Photo shoot @ Elle magazine China

hair & make-up artists work their magic 

yes, models eat!

Paradise: selection of clothes and accessories for the shoot 

Left: Elle Fashion Editor Hubert, and Hair stylist with model preparing for the shoot

The shoot

Behind the scenes...

Hong Kong photographer with his assistant

Fabulous outfit

Posing with a tank full of sharks

Showcasing two different boots, LV and Gucci... x

The final cut - December issue of Elle China

Thank you Elle China - Shanghai! xxx

Unpacking clothes for the photo shoot

Above and below: Ferragamo braid detail stiletto ankle boots

Below: Jimmy Choo heel 

                                                                                  

Above: Faux fur vest

                      Above: Feather Skirt H&M below: Chanel Jacket

                   

                  

                Louis Vuitton Shimmer ankle boots in sequin embroidered fabric

                  

LV Shimmer ankle boots available in gold & black 

LV Shimmer ankle boots available in gold & black & knee length

LV Blossom heel in alligator leather with roses 

Chanel black & gold suede ankle wedge shoe

                   

          Above: Fendi Boots & below: view of Shanghai's Pearl Tower from the office window

Day 4

ELLE magazine

第四天 - Day 4

Day 4                                                                             Thursday October 15, 2009

Today is filled with unpacking deliveries from the fashion houses we visited yesterday, admiring all the clothes we picked and trying beautiful shoes on!  Shoes, shoes, shoes, Chanel, Fendi, Feragamo, Gucci and Jimmy Choo – woo hoo!

Lots of happy snaps are taken today of expensive and nice shoes which were on my feet.  The last box we were waiting on to unpack was Dior, but I left before it arrived.  Among the joys and fun, it was a funny old day, I had a few tears as well and a call from an aunty back in Oz calling just to see how I was and tell me she loved me, which made me cry even more.  Although having this great experience at a fabulous fashion magazine, it was hard not speaking the language as the interns were talking between themselves in Chinese, I wanted a pick me up and couldn’t get through on the Chinese network to my husband’s mobile, I felt somewhat sad, I was foreigner in an energetic city where everyone around me was having a fun, happy time while I felt down in a city that was buzzing with excitement.  I was being hard on myself and I put it down to having a bad day and feeling tired from not getting enough sleep.  Big bags had taken a gathering under my eyes and while this experience is full of charm, fun and dreams it is also heart wrenching and real, bringing up things from inside that you buried deep before but somehow resurface in the most unsuspecting times.  I was walking along Nanjing Lu trying to hide the tears welling in my eyes and tricking down my cheeks behind an oversized pair of sunglasses.  The sun was bright and shining, it was warm and everyone around me was happy and I felt like pouring my heart out… I just wanted some love from someone… anyone…?  Yes, I was having a moment, but after I stopped trying to push it away and just allow the feelings to be I felt better.  So I picked myself up headed back to the office for more ellexperience.

When I got back to the office I watched over the shoulders of the art design team as they put the pages of elle magazine together.  It was interesting to see they use InDesign and Mac computers with huge screens and it was exciting to see the pages of the magazine come together, I loved it and the photos were fantastic!

There is a wall stacked with Elle magazines from around the world.  I had my eye out for Poland, but couldn’t find it.  The ones I liked the most were from France, Italy, Korea and Spain.  The Elle UK edition was a nice one to read for a change to something I could understand and connect with.

There is a great view of the Pearl tower from the office, it is brilliant.  It reminds me to be in the moment and capture the experience I'm having.  The events of the day have made me feel sleepy, I just hope to have a good night’s rest tonight and dissolve the bag imprint under my eyes.

p.s wait to you see photos of the great shoes I tried on today!

Day 3

ELLE magazine

第三天 - Day 3

Wednesday October 14, 2009

Today is fashion house day! Hooray! 

I’m dropped off in central Puxi on a gorgeous sunny morning in Shanghai where I’m meeting the Fashion Editor on our first fashion stop at H&M (Hennes & Mauritz) and I’m excited already…

I make my way through to the lobby of the building which leads to a corridor lined with elevator doors on both sides and an extensive list of tenants written in Chinese and an attempt in English… so I take a guess and hope for the best.  The elevator doors open at the 23rd floor and I step out in to unknown territory as I walk through the door of the fashion house and realize why this amazing space is kept hidden from those who don’t know it’s location….

It’s amazing; I’m taken away by what’s behind the door of the H&M fashion house on the 23rd floor of a busy Shanghai city scraper.  Lined with floor to ceiling windows looking out on to the city skyline and bustling traffic below, the walls of the room are filled with racks of glittering outfits, posing mannequins, Fashion Editors from various magazine and merchandise buyers.  Tucked around the corner is a small open plan space for H&M PR which equally gets a share in the magic view. 

Next stop is Max Mara, which is not only less impressive as the last stop in terms of location but also because Editors from other fashion magazines have already picked through most of the clothes.  I have no idea which fashion houses are on the agenda for the day so I’m constantly excited wondering - where to next?

We arrive at Miss Sixty and pass Fashion Editors from Vogue in the lobby, the conversation is in Chinese and sounds friendly, I’m amazed at passing them by, but of course it’s common.  Much like their label, M60 has a great office space that is hip, funky, modern and ‘out there’ a pair of M60 jeans hangs on the wall and bright bold colours are painted on the office walls in yellow and green, typical of M60.  The range of clothes to choose from here is great and we find some interesting clothes to include in the Mix & Match shoot.

We stop off to have lunch at a noodle bar and get the chance to sit down and chat outside of work which is great because we can get to know each other.  There are so many interesting people who live and work in Shanghai and I am lucky enough to be having lunch with one of them. 

After lunch we continue to catch taxis all day from one fashion house to another in what seems like covering great distances across the city.  Once clothes are chosen they are packed in boxes by suppliers and sent back to the Elle home base.  It’s a big sense of relief to know we don’t have to carry bags let alone boxes of clothes with us and although it’s a fun day it’s also quite tiring, my excitement must have used up my reserve of energy because by the end of the day I am absolutely exhausted. 

Our last stop was accessories house: Dyrberg Kern.  Great stuff, it’s a Danish brand which sells accessories; watches, sunglasses, and fabulous pieces of jewellery with bright bold colours, chunky necklaces, jeweled and modern – we saved one of the best until last – it was the perfect way to end the day having some fun accessorizing with the jewellery; statement pieces as Debbie the host put it.

Fashion house fun

Shelves of clothes at the H&M fashion house.