A DAW in London

by Abbie Rose

It was the day I had been waiting for since joining daw. A day where the discord announcement came out about an IRL DAW event in the UK!! I was so excited to finally meet some of the most beautiful humans I had been talking with over socials, seeing on twitter, and catching in discord. I knew there was no way I was going to miss it. Night clubs aren’t so much my thing, but meeting DAWs IRL 100% was.

I told my boyfriend, but I also promised my mum if DAW ever did an event I would go with her, so I said to her, “Why not invite dad and we can all go.” Nine people later, mine and my boyfriend’s little adventure away turned into a family memory, and my gosh wasn’t it a good one! We started to look at hotels, book the train tickets, and started planning what we were going to do in London. Little did I know my brother upgraded our train tickets, to first class. So even the journey was a new experience for us all.

So, trains were booked, hotel reserved, and ideas were being planned. Now for the most important part — the day of picking the outfit, shoes, hair style, nails, and makeup!

I woke up and planned to get my nails done with my bestie! I went for pink ombre. I got my hair back to blonde but I was still unsure on my outfit. Did I want to go more “girly” me with my pink bandana and a cute little dress, or was I more drawn to sophisticated, “lady” like me? I then remembered before being locked down I was meant to go to a works ballgown party and bought this gorgeous black dress that glistened in the sun light. I was actually really excited that I was about to use this dress for this occasion. It made me realize how far I’d come. I was in a place where I no longer worked for someone and was attending their work event (where I knew I would have felt like an outsider again), but I had finally found a place in DAW where I…me… fit.

This event was more than a night club — picking my dress had so much more emotion than I ever thought. This highlighted an important milestone in my life. I have finally found “my” people, my community. I was a part of a team where I felt I belonged for the first time in my life, and even though I wasn’t A PART of the team, the team never made me feel like they were better or above me. Everyone since day 1 has been made to feel included, important, loved, and appreciated by the team themselves, and by the community that DAW have built. This was such a special day for me.

So, the dress was definitely decided, nails were done, hair was booked, makeup tick, but accessories was the next part. Oh, and wasn’t I so lucky that I was able to bring such a beautiful accessory with me. I didn’t need a clutch bag for this night out, I had my DAW bag! I mean, I am absolutely obsessed with it, but wasn’t it a hit at the party too! I think it was noticed more than me.

A week later, and we were getting ready to on board the train. Suitcase packed and many bags (my boyfriend hated me for how much clothing was in my suitcase that we needed to bring extra bags). I brought my iPad to draw on the train too, and my camera to take some shots of the beautiful city whilst I was there.

So, we on boarded the train, and we were lucky we only had to make one change. Once we changed it was a smooth, chilled 3 hr journey. My gosh didn’t it go quick. As we were very lucky to be in first class, we got given free drinks and snacks every 1hr. I was loving life! Me and my little brother tried these raspberry croissants for the first time, oh my goodness they were amazing! If you get a chance to try one, you have to. It was like heaven on a plate. My 9-year-old brother enjoyed it so much that it was a breakfast meal but the trolley man was so lovely, that when we requested it at dinner time on the way home, he went out his way to check the back cupboards and ever so kindly found him one, the train staff definitely went the extra mile!

Of course, on the train we got a few DAW selfies, and just chatted amongst ourselves until we arrived in London. When we go out at Paddington station, oh my wasn’t it busy! I hadn’t really been to London much, but I definitely remember people saying everywhere you go is people, and they were certainly right! Me, my boyfriend, my mum, dad, little brother, sister, and other 2 brothers were very ready to get to the hotel and chill. I knew London was expensive, but we got two taxis to the hotel (about half hour journey) and it cost us almost 60 pounds in taxi fare! But we were glad to be at the hotel where we could drop our bags and grab some lunch.

