Tsu and you must be..." she checked her list again to make sure she got it right "Raisa Ignatov?"
Title: Re: Gowu Fashion Show 2022 (Open RP)
Post by: Markus on April 12, 2022, 07:01:08 PM
Raisa was too naďve and passionate about her work to understand that Xiaoling was probably mocking her and instead interpreted as praise for originality:

“Oh, thank you. That is so kind of you to say that. And yes that is me” she said smiling. “Pleased to meet you Governor” she said not getting the title right “I come from Samantra and back home such outfits are very popular. Let me just praise you for how well everything is organized and running smoothly. I have always been of the opinion that we Samantrans are a creative people but are not the best when it comes to organizational aspects. “

“I haven’t had the chance to attend any of the previous fashion shows, how do you feel this year is going compared to those of the previous years?” 
     
As she was talking she couldn’t help but notice the Morelander Queen. Since she was the main attraction of the show so far she was hard to miss. Raisa was shocked by her garments and thought she had forgotten to to put on her top but did not stare and immediately turned her sight to the Achkaerin host.