IN THE FRENCH COUNTRY SIDE

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We chat with Chloe and Carole of our stockist Neon Collective all about bringing our Lady Amethyst and Maisie & The Muse collections to life through the lens.

What was the inspiration behind the editorial? What story are you telling? 
We are always inspired by the Spell collections. With Lady Amethyst and Maise & The Muse we felt they had a very French vintage vibe. The Maggie Lace Midi Dress looks like a dress you would find buried in your grandmothers closet, so we wanted to take a step back in time and channel that mood. The story we had envisioned was ‘a day in the life in the French country side’. We definitely wanted to portray a vintage French chic story with a modern view.

How did you interpret the Spell woman of these collections, and how did you convey this across your editorial?
The Spell woman to us in these collections is a carefree, modernist, self-assured lady with loveable quirks and a sense of adventure. She is fun but strong and doesn’t take herself seriously. We felt we conveyed this with our true quirky ‘out the gate’ Neon Collective styling. We always like to push the boundaries here and have fun!

Larissa is stunning! How did Larissa embody your muse? 
Um Hello that Hair??! But seriously, Larissa has a light hearted carefree wonder about her. She portrays a slight sophistication in a modern way.

Through the styling and location itself, we’re transported to another time. What styling cues did you take, were you inspired by any muses from another era? 
Neon Collective shoots are always super spontaneous! We had some ideas but to be honest didn’t plan too much ahead. We just wanted to start shooting with the team in this amazing location and see where it took us! The styling was different in that it was a bit more ‘grown up’ for us which was super fun! Mixing lace, pearls and court heels with lurex socks – it was about playing dress-ups all over again but this time for real. Gabi (our photographer) and I (Chloe) each created a board prior to the shoot and then shared them with each other, funnily enough we had pinned a lot of same imagery – we knew that we all had the same vision for the shoot.

Your pick of the Maisie & The Muse collection, and styling tip?
The Grace Tulle Maxi Skirt – hands down! All day long we had this outfit we wanted to create. Tulle Skirt, platform Docs, Rebel Rider Rider Tee layered with pearl strands and a red pom pom beanie. We both adore ‘pretty grunge’ styling, mixing really soft feminine pieces with heavier edgier pieces is something we tend to do with our own personal styles. Having the chance to create that look in this shoot was a highlight for us.

Talk us through the day, how did the team work together…
Well it always starts with coffee (and sometimes croissants – hey we were channeling the vibe!) Plus we had to pick up some extra props on the way. So after coffee, croissants and baguettes from The Farm we headed 40 minutes out of Byron to the French house aka Deux Belettes. The day started off a little rough to be honest and we were all itching to get started, however on shoots things quite often don’t go as planned. It was incredibly hot, shooting at the end of a Byron summer and we knew it was going to be a challenge but we were ready for it! We were super paranoid about snakes (thanks Alexis!) as apparently they were lazing around the house in many spots so we had to be careful! The location was mind blowing, we basically made our way around different spots – trying to avoid the sun as much as possible. Late afternoon when it came to do our outfit of the day (the Tulle Skirt look) it suddenly poured with rain but so we still got the shot! Saving the best for last as usual. The whole team worked tirelessly throughout the day and by the end of the day, we were so happy but glad to head off for some rest (and an Aperol Spirtz). But before that, unfortunately Gabi (our lovely photographer) had a flat battery in her car so we had to organise a jump start – we all laughed about it! What else can you do.

Your favourite shot from the editorial, and why?
Chloe – The shot of Larissa slumped on the ground in the Tulle Skirt just after the rain- she reminds me of the Ballerina from the Nutcracker.
Carole – The one of Larissa in front of the car in the tulle skirt and red beanie – it’s something I’d envisioned since I found that red beanie and we nailed it!

Thank you firstly to Hannah for helping organise all the clothes for the shoot! We couldn’t do these shoots without your help! Gabi for working like crazy all day long, you’re a star! Alexis for your stunning make up and snake warnings! Larissa for being you and not complaining once all day. And Spell for allowing us to shoot your product and create some magic in our way.

Muse Lari Santana
Photography Gabi Mudler
Hair & Makeup Alexis Mahoney
Creative Direction Neon Collective