Monday, 18 February 2013

Ballerina Photoshooting at the Somerset House/Courtauld Gallery

Hi everyone !


Now that we are down into a new year full of interesting things to come,
I would like to start with one of the first modelling opportunities I had in 2013:
A very talented photographer, Paul Chambers (www.paulcphotography.co.uk ), proposed me to attend a ballerina photoshooting session within the Somerset House, at the Courtauld Gallery. I was obviously not difficult to convince as I really like doing ballet so it's always a pleasure for me to do it during shootings, I knew that Paul does good work for having worked with him before,
and the location looked simply amazing ! 

The full team was composed of four people: Paul, Laura and me (the models), and Nickie (the makeup artist). We had to prepare a lot in terms of the different ideas for makeup, outfits and poses to create on the day as the building’s architecture was very specific and we had to adapt the ballerina theme to it.
 
 Regarding the clothes, we managed to get a very satisfying set thanks
to the dancewear brand Sansha (www.sansha.com ) in Covent Garden, whose Store Manager
kindly agreed to let us borrow two outfits for the shooting.

The preparations started at 10am in the building with the hair and makeup makeovers.
It took each of us nearly 2 hours to get ready as the first hairstyle was a hair-down one,
I was getting so impatient because I wanted to start the shooting ! (even though the makeup artist, Nickie, was doing a wonderful job, well worth waiting for)

 

     
                                                                                                                  Black tutu skirt from Sansha

For the first set of pictures, we had long tutus / dresses and hair-down.
Paul managed to find quite a few nice angles to make creative pictures using the interesting architecture
of the library, by playing with lights and contrasts.



      
                                                        Black pointe shoes from Sansha



I started the first shooting session in the library of the Courtauld Gallery – most pictures were nearby windows, sometimes at a higher level and it could be difficult to maintain balance with the pointe shoes. But I am very satisfied with the result and it was well worth the risk taken !



 

   
Black pointe shoes from Sansha


  


 
The second set of pictures was done in the main hall of the Courtauld Gallery.
For this one we used the short black and white tutus from Sansha, for a better contrast
as we were both on the pictures. We had either similar or opposed positions, in order to create scenes or movements, and then we also did pictures one by one.
 
 
 
 
The movement pictures were the most interesting ones to make as the effect is usually more impressive, but they were also the most challenging ones to make as the main hall's floor was quite slippery.
 
 
                                                 

                                                    
                               Black & white tutu skirts, white leotard and black pointe shoes from Sansha


The shooting finished at 5:30 in the evening, and a few days later
we received the wonderful pictures from Paul.
 

     
                                                                                                                 Black tutu skirt from Sansha

          
Black & white tutu skirts, white leotard and black pointe shoes from Sansha

This was another interesting experience for me, which definitely motivates me to do further modelling !

I will do a few reminders of the last Milan Fashion Week as the next one approaches, with the shows of Salvatore Ferragamo and Marni ! Coming soon on my blog, so check out for any updates !


 

 

Sunday, 11 November 2012

Giuseppe Zanotti S/S 13, Milan Fashion Week

 Hi everyone !
 
Today's article will be all about shoes, but very special ones: Giuseppe Zanotti Design !
 
On the 22nd September 2012, the designer presented his new shoes collection in the very trendy Via Montenapoleone in Milan. Several rooms were presenting the full collection with the different sets of shoes created, while Giuseppe Zanotti was giving interviews to the press:
 
 
 
 
 
The collection was divided into different parts:
 
The first highlight of the collection was the pair of shoes named Summertime,
a tribute to Audrey Hepburn's sandals in the 1955 movie of the same name. GZD recreated the stylish
design with a modern twist: he added high heels to enhance even more the feminity and seduction
brought by this pair, and added an ankle strap to support the foot and add an accessorizing effect.
Finally for a luxury appearance the shoes are encrusted with ruby-red crystals.
The result is a very special pair of evening shoes for a very special girl !
 
 
 
 
The second big launch of the collection is the Cruel Summer pair, created by GZD in collaboration with US rapper Kanye West, and launched on the same day (18th September) as his album with the same name. The designer echoed the album cover, creating an impressive sculpture-like design of ice flames.
 
 
 
Kanye West album Cruel Summer                                                                 GZD's shoes Cruel Summer                                  
 
 
On this same Fashion Week presentation, GZD of course also introduced his new S/S 2013 collection, inspired by Africa. This season, the designer wanted to emphasize everything that represents the continent: its energy, symbols and colours. This new collection aims at creating an ethno-glam African Queen through the use of warm and natural materials like suede, leather and nappa. The shoes are still adorned with fringes, gold elements as well as glossy red parts standing out on the wild leopard patterns.
 
 
GZD for women
 
 
 
 
GZD for men
 
 
 
 
The main pair of shoes of this collection, the Fire-Wing sandals, represents the impressive effect wanted by the designer and the warm and luxurious contrast of black and gold.
 
 
Fire -Wing sandals, GZD
 
 
The jewellery of the same collection follows the same scheme of impressive shapes,
this time similar to bones coming right out of an African desert, and turned to gold by the sun.
 
 
   
 
 
 
The highlight of this jewellery collection is the gold body belt,
which was already worn by Beyonce for her video “Run the world”.

  
 
 
 A range of other celebrities also made the choice of Giuseppe Zanotti Design shoes
for the events they attended, including Lady Gaga for the launch of her Perfume Fame:
 

   
Gwyneth Paltrow                                                Jennifer Lopez
 
 

   
Jessica Alba                                                   Lady Gaga
 
 
My next Milan Fashion Week report will be on Roberto Musso.
Ferragamo, Gianfranco Ferre and many others still to come !