An Editorial fashion shoot - like a short film ...

This fashion shoot art directed and photographed in Firenze Italy is a great example of how like a film director an art director can be.

The creative team of photographer, models, stylist, hair and make up artists and art director can create a wonderfully evocative and compelling story to sell fashion with still images. Selling an aspirational notion, capturing the viewers imagination and making them want to be those people in that place is what it is all about.

The above fashion shoot is a modern day version of 'A Room with a View' by E.M Forster, set in Florence as was the book and famous film. It is simple and has an understated glamour. Beautifully photographed by Dee Ramadam this shoot is very well thought through and sequenced with brilliant attention to detail.

Summer Fashion Trends

I still like jumpsuits even though the maxi dress trend is tipped to continue into next summer too - this is a vintage jump suit from 'beyond retro' - I like Olly Patons styling ..... found this in todays Sunday Times style magazine. See my blog from June about jump suits....got to get one or make one...

The Summer Exhibition at the RA.......

I visited the Summer Exhibition at the RA this week. Though full of a seething mass of people the light bright high ceilinged rooms of the RA meant that the experience was far from claustrophobic and really very enjoyable indeed. This was because there was such a fabulous variety of style, shapes and textures and art work innovation, from traditional painting in oils, pastels or water colour to glass sculptures of meat and Gorillas made of silver coat hangers.

David Mach's work really stood out for me. I have always been a fan but seeing his work along side and a part of such a volume and variety of other work made it's quality even more obvious and it was a breath of fresh air when we eventually walked into the gallery where his Gorilla stood. It is a remarkable piece of work.

Copenhagen Fashion week -11th 15th August

click this article below to enlarge and read .... have you any friends who would like to get involved with 'World's Greatest Catwalk' ?

Paris couture Week - Christian Dior

The reports this week are that couture is far from a dying tradition. The order books are brimming apparently in the houses of Dior, Chanel, Lanvin, and many more. The names of wealthy Chinese and Russian buyers will be found on their pages in neat alphabetical order all willing to invest heavily in this art form and thus breathe life back into this bespoke, exclusive and quintessentially elitist method of clothing oneself.

Couture's influence will trickle down in time anyway into our high street fashion stores and ready to wear brands. It is a true art form that we should cherish and admire even if only a few can indulge in it's wearability and gold dust qualities.

This dress above is my favourite from the John Galliano show for Dior recently staged in Paris. It encapsulates all the innovative and indulgent qualities couture represents, but at the same time one can see the commercial potential of the piece.

Couture gives us glamour, a much needed ingredient in these more straightened times.

Student Show Case -Basso & Brooke brand campaign S/S 2010

I was very pleased with this Art Direction final project submitted by one of my students Lauren Young this term. The planning and creation of a practical photography shoot solution for promoting the Basso & Brooke brand was tackled as well as how the photography would look when completed on the pages of magazines such as Vogue or Harpers Bazaar. To do this Lauren has placed the Basso & Brooke logo on the facing page as I suggested and considered how the shots should be cropped for maximum impact. The location was also sourced and priced in order to calculate the production cost of the shoot. Going the extra mile has given her a great presentation.

I must say that all my students this term have produced some out standing work and I wish them well with their future careers.