When my friend Erin Carroll rang me about 6 weeks ago and said that she wanted to do a Dior inspired shoot I thought great lets do it. Not really thinking that it would take her so long to pull all the clothes, cast the right model and find the location......which by the way was second choice but then again when you are shooting in public places as we were on this shoot you don't always have a choice. Anyway Erin wrote the Intro for this LaMode editorial and by the way she is about to start up a store at the Paddington markets in Sydney which I strongly suggest you check out if you like her clothes via the link below. So let me stop rambling on and throw it over to Erin.

Introduction to "The Tribute to a legend"
By Erin Carroll
The Greatest moments in history begin with the actions of someone who dares to break the the rules, to think outside of the box and to push boundaries. In saying that , the fashion industry has proven time and time again that it is the master of this philosophy. On February 12 1947, in post war Paris, fashion designer Christian Dior presented his first collection to the press. "Europe has had enough of the falling bombs, now it wants to set off fire works"! Dior wanted to give back to woman their femininity, with his thoughtful and elegant approach to the female form. Dubbed "The New Look" by the editor-in-Chief at Harpers Bazar, Carmel Snow; Dior created waves of excitement , shock and adoration with his designs, singlehandedly redefining woman's fashion of the moment and inspiring designers for decades to come.

When the approaching this shoot, it was important to me to capture the essence of The New Look in a way that encourages us to look both to the past and int_o the future for the direction and inspiration. So I was very lucky to borrow the most beautiful vintage clothing and accessories from The Vintage Drawer (Newtown), as well pieces from retro inspired label Devel Branded ( New Zealand). A fusion of the best of old and new worlds , demonstrating how easy vintage styling can be incorporated into one's wardrobe and day to day look. And that by investing  in local designers and sustainable fashion, you will surpass any tend and find your place in the style books.

With the concept like this, there were only two people I trusted to make my vision a reality. Photographer Geoffrey Chuah for his love of high fashion editorials and use of natural light, the playful spirit he captures in each shot and meticulous eye for detail. And make-up artist Shae MacIntyre for her passion and ablility to capture the natural beauty of her subjects, the ease in her approach to make up artistry and producing classic look with a twist

So on a sunny day, brisk Winters morning, we gathered our team (complete with the gorgeous youthful beauty that is Chanique from Jaz Daly management and my assistant Alex Suter at the chimney stacks in Sydney Park, to produce what can only be described as "Magic". Our Dior Tribute was brought to life, capturing the essence of the best mid-century fashion in the modern world. The eternal style of legend, embodied by the face of tomorrow.

Stylist: Erin Carroll
Make-up and Hair: Shae MacIntyre
Model: Chanique Greyling
Assistant: Alex Suter

Style notes
Look1: Vintage Hat "Acquer" Dress from The Vintage Drawer, Leather Jacket by Allanah Hill
Look2: Vintage "Lilli Diamond: Coat from The Vintage Drawer, Wiggle Fin Shirt by Devel Branded
Look3&4: Trench Coat Stylist Own, Sprinkles Bluse by Devel Branded, Veronika Shirt by Erin Carroll
Look4: Hat Stylist own, Vintage Brooches from The vintage Drawer
Look5: Jacket and Shirt by Erin Carroll
Look6: Vintage Velvet Hat from The Vintage Drawer, Fur Shawel Stylist own, Cherry Blouse by Devel Branded, Coco Pleat Culottes by Erin Carroll

This shoot was for a hand bag client called Fox Lane Collective. I have flipped them to black and white to give them a different dimension to them. 


This was not a easy shoot to do as it was not only cold, but the light was changing all the time with the cloud cover coming and going so I had to wait till the light stayed constant before I could continue. Which meant the model had to stay in the frame of mind of " I am in a warm place" before we could start shooting. But me being me I was very quick when shooting and the model was a trooper in wearing only a shirt and shorts at the beach in the middle of the Australian Winter. And in the end we nailed it!!!

The brand it's self has only been around a year so Mel who is the creative director is still building it up but as you can see the bags look amazing and I think she has a big future with her creations.

Check out the rest of her stuff at www.foxlanecollective.com