When I wake up at 7 AM it is still dark out. I am meant to meet the photographer in an hour. How is that going to work? Don’t we need sun? All I can think is: I need more sleep. I want more sleep. And finally: F that. I’m sleeping. I finally drag myself out of bed at 8 and meet Inma at El Born, a neighborhood close to the harbor, with lots of cool, gallery-style shops, little bars and restaurants, a bit like Soho only with far less people and traffic. The sun is out now, still wrapped in a veil of misty tingles, but already casting a golden glow on the empty cobble stone streets. I’m perking up a bit, but my head still feels like cotton balls, and my face looks a dead fish’.

Inma takes me to a beautiful park, the home of the Castle of the Three Dragons, the Zoological museum, a deep green lagoon, and a monument with those same three dragons, a fountain and charging gold horses on top of a building. I love the towering palm trees and the packs of green parrots making a ruckus – so cute! I’m better now. I can smile again! (Those muscles worked hard the past few weeks – I didn’t know if I still had any laughs in me to be honest…) I pull out the Loewe pieces – how could I not shoot Spain’s most prestigious brand?! – and start changing. If I can just de-puff, I know it’s going to be a good day.

White linen shirt and chocolate sheepskin leather cape by Loewe (FW12); Cotton skirt by Osklen (SS13); ‘Paris Aviator’ Jeans in ‘Klein Blue‘ by MiH Jeans; Wooden platforms by Celine; Black sandals by Phillip Lim; Mirrored sunglasses by Sheriff & Cherry; Clutch by Coach.

Photos by Inma Varandela.

Many thanks to Carla Vasquez Jones at Loewe for sending the pieces at such short notice; and Maria Luisa de Dalmases at Mango for bringing me to Barcelona.