My Travel Diaries have taken a slightly different turn this month! In the middle of backpacking around Asia, I swapped my backpack for the runway and headed to Paris to walk in a show during Paris Fashion Week, with my stoma bag on full display! Even writing that now feels a little surreal. It was an experience I never imagined I would have, and I’m so excited to share it all with you!
Saying yes to Paris
Now, before I dive into all the details of Paris Fashion Week itself, I should probably tell you how I ended up there! I was put in touch with a Japanese company called the Stoma Néo-ART Project, who were looking for models with stoma bags to walk in their upcoming show at Paris Fashion Week.
Thinking, ‘what have I got to lose?‘, I applied, and a few weeks later they invited me for an interview! During the interview, I got the chance to meet all the project members and hear about their passion for normalising stomas and turning them into art, rather than something to be hidden away.
It was at this point that I realised how much I wanted to do it, because of how strongly I felt our values aligned. So it’s safe to say that when I got the email confirming I had been chosen, I honestly felt like I was on cloud nine!
Packing for a different kind of adventure
As you will all probably know by now, I’m currently backpacking around Asia, so this came with the extra logistical challenge of flying 14 hours back to Europe!
I was due to be at Paris Fashion Week for five days, so I packed just over a week’s worth of stoma supplies and got on a flight to France!
Behind the scenes at Paris Fashion Week
The day began at 8:40am with a run-through at the venue and a chance to meet the whole team in person. Then we headed to hair and makeup with all the other models from the show. It was complete chaos, but in the best way, and there was such a positive energy in the room.
Now onto actually getting ready! They had wrapped my usual ModaVi bag in Japanese silk and hand-painted the design onto it. So when it came to changing my bag, I felt a lot of pressure because there was only one decorated bag, and I had to get it right the first time! Luckily, it all went well, and I put on my outfit, ready for dress rehearsals.
Practising walking down the runway was when it hit me that I really was doing this, and the nerves started to set in! Luckily, I had my friends and fellow ambassadors Poppy, Ayesha and Maryrose with me, so we were all in it together, and it was just so much fun.
The moment I will never forget
The doors to the runway are closed. I can hear the show being announced and the crowd cheering, and I’m waiting second in line to walk the runway.
When those doors opened, my heart stopped for a moment, and I just walked, exactly as I had practised. I’m not sure the nerves ever truly went away, but the vibe in that room was so positive, and I felt incredibly confident in my outfit. I just tried to soak up every moment of it. Looking back now, it feels so surreal, and to be honest, I wish I could do it all over again!
A look that felt like me
I think it’s only fair to discuss the outfit, because it was one hell of an outfit! From the moment I put it on and it fitted perfectly, I knew it was runway worthy. I loved the flowing details and the striking blue against the white, all designed to showcase my stoma bag and turn it into a piece of art.
There was something about that outfit that made me proud to showcase my stoma bag and want to show the world. Perhaps the key to confidence with a stoma is having a bag wrapped in Japanese silk!
Without my stoma, I wouldn’t have been in Paris during Fashion Week, and I wouldn’t have this incredible story to tell. So while there are definitely challenging days living with a stoma, it’s days like this that make me so thankful to have mine!
Final thoughts on my Paris Fashion Week experience
And just like that, it was time to swap the runway for my backpack and continue my adventures in Asia! I’m so grateful to the Stoma Néo-ART Project for giving me this opportunity, and to everyone who made the experience so special.
Getting to share it with not only other people with stomas but also my friends made it even more memorable. If there’s one thing I’m taking away from Paris, it’s to keep saying yes to opportunities, even when they feel a little scary – because who knows where the next yes might take me!
