Fashion Styling: Models

This is another styling project I have done. Model was Norea and Photographers: Joe & Celine from Mr & Miss Stencils. Talk about efficiency! I did this shoot only a few days ago.

Norea is a really, really tall model (aren’t they all, next to me) and this is what I put her in;

Purple is her favourite colour, so here I draped multiple necklaces around her neck, mostly beaded, al in different shades of purple and silver. This actually features what is a summer dressing gown, but you wouldn’t know! Styling is all about being creative and innovative with clothing & fabrics as well as accessories.

Animal print suits Noreas skin tone perfectly, as people with darker skin can wear animal print much easier than those with lighter skin – it tends to look too trashy. I also dressed her in a high waisted skirt to show off not only her fantastically long legs but her slim waist and great figure. Women of all sizes & shapes can wear pencil skirts, its always a flattering cut if you get the right length.

I also chose to dress her in a multi coloured, bright print, as it shows how much colour Norea can wear. She easily suits all colours with her skin tone matching all the different tones on the top. A thin belt placed above her hips, elongates her torso by creating 2 sections making her torso look extra long, lengthening and slimming her.

Norea can easily wear ankle boots as it doesn’t cut her legs short. Because her calves and ankles are so slim, it makes her look slimmer and cuts it off at the thinnest part, as she has size 10 shoes (8 is women’s average). A pump shoe would have widened her foot too much and would not have created such an appealing aesthetic. I have dressed her in short shorts, coming right up to the top of her thigh, to keep her legs looking long – a long skirt would make made her legs look short and stumpy teamed with ankle boots.

The vibrancy of the blue in this dress really brings out her facial features as Penny Ngu (makeup artist) has perfectly highlighted them with colour. Norea has the height to wear a maxi dress and dressing her in shoes that snake up her ankle only enhances this.

Big thankyou to Norea who was a dream to work with, really easy to instruct and Joe & Celine who took these awesome pics.

Thanks Penny as well for a great job on makeup as usual!

I think these are fantastic photos, and Norea looks great, what do you think?

Interview!

Check out my interview with Its Geek Chic!
Special Guest Candice Van Haltren from Perth Fashionista


And find out the answers to:

What gave you the inspiration to set up your blog?
What are your top 5 tips for other bloggers?
What is your top tip for someone just starting out?Has blogging opened up doors for you with new contacts and conversations you may never had otherwise had?

Part of her Project Blogger errr...project I guess.
For all you stalkers out there - get some more goss on your favourite person - ME!
:P

Photo Shoot - Moodboards

I worked on a shoot yesterday for the 4 seasons, mainly beauty shots, it incorporated prop styling rather than clothing. I just thought I would share the mood boards with you as I think they’re really pretty!

These are conceptual photos – so everyone working is on the same page about the ideas behind the shoot. This gives everyone an idea of what they will look like, what we are wanting to achieve and the theme. Great inspiration – there are some very talented people out there! 

Kate Moss - Designer Collaboration

Just checked out what Kate Moss is doing for TopShop. Here are my favourites;

Limited Edition: they do ship overseas!!

Support Perth Fashion Events!

And this great cause;

I cant, because Im meeting with an art director tonight to discuss styling a magazine centrefold! More details to come!

Fashion Styling with Handbags!

A shoot I recently prepped and styled has been dubbed the “One Piece Shoot’ This is a really cool concept that I have wanting to do for a while and luckily was approached by photographer Deanne Smith to work on this concept with her and a team of models, MUA and the like.

The idea behind this shoot is that each model and each image features only items, and rather than do clothing, we are doing a more unconventional way of “dressing”.

I wanted to make it a rather ‘high fashion’ feel, and have scarves and bracelets and accessories as the focus – making it ‘lush’ and glamorous.

I approached Lisa & David of Ma’ki Itemz who sell Italian leather bags about sourcing handbags off them, and they were more than happy to help out. 

I also spoke to Rae-lee who runs an online store ‘Funky Fashions Boutique’.

Both parties loaned a generous amount of their stock, and at first, I was almost overwhelmed – there were so many I thought we would never get all the bags shot! However, as I started I realised, we actually used each bag, some multiple times!

So a big thankyou to their generosity, time and effort.

Due to Deanne’s incredibly speedy efficiency, the photos were done in no time! The fantastic results are below – all handbags pictured are available for sale now! Please visit

(All bags with the Fleur de Lis are from Funky Fashions, all other leather handbags are from Ma’ki Itemz)

I really liked this shoot, it was fun to work on, styling without clothing, and just using accessories. Any accessories always add that 'finished' look to any outfit, making you look as if you've thought about what you're wearing.

