Ireland’s representative at International Mister Leather in Chicago this weekend, Conor Vaughan-Buggy, shares his thoughts as he arrives at the competition, bags packed to the gills with gear. Watch his first video below!

I have arrived in Chicago Illinois for the International Mister Leather contest! I am representing Ireland as Mr. Geared Ireland 2015, hailing from Ireland’s one and only fetish club (check us out at www.gearedireland.com ). Alongside three other Europeans, an Israeli, three Australians, three Canadians and a bucketload of Americans I’ll be spending the next four days glued to all their sides as all 59 of us compete for the title.

Chicago looks like a very cool city but somehow I doubt I am going to see much of it during this particular weekend. I arrived yesterday after an eight hour flight, hauling about 42 kg of luggage packed to the gills with leather and boots. Upon arrival in at O’Hare I could already see plenty of leathermen strolling through arrivals.

Today I have my registration and orientation session, which is a seven hour-long event where we get to meet the judges, meet each other, learn about the whole timeline for the weekend and importantly receive our participant medals! I will show you mine tomorrow. After that we all head across to the Leather Archives and Museum for the first event of the weekend – the Roast of Patrick Smith and Bamm Bamm. These two men won IML and International Mister Boot Black last year, so we go to celebrate the end of their year. I’ve met them both at, and they’re lovely guys. This year Patrick will be one of my judges!

I’ll update tomorrow about how today went and also let you know what tomorrow holds… judge interviews, photo sessions, autograph sessions, flag ceremonies… all of which will be leatherclad.