Sam Muses: Into the Wild (Editorial 2)

Wednesday 15 July 2015

Into the Wild (Editorial 2)

When I heard that our second LCS editorial was to be shot on location, in "the wild", I was instantaneously possessed by an unassailable compulsion to conjure up an epic fairytale romance in the mode of a Leith Clark-styled Harper's story... This was what I'd been waiting for all my life. Drawing additional inspiration from the trademark dark romanticism (or "savage beauty", dare I say?) of Alexander McQueen's AW15 collection, and the mussed-up elegance of Haider Ackermann's SS15 menswear, I decided to make volume and layering the keystones of my "regally dishevelled" prince and princess's looks.

Editorial Shoot, Stylist, Cinderella, Samantha Simmonds, Sam Muses, Leith Clark, Harper's Bazaar, Andreia Chaves, Alexander McQueen, Haider Ackermann, SS15, AW15, Feathers, Twig Headdress, Headpiece, Fairytale, Layering, Volume

My Mood Board

Location and concept sorted... now I just had to style up "couture" looks for two on zero budget...

Easy. First stop - my own wardrobe. 4-year-old Limited Edition Primark dress (previously part of my Alice in Wonderland/Jesus - don't ask - costume, worn for last summer's onstage crucifixion) layered over £10 Izabel London tutu for a lavish tiered effect, and under Topshop's new dusky-feathered gilet for an additional "lift" and nod to the wilderness.

Accessories-wise, it was customisation o'clock once again... Inspired by Andreia Chaves' mirrored shoe boots, I marshalled a few hundred mirror mosaic tiles (nope, I'm not exaggerating), a whole lotta hot glue and 11 hours of my time in the service of creating my take on Cinderella's glass slippers...

Cinderella, pre- glass slipper loss (and/or disintegration)

Did they fare better than Cinders' originals in the great outdoors? Well... no, not really, since you ask, but Franco, our lovely photographer, was kind enough to touch up the tiles wickedly whipped away by the wind by the time the above image was shot #AboveandBeyondtheCallofDuty.

A bangle wrapped with ribbon and some illicitly-gathered twigs fashioned, along with some more of those damned mirror tiles, into a headdress, and Cinderella was complete. Then, of course, Prince Charming had to be appointed - from sources outside my own wardrobe, obviously (well, aside from the Primark faux fur... and I'm keeping that snake-print scarf).