Friday 29 May 2009

CHANEL CRUISE SHOW IN VENICE

It's friday morning..I'm lost in the courtyard of the Universita' Politecnico di Milano trying to find a studio room that nobody seems to know...when my agent calls...
Next week I'm going to Venice to do the Chanel cruise show!
how exciting!

This is how it went..

14th of May Central Station of Milan 8am:
bunch of people with big luggage looking at the time screen waiting for the platform number to come out, destination: Venice.
On the train we were chatting and catching up, we’re from the same agency but haven’t seen each other from fashion week, so there’s a lot to say.
Arrived in Venice they pick us up and take us to the hotel…This time though it’s not a taxi but a boat, I’m already excited! Even though I’ve been in Venice few times already I never get tired or bored of it, same magical feeling, same sensation of being in a past era.
The hotel is amazing, and its’ all booked for Chanel staff and guests especially for the show. This is called class.
Apparently Coco Chanel spent a holiday at Lido di Venezia, the whole collection is dedicated to it. Even the backstage passes had a beautiful vintage drawing on it (I’m using mine as a pendant..)



Just about enough time for the check-in and in half an hour it's the call time, on the 3rd floor.
While we wait Tatiana Patziz is passing by, my eyes and mouth are about to get wide open but I keep it cool, like I see top models from the 90’s every day…
We go to the big balcony and the view is WOW, I will never forget the colour of the see that day, the breeze, the nervousness mixed with excitement..
The make up room is massive. Everything is tidy, perfectly organised. Big lightened mirrors, white sheets on the table. Every table has a selection (huge one) of Chanel make up on it and the name of the artist who will sit there. (This is like it should be, you go at some shows and you don’t even have a centimetre of space to work..)
Then Peter Philip arrives, and send us to lunch! It’s going to be a long day and we need to be fed.
The buffet is downstairs, by the sea… paradiselike. I’m not particularly hungry, I’m always like that before an important job, must be stress, but I know that later on I will regret it so I force myself.
Back to work we start following Peter’s demo, here the description of the make up look:
-The inspiration comes from the 20's, the slapper look, very heavy eyes and pale skin.
For the base we used PRO LUMIERE liquid foundation for a light dewy skin. We didn’t use foundation or concealer on the eye lids.
On the eyes EYE GLOSS from LUMINOUS CREAM QUADRA EYESHADOW a beautiful palette of creamy colours: red, black, gold and pearl.
On each table there was a list with the names of the models, and near each name there was the instruction for which coluor use between the black and red cream shadows.
The colour was smudged all along the eyelid and blended up to the brow bone on a round shape.
Heavy khol black liner on the rim of the eyes, also smudged outside the lashline which goes to be blended with the cream colour applied underneath as well.
Lashes were curled but not too much to prevent them from hitting the back of the eye area and ruin the make up (we all know cream eyeshadow smudges very easily) coated with WATERPROOF IRRESISTABLE MASCARA in black.
Brows filled in but very lightly, no specific shape.
No contour, only blusher FRESQUE 58 on the apples of the cheeks.
Lip balm on the lips, the lipstick will be applied later on, on the line.
All the make up we used was CHANEL only -

The room quickly fills in with models, I see Myf who I met at Pucci last season and she sees me and come straight away to my table. Myf is very easy going, I like that, I like working with models like her, especially at the shows.

Everything goes very smooth, no “delirio” situations, in a couple of hours they get make up, nails and hair done and they look FAB!.

Downstairs, on the line is actually a DELIRIO. All the dressers screaming names, hundred of people passing by, photographers.., flashes, the usual..then the music starts and the girls catwalk on the beach. It was marvellous. I can’t describe it any longer, this was the job that makes you think that all the sacrifices are worth it, I feel very lucky to have had such an opportunity.

This is the video:



And some pictures:









Monday 25 May 2009

MADRID HAIR SHOW FOR REDKEN

TAKTIK hair has become one of my regular clients. Working for them is great cos' you get to travel, staying in beautiful hotels but most important their shows are always different and creative and I get the chance to experiment too.
We had as usual cut and colour on stage, 2 models for the "FORME" (shapes) session, and 4 models for the fantasy theme "THE MONGOLIANS".
We worked under pressure, we only had 5 hours to do everyhting..in a smallish backstage where the light wasn't ideal..but we made it, as usual it was a big success.

Here some pictures:


THE MONGOLIANS











MAKE UP TRIAL FOR "THE MONGOLIANS" LOOK




INSPIRATION








THE "FORME"







FACE CHART FOR THE "FORME" MAKE UP



MAKE UP TRIAL









THE HOTEL




PS!! I HAD 5 GIRLS HELPING ME OUT, THEY WERE GREAT. IF YOU RE IN SPAIN AND NEED MAKE UP ARTISTS I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM: LAURA GOMEZ ALONSO, TATIANA SOLER, VIRGINIA MARTIN, LAURA GONZALEZ ORTIZ, CARLA BERCIAL.
(for their details send me an e-mail).

more pictures to come!!

Sunday 24 May 2009

TEST SHOOT BACKSTAGE

A test shoot is an opportunity for the team of photographer, stylist, model, make up and hair to produce pictures to put on their portfolios, websites, etc..
It's is generally not paid (in London and Milan from my experience, I've heard that in NY is different..) but a great chance to work with new people, to experiment and being creative.
In London you have this very good website called WHOISTESTING.COM where you only have to put an example of your work and people can contact you to collaborate.

Here some pictures from the backstage of a test shoot I did recently:




STARZ

DETAILS


LOVELY MODEL POSING FOR BACKSTAGE SHOT



SHOOTING



THE FINAL PICTURES







PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALICE ROSATI
STYLING BY IRENE DE SANTIS
MAKE UP AND HAIR BY CHIARA GUIZZETTI