Clara

Lately, I’ve been learning that sometimes the things that make us feel closer to ourselves are already waiting for us in our own backyard.

August 20, 2026

I had the pleasure of attending the @raullopez x @keepingeye x @highmuseumofart dialogue, and somewhere between listening, observing, and taking everything in, I found myself thinking about the little girl in me who has always been endlessly curious about fashion.

The one who watches. Studies. Wonders how these beautiful worlds are built and quietly imagines where she might belong within them.

That curiosity has followed me for years.

It even led me to Bliss Foster, one of the many voices I’ve watched while trying to understand this strange, beautiful, complicated world called fashion. So, finding myself standing in front of Bliss and his beautiful wife, Dani, felt a little surreal.

I hesitated before saying hello.

Still, I said it.

And I’m glad I did.

We talked about where West African fashion could go next and what it means to lead by example. I walked away with more questions, more curiosity, and an even greater desire to learn, create, and contribute in my own way.

Maybe that’s what I loved most about the evening.

It wasn’t simply about fashion. It was about finding little pieces of myself in unexpected places.

A conversation. An exhibition. A familiar feeling. A reminder of home.

And as I continue discovering Atlanta, I’m realizing that perhaps “home away from home” isn’t something you find all at once.

Sincerely,
Clara

P.S. Thank you @islandblu_ for the invite 😊

Maybe you collect it slowly; in the people you meet, the rooms you enter, the art that moves you, and the conversations that somehow bring you closer to where you come from and who you’re becoming.

Here’s to following my curiosity and finding pieces of home along the way.