Organic fashion in Uganda

Today was my big day. I had a plenary session presentation to do around 11.45am. As the morning progressed the overruns progressed too. Soon the last two slots before lunch time were well and truly squeezed. Lucky really, as I'd probably not prepared enough material for a full 45 mins session and as it turned out what I had prepared filled the available time more or less perfectly.

I didn't feel that I presented as well as I have done in the past, but all the same lots and lots of people came up to me afterwards wanting to know more. I even did a 5 minute interview on Ugandan NTV! Not sure if it will be possible to download at some point - but there is a first...

I always find conferences totally exhausting, trying to keep on top of emails and things going on back at work in the sessions that aren't directly relevant to my work as well as picking up relevant points that are. In between the sessions its always a crazy scrum as people struggle to all get a word in and ask something. I take their business cards, optimistic I'll remember the face associated with the name and always miserably fail at that. Today was just one of those days. I didn't stop talking all day. I feel quite hoarse now.

There is usually some sort of "do" at these things, last night there was a poolside reception which was relaxed and fun. Tonight an organic cotton fashion show at a popular restaurant called Faze 2 in Kampala. The food wasn't very exciting, but was good and there was plenty of it, and the red wine was excellent.



I've never really enjoyed fashion shows. Usually a bunch of impossibly thin women wearing clothes you never see people wearing, but this was more main stream and the women weren't as skinny as usual. The men wore pretty normal looking things apart from one or two who wore sort of long cotton t-shirt type material stripy dresses. I'd wear one myself if I could find one. I imagine they would be cool in the heat of summer.



Here's a few shots from the evening and a video. It's worth listening to the end of the video. On the stage were assembled people from farmer to fashion designer and representatives from each part of the supply chain.






A good and relaxing evening out after a long hard day.