Friends of faux

 above: from the lookbook of new young designer Shrimps

 Although black on black on black can be the fashion uniform for winter, it is nice to switch the traditionals for something a bit more jolly when it is dark outside. Faux fur is timeless and safe, but when it is zingy and colourful it is brought up-to-the-minute and playful. Shrimps lookbook above, collages the old and the new, classic beauty with fun, to great effect.

 above: ASOS coloured fur stoles

 

 Poppy London fur collar

One, two, three...

From top: Ben Bernschneider, John Brömstrup, Daniel Jackson,
Store photography for Balletto Body by Stef King

 

Timing is everything when attempting the perfect in-air motion shot. The potential in the pictures is intriguing and every jump tells a story. Ben Bernschneider's holiday-esque jump (top) is the envy of all profile picture creators everywhere. Sef King uses motion to maximum potential to promote Balletto Body dance wear, and how Daniel Jackson has captured the gravity defying moves of Shay Norman is beyond me.

Dare to wear.. Turbans

1.Top Left, Oriana Layendecker, Make-Up Artist Magazine. 2. Bottom left, Barbra Streisand in the 1970's. 3. Middle, 'Knock for Sixties' shoot in How To Spend It, Nov 2014. 4. Top right, Elizabeth Taylor in the 1960's. 5. Bottom right, Saint Laurent SS15 collection.

 

Turbans gained their fashion status in the late 1920's as a sign of wealth and the means to travel to exotic far away lands. Into the 1960's they came back as a regal accessory (see Elizabeth Taylor). By the mid 70's the IT girls of the era wore with hair loose and straight underneath, setting the precedent for a Bohemian luxe (see Barbra Streisand) which is seeing a resurgence now.

2014 is a year of looking back for inspiration and creating an eclectic mix of the old and the new. Bringing old trends up to date can include textures, materials, colours, styling and bold make-up (see Oriana Layendecker for Make-up Artist Magazine and Damian Foxe for How to Spend It ). 

When 'Sunday dress up' comes in handy...

Don't let go girls.

Simultaneous ball throwing.

Trying not to fall over whilst 'floating' through space...

Photographer: Coneyl Jay
Magazine: PWM
 Art Director: Lisa Sheehan 

These images were taken behind the scenes of a two-day photoshoot for twelve covers of PWM (Professional Wealth Management) magazine. The Art Direction for this magazine usually follows the theme of the futuristic and space age. When costume budgets are tight, our job is to creatively interpret the costume brief as follows: 

1) A grey 90's boilersuit with a cardboard box stuck on the back can make an excellent spacesuit.

2) A fish bowl can be utilised for a helmet (just make sure you can breathe).

3) Loo rolls can most definitely look like aerospace-esque tubes and pipes.. 
4) An odd bit of camera tripod makes for a great 'generic space tool'.
5) We will all be wearing old dance leotards in the future...obviously.

Given this as a base to work on, Coneyl will work his 3D magic and the cover images will make their transformation from playing dress up to polished space-age.

L'Officiel(ly) new fave photographer

Photographer: Reno Mezger (Syndikat Artists)

Publication: L'Officiel (Ukraine edition)

 Styling: Patrick Lief

Hair: Fee Steinvorth

Make-Up: Isabel Peters (using Chanel)

The July edition of Ukraine edition of L'Officiel magazine came out yesterday July 2nd and I adore this punk-esque inspired shoot by Reno Mezger. I love the colours and layers and the almost but not quite trashed makeup. Perfect post-festival pick me up.

To the BARRE (& other hobbies)

Financial Times: How to Spend It
Photographer: Andrew Yee
Styling: Damian Foxe
Hair, Make-up and Set Design: Atelier Management

These impressively posed shots were Financial Times' How to Spend It, back in December 2013. Ballet has recently gone 'on the up' in fashion and as one of those who has leapt onto this latest bandwagon, I had to mention this one.

The pointed toe in the first, the clasped hands in the second, turned out feet in the third and the pilé en point (!!) in the fourth all emulate dancing poise and posture. Combined with the unusual quirks in theatrical hair and make-up make for a fantastical combination.

Love the (GREEN) lips!

 How to Spend It 7 June 2014

'Tribal Gathering'

Photographs and Styling by Damian Foxe 

1. Lime Crime Serpentina $18 
2.  Illamasqua Apocalips £18.50 
3. Dolce and Gabbana Emeraldo £27 (from the Sicilian Jewels collection)

Emerald Green was Pantone colour of the year in 2013 and as it filters here and there into high fashion, we wonder, can we actually wear green lipstick?

It makes an extraordinary focus point for Damian Foxe's styling above, Illamasqua's Apocalips brings together the crazy combinations of feathers, animal print, layers of tulle and wooden jewellery and impressive sculptures of hair.

Apocalips, has a vibrant and matt finish. But if you don't want to go down the '90s grunge route and you're not ready to go as far as Foxe if your feeling tribal, I think you will be surprised how flattering an emerald tone can be on golden skin, minimal eye make up and bronzed lids. That's where glossy, jewel-esque shades like Lime Crime's Sperpentina or Dolce and Gabbana's Emeraldo come in.

See Rhianna, who pulls off grunge AND gleaming...

 

Lady of the Lake #2: Awesome Auburn

Porter magazine
Photographer Jeff Bark
Fashion editor Anthony Unwin
Enchanting heroine Karen Elson

Dresses by Bottega Veneta, Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabbana, Alberta Ferretti

A continuation on the theme of etheral beauties and the Pre-Raphaelite legacy. It seems as though this is a trend co-inciding with the opening of a major exhibition at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. (May 20 to October 26, metmuseum.org)

As Elizabeth Siddal, the muse of Pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais played the perfect tragic heroine, lying body submerged for a period of four months, as he realised her comparison to Shakespeare's Ophelia.  Elson, our modern muse lies, as Elizabeth Siddal, femme fatal, in a wet dress, the creation of the image a masterpiece of research, hair and makeup, stylists and assistants, in a matter of hours. 

Lady of the Lake

20ft deep water tank 

750,000 litres of water

1,609 metres of hair extensions

5 metre high bed

6 hours to set up

8 hours to shoot

1,468 photographs

53 seconds without taking a breath

9 crew members

7 cameras 

62 wet towels

 

How to Spend It special interiors edition (Superior Interiors April 12 2014) showcases the most sumptuous silks and satins for the bedroom... and the gowns you will be wearing when you sink into them.

This Pre-Ralphealite-esque photoshoot conjours up themes of nature, love, literature and death, of sweet slumbers in an eerie watery world.

Exquisite dresses, aquamarine themed headpieces, crystal neck decor and pearl suspenders. Silk, organza, embroidery, crepe and lace. The finest silk, cotton, and goose feather linens and bed spreads. Designers include Ralph Lauren Home, Sophia Kah, Oscar de la Renta and Suzie Turner Couture. 

My favourite touch are Miranda Keyes designs; sand-eel headband and needlefish-tail headpieces (made to order).. For that fishy party.

Styling by Damian Foxe.

Underwater photographs by Zena Holloway. 

Floral art and design, seen throughout, by Jane Macfarlane-Duckworth for The Flower Union.