I don't often update this blog (my facebook page is most often updated), so here's self portraits that I've created over the past few months!
Self portrait - headdress by Creations by Liv Free
Self portrait - headdress by Creations by Liv Free
Self portrait - headdress by Creations by Liv Free
As a lot of my photography work is shot months in advance of being released, I usually have to hold on to images for a while, so I'll have more images to show soon!
I did one of these last year, so I thought I'd have a little look back at my looks this year!
Firstly, the more colourful looks.
I think this was the year that I finally embraced pastels as an option - I've always been adverse to pinks and pastels but I'm coming around to the idea of using them in my colour palette!
As I've also been working at Cahoots (a 1940s themed bar in London) fairly regularly, and some 1920s/30s themed events, I've been doing a lot of vintage-esque looks. I'm not particularly interested in being authentic, so I prefer to look anachronistic (besides, there were also "freaks" around in the '40s too!) and put my own twist on an era's fashion.
I hope you had a wonderful 2015!
As I mentioned in my previous post, Finnish designer Mirjam Lehtonen had lent me some pieces to use for styling a music video. To thank her, and make the most of the costumes, I shot some self portraits, some of which also included other pieces we borrowed for the video, styled in a different way (those pieces I've mentioned below the images, everything else is by Mirjam).
Mouthpiece by Bakeneko Designs
Mask by Bakeneko Designs
Feathers by Lovechild Boudoir
Around June (also around the time we started moving to a new flat), my partner Mark Charade started working on a new music video for Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind. Having created their previous video, the band looked to him again to create a vision for a rockier, darker song.
With the option to do as he wished, but with little budget, Mark began thinking of options and gathering ideas. Looking at Alexander McQueen's catwalk shows, Floria Sigismondi and Joel-Peter Witkin, he wanted a kind of decaying opulence to the video.
I jumped on board as a producer, cat-wrangler and stylist. It's not my first time styling something, but gathering and creating outfits that can be moved in by various different models is quite a task!
Myself, wearing amazing creations by Mirjam Lehtonen and a crown by Bakeneko Designs
After months of work and prep, I'd pulled together a stunning collection of couture pieces from across Europe. Each of the amazing models (and I have no clue how some of them moved so much in some of the pieces!) was transformed into something dangerous and otherworldly. They did an astounding job taking on the roles that the clothing thrust upon them, completely channelling demonic vibes.
Watch the full video below.
Go to the Vimeo page to see the full list of credits, but as I'll be discussing the styling below, here are the designers that kindly lent pieces.
Mirjam Lehtonen
Magdelene Celeste
Bakeneko Designs
Carapace London
Syban
Boom Boom Baby
Lovechild Boudoir
Peek & Beau
Mirjam Lehtonen's pieces are the most recognisable in the video, as she kindly sent through 3 different full outfits, and headpieces. Her work is exactly the kind of thing I had in mind when we were thinking up ideas. Extreme couture, detailed and exquisite, with metal work and "unwearable" pieces. I've also shot some portraits of her work, and will make sure to show the details.
The black dress and helmet above, white outfit, and all metal pieces are from Mirjam.
I wanted something that would move well for Nadia (above), so I picked out a set from Peek & Beau, which has ombre red tassels across the bra and brief. I love the contrast of the lingerie against the harsh metal headwear (from Mirjam).
Angelica styled herself mostly, because she's amazing! The only things I added in were the feather collar from Lovechild Boudoir, and beetle eye mask and mouthpiece from Bakeneko Designs.
I've been working with Bonnie (of Bakeneko Designs) for many, many years now, since her previous brand Amore de Mori. Although she took a break and has recently been creating again, I can see a big difference in her work as her ideas have developed. Taxidermy accessories became all the rage, most of which either wasn't very good, or didn't respect and reflect the beauty of life and death. I really love the new pieces she's created, using the beetle shells as jewels and the tooth mouthpiece below is nightmare-inducing (because good art should disturb you).
Although you can't see it too well in this screenshot, I styled Suri Sumatra in a beautiful red and black feather dress by Magdalene Celeste. I chose a Marie Antoinette style wig of my own collection and a metal facepiece from Mirjam Lehtonen; mixing beauty and danger together, like a bird of prey.
Hopefully I'll be getting involved in more styling projects in the future!
I haven't written in here for a while as I've been so busy! In the interim, I travelled to Chicago and New York, and have been assisting my partner on some video projects. More about those later!
If we have time, we always attempt to take a Halloween photoshoot at Playful Promises (last year's theme was Victorian Spiritualism), despite this being one of the busiest times of the year, leading up to Christmas. I wasn't quite sure what we could do that would be different to previous years (in 2013 we did a semi-B-movie style shoot and 2012 was cat inspired), and not be typically "spooky".
I started thinking of '70s horror films, in particular the strong colours of Suspiria and some of Lauren Thurman-King's amazing work.
Miss Deadly Red is one of my favourite people to shoot at the moment, and she was such a good sport about wearing smelly fangs, being covered in blood and having a fake eyeball shoved in her mouth.
Shop for the lingerie featured in the images here!