We got there at 12 and couldn’t check in the rooms till 3pm, so we looked for somewhere to eat. We found this most delicious burger restaurant. I’m not even a big fan of burgers but these were one of the best burgers I had ever had: delicious goodness on a plate! I had the “taxi driver” (thought it was fitting for how much we just spent in taxis haha). It was a burger, American style cheese, onion ring with burger relish dripping down it. It was gorgeous! I’d never had an onion ring in an actual burger before, but it was so gooood! (Highly recommend trying).

The next day, another announcement was shared in the discord. Be in Leicester square for 3pm. If DAWS say to be there, damn right I’m going to do everything I can to be there! So, I told the whole squad and dragged them along with me. We did a bit of shopping beforehand, and got a coffee to warm up because the temperature had definitely dropped. It was freezing! I don’t think the family were too impressed that I dragged them around in the cold for hours but it was worth it.

While the boys carried on shopping, me, my mum, and little brother arrived at Leicester square. Exactly 3pm hits, and you start to hear the DAW anthem. Now I’m excited!! The whole of Leicester square stops, you can see a few faces thinking, “What on earth is going on”. Then there were 3 dancers. I started recording to show the daw discord, as they requested, I don’t leave them out. (Little did I know I was recording the back of them, so I moved to the front) A whole show was about to appear in front of our eyes. Two more dancers joined, then another three, then another few, and before you know it there was a DAW flash mob going on right in front of our eyes! It was epic! My favourite part was when they all took their jackets off and between them had multi colour tops on, each with a different daw face. It was perfect.

I saw someone getting a photo of the dancers after, so I took my opportunity and ran over to get a quick snap! They were just disbursing, so I asked if I could get a quick photo so I did. I was also a bit cheeky and turned the camera around and got a quick selfie with them. Couldn’t have a group wearing DAW streetwear and not get a selfie… right? After this, I went to go back to find the family and tell them all about it, but I saw I had a twitter DM from a lady I’d been waiting to meet for ages! I finally found her standing there on her own, with her suitcase, under the DAW billboard (which was so fire btw) and we ran up to each other and gave each other the biggest hug! This was the first ever DAW I’d met IRL, and it was even better than I imagined. I didn’t see any other DAWs, but I also didn’t know what any faces looked like. Later at the event Gabe’s sister said her and Gabe were there, and she said to Gabe “there’s Natura,” but I didn’t get to meet them…yet. Although little did I know, I was about to meet another amazing human!

So, after the flash mob, I really wanted to see the DAWs in the Omer Tiroche Gallery, and wasn’t that an experience in itself. Being buzzed in, walking up the stairs, and meeting the gallery team with a room full of daws was a premium experience in itself. The whole experience felt very luxurious. Standing in a room full of just DAWs on giant screens, it took me back a bit. For one because this was a movement I was so heavily apart of, I felt the feeling the team must have felt seeing all their time and effort pay off, and weirdly I felt the community in that room with me. Everyone who had been building up to this point, it was so beautiful! I got a few snaps for the socials, my own scrapbook and memories, and then I spotted a lady talking to the gallery team at the desk.

I listened carefully, because her voice stood out. I remember hearing her accent on spaces. For me, I never go up to someone unless I 100% know its them, and I was 98% but wasn’t a 100%. However, I did not want to miss my opportunity. So, I stood behind her patiently, and waited for her to stop talking, and then quickly jumped in and said, “Are you Gege?” She looked at me like “Yes who are you.” I continue to say “OMG! Hii I’m Natura Princesa”. She gave me the biggest smile and embrace and we spent the next 20 minutes chatting away. Gege is one of the nicest humans I had ever met. I was so worried about meeting people IRL and as soon as I spoke to her, I knew everything was going to be absolutely fine. She continued to tease me about DAWs future, wouldn’t slip any alpha, but I left feeling super intrigued and excited, and even more excited that Gege was even more of a beautiful human being than I ever could have imagined.

As I left, I couldn’t help but think of the feeling I got in the gallery. Not only was it a room full of daws, but 2/3 years ago you would have walked into a gallery like that and only seen paintings, not digital screens. It took me a moment, looking at the DAW mona Lisa, to think about how far the world has come, and how much has changed in what feels like such a short space of time. This feeling was weird. I hadn’t felt it before. Anyways, now I had seen the flash mob, and been to the gallery, the only thing left was to get ready for the event.