So check out their website/s and get yourself some new handbags!

Pardon My French - Perth designers

The other day I attended a showing of Pardon My French’s latest collection as well as her older collection on sale. There are some bargains so email her at pardonmyfrenchwench@hotmail.com if you are interested in anything that is for sale!

Freya Brice is the designer, and I got her to answer a few questions.

The idea behind my current collection.... is nature. I am always inspired by nature.

Growing up around the beach, country, and easygoing lifestyle I design easy to wear day to night garments.

Beautiful print patterns of leaves, trees are included in this range, reflecting Autumn to Winter.

My favourite piece is.... a tie between the Dream playsuit, and Tick Tock pants. 

Although I do love every piece of this range for 2011!

The best thing about being a designer.... is inspiration and expression.

 I am free to express the things I love through designing pieces I love. 

The next thing for Pardon My French is.... a very exciting Spring Summer range! 

I will be broadening my designs for summer across to bathers and jewellery. 

Pardon My French will be mainly producing ranges for Spring and Summer, not Autumn and Winter.

In 5 years I see myself.... hopefully living off the thing I love doing, designing. 

My label is currently stocked at.... Shop 28, WA. Also Ink and Anchor Tattoo Artspace, New Plymoth NZ. 

My Autumn Winter 2011 range will also be available at Ink and Anchor Tattoo Artspace in NZ as well as online store Eskay affairs (www.eskayaffairs.com).

 Also still in talks with a few other local stores.

Thanks Freya, we wish you all the best!

What the %$#!*? is a stylist?

To be honest, it still surprises me how many people don’t know what a stylist does.

Of course, if you’re in the fashion industry, I would be appalled – BUT, the general public seem to be confused. Ive been asked ‘Do you take the photos?’ and I say no, then I would say I was a photographer.

I get asked if I'm the model, if I do the hair or makeup....so all the other parties that are involved in fashion and styling seem to be well known.

However, I have compiled a little definition for you from various sources to give everyone who isn’t sure what a stylist is.

stylist  (ˈstaɪlɪst)
— n
1.	A designer whose job it is to coordinate the style of products, advertising material, etc
2.	someone who selects and coordinates clothing, accessories, and props to create a certain image or look for published editorial features, print or digital advertising campaigns
3.	The person responsible for creating the scene to be photographed
4.	an expert who uses art and science to make people and objects look good in order to make a statement

So we’re the ones, running into boutiques, choosing dresses, tops and pants, piling clothes in the back of our cars, ironing them, steaming them, organising them into outfits, getting jewellery and shoes (all in the right sizes of course), setting up the clothes racks, buying more coathangers, pinning, clipping and tucking clothes to look right, jumping in the frame to readjust scarves, creating the setting sometimes, getting the props just the way we want them so you, the client, can end up with a great final result.

If we weren’t there, who would do all this? I don’t know.

But I guarantee you, the results would not be anywhere close to the high quality of work that comes from having one of us on hand.

So here’s to stylists! The unsung hero of the industry.

Betty Sugar Launch Pics

Photography by Jarrad Seng

More Fashion Events in Perth

Bikini's for Your Body this Summer

I was lucky enough the other week to be working the Cebiche Swimwear ad campaign – a great Brazilian-inspired, Western Australian based swimwear designer.

Unlike a lot of other, Hayley takes a really different approach to swimsuits, as we all know, not everyone suits a bikini. BUT, her designs are based on the fact that everyone does have different body shapes and types so she has swimwear pieces that enhance your best features and downplay the ones that aren’t so great.

Working with her on set, she was very particular about what models wore which swimsuit – titled ‘need a lift’, ‘curvy’, ‘pear shaped’, ‘busty’, ‘boy shape’ and more –Hayley has designed styled of bikinis that will flatter all body types.

Photography for this campaign was done by Ben Riches and the other fabulous stylist was Karamea of DeA Styling ( she also has a blog, check it out here) and assistant Andrea Daclan. The models were all stunning as usual, and probably looked good in anything! Some great MUA’s on set as well, with waterproof makeup coming in handy!

Here are some amazing shots from the shoot.

View my website to see the full portfolio versions and the photos in all their glory! www.cvhstyling.com

All swimsuits pictured are available to buy NOW at www.cebiche-swimwear.com

CREDITS

Photography: Ben Riches

Models: Holly, Amanda, Jade, Paige & Loren

Styling: Candice Van Haltren & Karamea of DeA Styling

Makeup Artists: Claire Luu & Shelly Meyer of Minx Cosmetics

Hair stylists: Tia & Jo od Cafe Styles Fremantle

Location: Appealathon Home by Zorzi Builders in Dalkeith.