Fashion

The Flower Shop

Collaborations • Editorials

by CHANEL

Photographer Vanessa Jackman
Assisted by Frances Davison
Creative Direction Peony Lim

I always believe in saving the best to last.

This is my favourite of the three Chanel Couture looks I worked with. The endless layers of embellishment, the colours and the cut all scream luxury and yet there is an effortlessness about the way the details are scattered across the clothes, like they fell at random from a tree. Wearing it made me feel like the most exotic cherry blossom tree.

When I was working on the concept of this series, it was this shot that I built the idea around. A living flower amongst the blooms. A flower shop full of Chanel petals. A colourful magical fantasy. Like my namesake I love as many petals as I can get. I have always wanted to shoot in at Wild at Heart. Walking past you have to stop to enjoy the huge buckets of flowers and foliage. It really is a street-stopping shop. Finally I found a shoot that deserved this location.

 

All the pieces featured in the Chanel Flower series (one & two) are Chanel Haute Couture Spring Summer 2015.

 

This shoot was a huge team effort, I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who helped me. Vanessa Jackman for her beautiful photographs, direction and creativity. Frances Davison for her support, muck in attitude and invaluable practicality. All the divine girls over at Chanel who made this happen. Le Salon for the flawless manicure and finally Wild at Heart for letting us use their stunning Pimlico store as a backdrop.

Photos by Vanessa Jackman
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Fashion

A Pocket of Blossom

Collaborations • Editorials

by CHANEL

Photographer Vanessa Jackman
Assisted by Frances Davison
Creative Direction Peony Lim

 

It’s hard to explain the workmanship, skill and time that goes into creating a piece of Haute Couture. When you first see a piece close up and realise that what looked like fabric at a distance was in fact feathers, or what appeared to be sequinned is made of custom linen bead and you begin to realise that it is more art than fashion. Every part of each garment is made with love.

For this second look I wanted to show the dress at ‘work’, in movement and with life. Picking flowers and lightly moving in the wind you get a real feel for the texture of this dress. It was as light as air and yet had a structure of the greatest elegance.

The idea of doing ‘manual labour’ in couture seems ludicrous and yet I really believe that clothes are made to be worn. I love and treasure everything in my closet, and all the beautiful samples I’m lucky enough to work with. Yet I do wear them. I have several friends who are frightened to use their bags or wear their clothes incase they are damaged, but there is something about that which is so sad and unloved. Couture is made for your body and should be worn like a glove in absolute comfort and luxury. I hope this editorial will inspire you to go into the back of your closet and pull out that precious piece and wear it.

Nothing should be too precious to be loved.
Couture is Fashion’s longest and most precious love affair.

Photos by Vanessa Jackman
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Fashion

Powder Winds

Collaborations • Editorials

by CHANEL

Photographer Vanessa Jackman
Assisted by Frances Davison
Creative Direction Peony Lim

Who gets to wear a tulle cape? Seriously, is this the stuff of princess dreams or what? When we were shooting this look, a little girl walked past with her father, it was a Saturday, in front of Wild at Heart and the food market on Pimlico Green was in full swing – needless to say we had a bit of an audience. He pointed and me and said… “Darling what do you think? Is it a princess dress?”, she replied “I like this one best!”. Winning the hearts of a small girl’s and grown women everywhere, Chanel continues to be the source of feminine magic. I like to think I might have sparked the imagination of one little girl who will grow up dreaming of Coco.

When Chanel came to me and asked if I wanted to shoot the Couture collection for them it felt like a one-in-a-million opportunity to create something really special. I instantly thought of Vanessa Jackman, who I have know since before this site existed. She is one of the original streetstyle photographers who opened the path for me to be here today. She has since developed a strong film photography style that is the envy and inspiration for so many. Dusty and glowing, her images have a wonderful atmosphere of light and texture that evokes a calm femininity that is totally unique to her as a person, as well as her work. Together we created three looks around the collection, of which this is the first.

I have always loved the Once Wed images of veils and misty winds, this was my chance to make it happen (hopefully with less bridal references!). You cant tell in the photos but on the day the weather was so windy, it was a genuine struggle to get a shot wear I wasnt eating my hair. Somehow we got there though, with much help from Frances and a hair brush. To say it was cold would be a huge understatement, as the goosebumps in the photos show, but I love the powdering cold Wuthering Heights atmosphere that it created in the photos.

 

Photos by Vanessa Jackman
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