Hi, London.

London is a strange place for me. I never really fell in love with it like I did with NYC- but it was almost calling my name in every direction. It started with a contest I won to come to London and co-design a jewellery piece with LeiVanKash a couple of years ago, but the city was cold, frigid and snowing at the time. Perfect for afternoon tea- but not much else. I flew threw London every time I visited by family in Europe, which led to an in-depth knowledge of the unique British groceries sold at the London airport. Last February I was invited back to London for Fashion Week, and then a week later I flew here again for modelling agency meetings. I got signed to Profile Model Management, and now my wonderful work visa gives me the freedom to consider myself a temporary immigrant.
I interpreted my fate as a sign that London was the place for me right now. It’s a booming industry, a fashion capital, the market still has space for new models, and it’s commercial. Plus- cute guys with British accents.
So all together, I’ve been to London about five times. Which I think, means that I can give some solid travel advice. Take the underground- it’s not sketchy, it’s complex so it’ll take you anywhere, it’s faster than taking a car, and heaps cheaper. If you’re a practical human being (unlike me) and you wear comfortable shoes, walk everywhere. You’ll discover beautiful neighbourhoods and the life of locals, shops from designers you thought only sold online, and stunning little cafes. Don’t do as I did in these photos and go to Big Ben in the afternoon; it will be flooded with tourists. Also, avoid the underground around 5-6pm. Live in central London, I know it’s expensive but it’s worth every penny because you can walk everywhere, you’ll feel the energy of the city just by looking outside your window, and it won’t take you 2 hours to get to destination in central London every day. London is divided into zones, so just keep in mind that “Zone 1″ is the place to be, but my favourite area in all of London is Notting Hill because it’s so calm, tidy and just beautiful. Convent Garden & Piccadilly are second best! Yes, you must get afternoon tea at least once, and you must do all the touristy attractions, because that’s what makes London so iconic. You don’t have to love the Buckingham palace or know anything about it- just be there to feel the energy and excitement. Harrods is a shopping wonderland and I guarantee you will get lost at least once, but it’s the kind of “lost” you won’t mind at all.

On this relaxed Sunday evening, Yaroslava and I took a trip to Big Ben, because I’ve honestly never been, and I wanted to see it in person at least once. I wore my cropped sweater from Lazy Oaf (a British brand you must visit in Soho) and white diaper-esque shorts with iridescent sneakers. My PANDORA bracelet from the summer collection was the perfect accessory to this look, especially because if you really want to go there- it holds a much deeper meaning than just being a bracelet. The charms represent your feelings, memories and goals in life. My peace charm reminds me to relax, pineapple charm that I’m obsessed with fruit, hamsa charm reminds me that I have people that love me and watch over me, and my lucky clover is just that- a good luck charm. Can’t wait to pick up charms from all my experiences and build a little treasure with huge significance. p.s. check out PANDORA’s facebook page for amazing bracelet inspiration.

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