She Bangs The Drums: Tribal Shoot for Noctis Magazine

Now I've felt unprepared for shoots before but when you're looking at sheer floral camis and thinking 'this'll do' for the male model, you know you've reached new heights of disorganisation. However, when you're assisting a stylist as lovely as Faye, who gets the makeup artist to paint your face for Team Stripes, you just know it's going to work out. With so few options for a last minute shoot, it really pushes you to be creative with the little materials you have. Necklaces turn into tribal cuffs whilst sheer and feminine vests somehow turn into the perfect accompaniment to that pale linen suit jacket.

It was tough, but little did I know at the time that it was a real excuse to get involved. Never before has my creative input been so appreciated, encouraged and credited. Having been sent to Beyond Retro on Brick Lane for a press appointment to pick out anything I wanted to use, it was all hands on deck. A quick trip to D S Dundee in Shoreditch for a quick whiskey with a photographer who actually took my portrait at LFW (London is a small world) and picking up bits and pieces from H by Hudson and Agi & Sam, it was a scramble to meet the tribal objective.

Now, the real tribal feathers and sand approach was already covered - we had to tackle tailoring. A subtle nod in the tribal direction whilst maintaining a combination of sleek high end and quirkly colour blocking. Easy enough right? Well, after teething problems such as Jelis the male model refusing the female tops and Olga being too athletic a build for some of the pieces (sample size hell.), we pulled it off and finished the day with a bottle of Rose. Because, trust me, it was needed.

The Final Shot : my styling of the green vintage Mac.

Weeks of preparation and research swapped in favour of 3 days is a challenge to say the least.

Check out Noctis Magazine Issue III in its entirety here. It's rather good.

C. x

Springtime in London

 It’s been a while. 

It seems to be that after throwing myself into the seasonal frenzy of trend reports and the latest platform shoe, I have had no choice but to buckle down behind the scenes and remember that we’re still dealing with an SS12 world despite the AW12 forecast. So, to update, my time since LFW has been spent enjoying the English Spring, with all its promise of pastels and candies falling short (as per) to deliver sporadic bursts of sunshine followed by rain and an Easter chocolate depression. As if, realistically, we really expected anything else. 

Regardless of this, I’ve still found time to busy myself on and off set. Fashionably late with my updates, I’ve been assisting with shooting for Noctis Magazine and the up-and-coming May issue of Who’s Jack. Away from one camera to another, there has been many an event to inspire from Medieval shindigs to Zombie Balls – and that is where I’m going to start. 

I am proud to hold friendships with eccentric young ladies who get up in the early hours of the morning to travel to trader’s markets all in the name of authenticity. After all, what banquet would be complete without a suckling pig?  Unfortunately, as much as I adore a night of costume, my previous status as a vegetarian left me staring at said pig in horror and placed me firmly in the dessert camp grilling figs.

Me attempting sultry, with a feather.

 The beautiful Adrien and Ciara. 

Effort holds so much value at an event such a this. When someone pours their heart, soul and need for sleep into a night, there is such a reward in seeing friendly faces applauding what have have achieved. Even Tim's tinfoil creation was a triumph in it's own little way whilst the girl's opted to raid their mother's wardrobes for vintage furs or, in my case, vintage Laura Ashley. A special mention must go to whoever really made the effort and decided to crack out an aged spirit and left many a head reeling the next day.  

Next up? A B-Movie Ball of course.

 

I have an unusual social life.

C.