I had my dress hung up, with my DAW bag and black high heels waiting for me in the hotel room. I was so excited to finally be able to see the outfit together. NGL though, if this wasn’t a DAW party, I prob would have cozied up and gone to sleep. After being in the cold all day, and walking probably over 10 miles I was nackered. However, this was a DAW party, and it was one that I wasn’t going to miss! I chilled on the bed for a while, and then it was coming up to 7:30 pm, so I knew if I wanted to go looking half decent, I needed to put a face on haha. So, I jumped in the shower, did my makeup, got my sister to help me style my hair, and then slipped into my dress. Adding the DAW bag to my outfit had to be easily my favourite part. It looked amazing! I was ready, but no one else was. So, it meant we were going to be fashionably late. Then I realized some of my family hadn’t even begun to get ready so I said, “We’ll meet you there.”

We got in the taxi (this time my friend mentioned an app called UBER, so finally the taxi price was reasonable. If only someone had told us that before haha). Traffic was a little busy, but it was ok. We arrived and what a gorgeous place. The architecture of the venue chosen was stunning. Daw (as always) did good! I saw the purple lights, a queue about a few miles long and two beautiful humans at the gate keeping control of the situation, until we could go in.

Once we got into the venue, there was a professional photographer taking photos. Not only was it great to have photos as soon as you walked in, but the backdrop for the photos was the queen daw, and two other DAWs. It was so fire. Everywhere I looked there was DAWs, DAW on screens, DAW tattoos, DAWs behind the DJ, DAWs as you walk in, DAWs, DAWs, DAWs — they were everywhere! It was great! Next, I saw people getting DAW tattoos. This was so fun, and I didn’t want to miss out. When the other half of my family got there, I dragged them to get a family photo, and a temporary tattoo too (they loved it). Then we went to find the bar (I don’t drink) but the level of premium across the whole board didn’t fall short in the alcohol department either. Premium open bar for everyone who attended, people were definitely taking full opportunity of this! Then, after grabbing a drink, me and my family found the perfect spot to chill for the evening. We were right by a DAW screen, could overlook the dance floor and DJ area, round the corner from the bar, but just enough out the way to have a chilled evening together.

A little later on, I found Jan, we danced the night away together watching everyone dance the night away too on the dance floor. I tried meeting DAWs but I didn’t know who was what DAW, so focused on getting to know Jan. Then Nkemjika messaged me on Twitter, and after a little while of finding each other (we both didn’t know each other faces) him and his wife came and joined me and Jan and had a drink, chat, and dance with us. Nkemjika’s outfit was so lit. That guy has style. For me the best part of the party was the little things that DAW had thought about, like the temporary tattoos and photoshoot stage, oh, and the music, the music was defiantly fire! Especially when the DAW anthem came on. The best part of it all though was sharing that experience with my family, and to meet DAWs and the team IRL. I loved it, and can’t wait for the next one!

The thing I’m most excited for with the DAW movement is watching it slowly build. Watching piece by piece it become the brand it well and truly deserves to be. I’m excited to see the team and community learn together as a whole from what went well, and what could do with a tweak. This is a first for everyone in this space, and it’s amazing to be able to share this experience with such an amazing community and to have found such a beautiful team to share the adventure with too. I can’t wait to watch more and more DAW collaborations come together, the seeds that have been planted with House of DAW to blossom into beautiful flowers, and to just see the fun ride that DAW will bring. Oh, before I forget, one last thing: The thing I’m most looking forward to though, is to watch the bonds and relationships grow in this movement even more, to be a part of watching even more DAWs feel safe, valued and special for being a part of DAW.

I will, (as I always say) forever be grateful to have found DAW. I not only found a project, I found my home. A place where I belong and feel a part of something every day. Thank you team, and thank you for coming up with this amazing creation.