MOUNT EVEREST 23RD OF SEPTEMBER 2021, GOKYO LAKE REGION IN NEPAL - WE ARE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 5500 M ABOVE SEA LEVEL. IT IS A FOGGY AND COLD DAY WHEN THE NEPALI LOCALS, ALSO KNOWN AS SHERPAS, SET UP A RAMP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ICY GLACIER, THE PLACE WHERE THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE FASHION SHOW WAS MEANT TO TAKE PLACE LATER THAT DAY. TWELVE MODELS, ALL FROM DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING NEPAL, THE UK, GERMANY, LATVIA, ITALY, FINLAND, POLAND, AND THE UAE, HAD COME TOGETHER IN THE CITY OF KATHMANDU TWO WEEKS EARLIER TO START THIS LIFE- CHANGING ATTEMPT FOR THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORD.
Two of them are our London-based models Julia Kristina Mueller and Luise Hasse.The two did not know each other prior to the project, but share a distinct passion for travel, adventure, and obviously, fashion and modelling - as well as their German heritage. Yet, this extraordinary experience was a quick way for the two to bond in no time, having to share hotel rooms, tea house beds and a bare tent for nearly one month in the Himalayas. What first looked like a wonderful holiday-like expedition into nature, quickly transformed into a massive challenge. Not only did the two models have to face the lack of everyday comforts, but also the physical and mental challenges in a place where there is no oxygen, no civilisation, and no contact to the outside world. Days are passing by slowly, as the models land in Lukla airport, which holds the shortest ramp on earth and, according to statistics, is the airport of most plane crashes in the entire world. From this point onwards, the team would track for 16 days and nights to return to the very same airport that would transport the models back to the capital of Nepal. Followed by an army of local Sherpas, yaks, doctors and an Indian film crew, the models would start their track in an adventurous spirit. (There are no details of the release on the documentary-style production yet, but we will keep our readers posted once this will be the case.) Obviously, this journey was aimed at attempting a Guinness World Record and a fashion show at the very pinnacle of it. Yet, it gave our models the chance to explore the local culture in various expeditions into the local villages, temples, markets, landmarks, and treks. The Mount Everest region until just a few years ago had become rather polluted because of irresponsible tourism but has since been cleaned up by strict implementation of rules and regulations. Covid restrictions have also kept tourists away from the region, which on the flip-side meant an economic crisis for the locals that made a living off the influx of foreigners.
The main idea behind the record attempt was to promote eco- friendly clothes as sported by the fashion models during the ramp walk as well as promulgate the idea of sustainability. The two brands involved in the show, Mishus Designs and KASA, are local Nepali designers that take sustainability into account when producing their fabrics. And now, more than one year after this life-changing adventure, what do Julia and Luise take away from this journey? The two are currently pursuing more modelling opportunities and have turned into proper travel companions, modelling at fashion shows all over the world including London Fashion Week, Bahrain, Morocco, Paris, Berlin, Canada, and the list goes on. Julia is not only a stunning woman with an impressive history of modelling for nearly two decades, being on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Bulgaria and Grazia, and recently featuring in an editorial for Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam and having modelled at all big fashion weeks all over the globe, she is also a professional lawyer and a DJ by night - also known as Dj Cougar. That makes someone of many creative talents. Given this busy and unique lifestyle in London that Julia leads, going to a remote place such as Nepal for one month meant reconnecting to herself, to her own spirituality and being able to appreciate the beauty of nature and the very modest and profound life of the Nepali people. Luise is a multifaceted creative character herself - A professional fashion and runway model, a classical and jazz pianist, a certified interpreter for German corporates,
a media-producer for a new healthcare podcast. In short, a cross-industry creative freelancer who uses her abilities to excel across her different activities. But this also means that she is exposed to the pressures and the demands of multiple fast-moving industries. Especially the lack of contact to the outside world was essential to Luise’s journey in the Himalayas - it was about regaining focus, amending priorities, and reflecting within oneself. Being away from distractions. Only this could help a busy person like Luise excel in her work life and be true to her own path. Sustainability is another major part of the changes in the two models’ lifestyles - whether it comes to the choice of fashion, consumption, and the like.The Himalayan glaciers are melting slowly but securely, having created massive floods in the local region in the recent past, potentially destroying the lives of millions of people in the near future. You do not have to climb Everest to “save the world” - but you can start with small and easy measures to make your own life more sustainable to preserve the heritages of this world. It is about the small things in life, as Julia and Luise have realised. You can find out more about Julia and Luise via their Instagram profiles.
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