Because they sometimes have more talent and imagination than the people you work with every day. Take Gregory Devejiev for example, a fiery, chain smoking Georgian man with a big mustache, a zealous Canon camera and enough energy to light up five Christmas trees. He was easy to find, because “he’s the best”. And then these three girls: Lika, Yeti and Nini, each one special in their own way. Lika is a mere 5-feet-8 but when she galumphs the runway, she bloody owns it! And Nini, “not really a model” got me with her mom jeans, thick bangs and uber-relaxedness. I think she has plans to be in New York soon. And Qeti, she’s just super sweet and I love that name! One for the baby names list.

But the best thing? This location. Suggested, of course, but Gregory. The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts was founded in 1922 and housed in the former Kobulashvili mansion. The interiors were designed by Iranian masters, in Qajar art style, i.e. those insane mirror rooms! The school has been under construction for a while and a lot of the art was packed and stored, but it made the raw brilliance of this building shine even more gloriously. The whole experience was electrifying.

Thanks to my amazing team and all the designers who lent me stuff! (Find all the credits in the gallery.)