City of Colour – Miami’s 2019 Spring fashion Behind the Scenes
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“VIBRANT COLORS & BOLD PRINTS ARE THE PERFECT RECIPE TO STAND OUT THIS SPRING“
We would like to take you behind the scenes of our cover story.
Since the 80s, Miami has been a place to see and be seen. Our pristine beaches and mild weather provide a safe haven for many celebrities and socialites.
From the opulent parties of South Beach to the upscale high rises of Brickell, one thing we all can agree on; Miami is a place of extravagance. It is a city of beautiful people that live to stand out from the crowd. We wanted to capture this essence into a fashion story.
When it comes to executing a successful fashion editorial, a team that works well together is key. Every person is an important piece of the big puzzle, from assistant to photographer to retoucher. Good communication from the photographer sets the mood and allows everyone to have a clear idea of what we are going for.
Our creative team (based in Miami) started with the talented photographer Olga Miljko @olgamiljkophoto, me as a wardrobe stylist (@annaruiz.mia), hair by Julia Brig (@juliabrigmua) and makeup by Maggie Strunk (@closetrich).
The brainstorming stage starts with scouring the web for images that would serve as inspiration for the direction we are going to take. After a few mood boards, we realized that need to do something original that resembles nothing out there. Our plan was to tell a story using specific locations throughout the city, incorporating latest trends in spring fashion.
We picked a date and selected our beautiful model – Laken. Next were the locations and picking them entailed many miles of walking throughout Miami on foot. We wanted to have access to places where cars can’t go. City of Miami gave us a permit and the photographer made sure that we have insurance for anything that might happen that day.
VIBRANT COLORS AND BOLD PRINTS ARE THE PERFECT RECIPE TO STAND OUT
Once I knew exactly what looks I am going for, I reached out to Samanta and Marioxy from Saks Fifth Avenue, Dadeland. The pull day was scheduled for Friday, and thanks to Marioxy it went very smooth. I’ve picked some beautiful YSL shoes and put together several looks with Maje suit and Delfi skirt. However, I soon realized that I’m missing some statement pieces. Every Saks Fifth Avenue store has slightly different selection, I needed to figure out something. It was almost closing time and I needed a Monday appointment to pull together our final looks. I’ve contacted Adrienne from Saks Bad Harbour and she basically saved my life! She quickly gave me another appointment on at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bal Harbour, where I got statement pieces like Balmain and Off-white tops, and my favorite purple leather pants by Attico. Working with professionals that understand the industry makes my job a true pleasure!
As a wardrobe stylist, it is my duty to take great care of the items that are lent to my team by luxury retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue. Making sure that model’s makeup does not come in contact with any garments is a must. Taping the bottoms of shoes so that they go back to the store in perfect condition is another trick I use. Basically, all garments have to be meticulously cared for and kept in bags when not used. After the shoot it is important to inspect everything and make sure all items are in perfect condition and ready to go back on the rack.
The day before our shoot, I checked the weather and to my disbelief it was going to be a stormy day. All items were pulled, everyone was ready to go and we were going to shoot no matter what.
A night of positive thinking and hopes for some sunshine surprisingly paid off. We do live in Miami after all. Our day started at 5 am with hair and makeup underway, as I steamed all garments to be worn. The dark clouds, as though they heard our prayers, moved North and left a gorgeous sunrise over Miami.
The first two looks were finished quickly. Hair and makeup was expertly changed on site and we found ourselves being surrounded by pedestrians curiously asking us what the shoot was for. From one location to the next, it was all coming together! As we were almost finished, the universe was not going to make it easy for us. The wind picked up and it started to drizzle. We were all on our toes nervously trying to make it work as fast as possible. Our model’s clothing, makeup and hair was being changed all at the same time in the middle of a busy street. A sight to be seen! We wrapped our shoot around 5 pm, with twelve hours of non stop work behind us. Tired, hungry and very happy, our shoot was a success.
It is so important to be able to improvise while shooting in several locations. Many logistics need be taken into account, from weather to traffic conditions, even to parking for the whole team. Plan B and even Plan C need to be firmly in place. The uncertainty is what makes it all so exciting. Seeing our hard work come together and being able to share it with you is what makes all stress worth it!
