There’s no denying, the singular most inspiring aspect of fashion and beauty is that it’s transformational. It’s why, despite our disadvantages, I’ll always love being a woman because we’ve claimed the creativity to express different versions of ourselves more successfully than men. (There, I said it.)
Shout out to my wonderful friends at Swarovski for supporting me in bringing this editorial to life. My dream opportunity to envision myself in a whole series of characters from natural to glam and everywhere in-between and the jewellery - the ultimate complement to take me there. This is a homage to the transformational quality of every woman and the fashion and beauty tools in her arsenal (aided by some pretty fabulous lighting and digital tweaks!).
Let me address the mystery here of crediting the ‘photographer’, which I know I’ve been asked more times than I can count. I no longer use my old self-portrait methods because it’s ultra challenging to keep the subject in focus and time consuming - running back and forth to constantly check the preview and see if everything looks great (only to find you’ve sliced your head out of frame). I love to have a flow with my modelling, moving from pose to pose and stopping to regroup - so this time it was Gustav behind the lens! I select the settings, the framing, the focus points, the lighting, and he does the clicking. My handsome human tripod - and so much more!
I hope you like these images as much as I enjoyed making them; truly, it was a real thrill transforming my look, becoming a new person with each aesthetic. I hope it helps you see that many versions of yourself are possible. As women, we can use make-up and styling like an armour, sometimes life isn’t easy… adding a little sparkle and glamour can help. Thanks so much again Swarovski for lending these beautiful pieces to my million characters!
Photography, Gustav Carlson (kinda)
Creative Director, Styling and Editing, Zanita Whittington
Hair and Make-up, Linda Jefferyes
Supported by Swarovski
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