All The Small Things: My Own Personal Abercrombie Model

A day that started out like any other....Ok, wait. I lied. When your day starts with 'Shoe Shopping on Regent Street' in London it is far from any ordinary day. When your mission involves a jaunt on a speeding underground train into one of the biggest cities in the world just to buy a pair of shiny black stilettos, you're not in Kansas any more, Dorothy.

Beautiful People

That's right, another trip into the big city today. And while I didn't find the heels I craved I DID find a pair of cute brown boots, a pair of shiny flats, and two new shirts I simply couldn't live without. But there's even MORE exciting news than just that. Much, much better news, as a matter of fact. My dear friend and shopping buddy, the every-present-in-my-London-life Jeppe, was approached today by an Abercrombie & Fitch “talent agent”. Oh, I didn't mention Jeppe looks like a runway model? Oh right, THAT detail. Oops, guess I left that out until now. Yeah. Well. He does. So this guy, the “agent” person, literally tracks us (and by us I mean Jeppe) into a store and approaches my wonderful friend while we're perusing the women's shoe section and asks “Would you be interested in being a store model for A&F?” Thinking the talent scout is talking to ME, the poor darling, my friend just stares at me, unaware that he's the one the scout is after. So literally right then and there Jeppe is invited to an interview for the same day at 4:00 PM. He's handed directions to 1 Old Brompton Road and then the scout vanishes into the crowd.

Another Example

Only in London.

Once the guy disappears we have our mutual freak-out moment right there in the store, despite the fact that I'm not at all surprised. If anyone should be a model it's this guy, I swear.

The next 3-4 hours we spend hypothesizing over the fame and fortune that will inevitably follow. Each designer store we enter is a future employer, every clothing item on the shelf is something my friend will undoubtedly wear one day on the catwalk.

We browsed Tiffany's, DKNY, Dolce and Gabbana, Yves Saint Laurent, and Chanel, just to pass time while pretending we were disgustingly rich. After all, a single sportcoat in Yves cost as much as our college tuition. Go figure.


THIS is Where We Shopped. No, REALLY.

At 10 til 4 we headed over to the Abercrombie headquarters and marched 5 flights of stairs to a tiny door at the top. There, I was commanded to vacate the premises. Only “real” applicants allowed, apparently. Thus, with a wish of good luck I left my dear friend in the clutches of potential employers and, myself, returned to the streets of London to bide my time for the next hour. I made my way back out to Regent Street, the main road for the casual shopper in London who can't afford the designer brands, and made a few more purchases thinking all the while about the fate of my friend.

The London A&F Storefront

I returned early to the Abercrombie and Fitch door, only to notice the store itself attached around the corner. I went in and was surprised to find models EVERYWHERE showing off the clothes, posing with customers, and greeting people as they entered. They didn't even have to fold clothes or do anything other than stand there and look beautiful. Tough work, huh? The store itself was two stories and it was very dark, crowded, and loud so I didn't stay long. But the one thing I did notice was how gorgeous everyone in that store was, even the shoppers. London. Amazing. The city where beautiful people thrive.

With excitement and energy after such an excellent meeting with A&F we navigated the streets of London's Westminster Borough in search of a random, cozy cafe. En route we saw a brand new black Lamborghini parked like no big deal on the street. I DID take a photo of that one ;)

We finally snagged some food at a Pret a Manger hidden away in a tiny courtyard called St. Christopher's Place. Ah, coffee and a place to sit after 7 hours of shopping and riding the tube? Nothing beats it. The weather was perfect so we sat outside and people watched and bragged to his friends and family about the day's good fortune and the luck he had.