Fashion Courts Controversy In Search Of The Perfect Shoot

By Sharmin Musca, Personal Stylist on March 21, 2013 in Other

After a week of torrential rain I was in a panic about an upcoming secret garden-style shoot. I hit the Internet to find the perfect weatherproof location but uncovered something startling. News headlines featured the impromptu shoot of fashion blogger Pelayo Diaz, of KateLovesMe.net, staged on the grounds of a Jewish War Memorial in Berlin! He claimed the memorial did not make him think of the past, only the future and, incredibly, found nothing untoward about using it as a backdrop to showcase his pink Céline bag, Balenciaga shoes and American Apparel hoodie. Three years earlier EasyJet made the same faux pas and subsequently pulled its in-flight magazine that showing models posing between the very same pillars.

With many editions around the globe it’s unsurprising that when Vogue dives into current affairs it can be hit and miss. Remember their glowing profile of the Syrian dictator’s wife, right before the Arab Spring uprising? Or the time they covered models in oil to commemorate the oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico? And who could forget French Vogue’s photo spread featuring heavily made-up ten year-olds depicted as grown women draped over beds and tiger skins?

In what looks like another miss, US Vogue’s February issue features a tribute to the ‘heroes’ of Hurricane Sandy, the super storm that killed hundreds and caused billions of dollars of damage. Shot by uber photographer, Annie Leibovitz, the spread uses models-of-the-moment Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls, among others, to help ‘celebrate’ the heroic efforts of firefighters, hospital staff and emergency personnel. Sadly, these heroes look more like uncomfortable props, a mere background for a bevy of models in designer gowns.

Thankfully, attention-grabbing shoots are but a few in a sea of incredibly creative and inspiring fashion spreads. A quick flick through any fashion mag doesn’t reveal what’s involved behind-the-scenes to create the perfect image. Pre-production (including the prep of a photographer, fashion and hair stylist, and make-up artist), the shoot itself and post-production can take weeks, producing just a handful of photographs. Unfortunately, sensitivities are sometimes lost in this creative process.

On the streets this month I found…

Name: Vanessa
Occupation: Assistant sales manager
Lives: Surry Hills
Fave Item This Season: Givenchy’s ‘Nightingale’ paisley bag
Street Style: While out in Bondi Junction, Vanessa wears a custom neckpiece and ring by Sunnie Shin, Sass and Bide pants, Witchery top, Pedro Garcia shoes and bag by Phillip Lim.

Name: Toni
Occupation: Clinic manager
Lives: Waverley
Fave Item This Season: Stella McCartney’s leopard-print ‘Falabella’ tote
Street Style: On her way out to drinks, Toni wears a dress by Secret South, bag from Zara, cuff from a store in Surry Hills and shoes by Sergio Rossi.

To book Sharmin for a style makeover or to update your wardrobe with a personal shopping trip call 0405 518155 or find her at facebook.com/personalstylist.net.au.