If you live in the Chicagoland area or Texas, I bid you to check out the September Fashion issue of Chicago Magazine and Texas Monthly this Fall--you will see the so fabulous shoot that I worked on last week.
Contributor’s Page snapshot shot off rue de Vaugirard:
From left: Alice (makeup), Antony (hair), Stacey (stylist), Camilla (model), Luigi (photographer), Me (stylist’s assistant, Consigliere on all matters French).
I know, it's so hard to tell who the model is.
The photographer and makeup artist were from Milano. After working with them for two days, I wanted to make all of my words roll up and down as if they were cascading over little Italian hills. I was all, “BellEEsimo CaMEEya!” whenever I would fasten a new skirt over Camilla's snake-like hips. In terms of how annoying I was, it reminded me of the first time I saw Les Parapluies de Cherbourg in college and I walked around for days singing my every action in a French accent. “Hand noooow, I’m taking out zeu trash.”
Here's the Martin Grant look we shot in front of the Saint Sulpice church.
Marc Jacobs at Place de la Concorde.
There were eleven looks in total and Stacey did a seriously amazing job styling. And my pictures of course do no justice for Luigi's talents. (Except maybe show that he is limber.)
Day Two, just after the final shot.
Fin. Fine. The End.
(This post was brought to you by the makers of Actifed Jour et Nuit, Propolis Spray Buccal Apaisant, Leader Price Jus d’Orange, and especially Drill’s cough drops; those suckers are amazing. Also, grazie mille to Alex for letting me borrow her camera.)
Pics from last year's Chicago Fashion shoot can be found right here.
seriously, you have the coolest job EVER.
Posted by: camille | 06 June 2006 at 12:49 AM
Sexiest thing I heard last week: an Italian guy saying 'Salmonella.' Repeatedly. (the things I have to do for work aren't nearly as cool as yours!)
Posted by: emily | 06 June 2006 at 02:17 AM
Wow. How totally fun. Jealous now.
Posted by: Michele | 06 June 2006 at 02:32 AM
You have the most incredible life. Ever.
Posted by: Rachel | 06 June 2006 at 03:29 AM
HA. the model is so...modelly! And, i love that you're the "consigliere" of all things FRENCH.
Posted by: vespa rosso | 06 June 2006 at 03:53 AM
b'jour!! i love reading about paris from your pov hahaha!!
if u could pls answer a question..or 2..i'll be in france in July and was wondering wher I could find both cheap&chic clothes (besides H&M). I would like trendier, very current styles.aka stuff you cant get here yet teehee. Price is an issue - I am on a student budget!
i m interested in H&m like prices, or cheaper...2nd hand is great too.
o yes, where is the best 2nd hand?? do they sell that sort of stuff (2nd hand and new ) at those french "black markets" and where? The cities I will be in are Rouen
Paris,Cannes, and Corsica (island).
your help is GREATLY appreciated!!! esp. w/ all ur fashion magazine insight... hehe
happy blogging a bientot!
--->i LOOOVE french fashion!!<---
p.s. if u ever have time you really should do a "what to do in france" type page...like, about fashion...:) and what to avoid wearing/doing in france...hehehe
Posted by: frugalfashionista | 06 June 2006 at 06:45 AM
photo shoots are hard work. though it looks like you had a blast.
i'm envious of the clothes the model got to wear. :)
Posted by: paradise | 06 June 2006 at 07:26 AM
Omg, that shoot looks so fun! How did you get into styling?
Posted by: thedailyobsession | 06 June 2006 at 09:41 AM
Yes, Paradise, thanks for saying that it's hard work. This paricular shoot had really long days, tensions about clothing not arriving and impending bad weather, but was still a breeze because of the people. First time a photographer has learned my name, let me put it that way.
Posted by: Coquette | 06 June 2006 at 10:04 AM
What a welcome change to see the church at Saint Sulpice in a fashion context rather than a DaVinci Code one.
Did you pop into that creperie in the background of the group picture for a treat after the shoot? C'mon, we groundlings want to know - do models eat crepes? (Or smile, for that matter...)
Posted by: Kathleen | 06 June 2006 at 02:05 PM
That's really funny K, because a creperie was proposed (easier on the budget) and Camilla nixed it. And then at the place where we wound up, she went into the kitchen and told 'em how to make her fish. (Plain, with a little plain rice and oil on the side.)
Posted by: Coquette | 06 June 2006 at 02:29 PM
Unbelievably chic fashion and nice people to work with? You've achieved the impossible! I'm so charmed right now!
Posted by: EJ | 06 June 2006 at 04:34 PM
I will certainly check out Texas Monthly. How exciting!
Posted by: Camille C | 06 June 2006 at 04:39 PM
i'm surprised the model would eat plain rice. :)
yeah, most people don't realize how long and tedious and occassionally hellish photo shoots can be. i have been on several where i was the photographer's assistant. which has its own set of woes. lighting not right? equipment malfunctioning? all together bad day? it's always all my fault.
i'm glad that at least the people you worked with on this particular shoot were nice. that really helps. i've been on all too many where people were not so nice, in fact downright mean and bitchy. gotta suffer for the art, right? ha. :)
Posted by: paradise | 06 June 2006 at 05:11 PM
thanks for directing us to luigi's site. i really loved a couple of his photos.
and there were other photographers featured as well so browsing their work was even a sweeter treat.
Posted by: -- j | 06 June 2006 at 05:14 PM
Luckily, I can get a Chicago Magazine right here in Los Angeles. And, yes, you were the best-looking of the bunch. I would switch over to modeling. There's way more money in it than writing.
Posted by: Neil | 06 June 2006 at 08:05 PM
Umm hmm Neil, you'll be needing those brownie points after that whole "I hope they raise your rent" comment :)
Posted by: Coquette | 06 June 2006 at 08:45 PM
Awesome, awesome job. I'll have to tell my boyfriend to check it out.
I got into DePaul's graduate program so I'll be living in Evanston this fall!! Yippeeeeee.... Chicagoland here I come...Let me know when you're having another Chi-town get-together....
Posted by: April | 06 June 2006 at 09:33 PM
In the last photo, I covet that teal coat and that wonderful bag.
Posted by: Sara | 07 June 2006 at 01:23 AM
Coquette, this is the stuff I love!! Good idea to make a B-line for Paris, as opposed to NYC.
Btw, that model equals FIERCE!..
Posted by: Noire Dire | 07 June 2006 at 01:30 AM
merci!
Posted by: eurobrat | 07 June 2006 at 04:03 AM
Thank God you're feeling better! I was getting worried. By the way, you have won the Lottery of Life. What I wouldn't give to be in your shoes!
Posted by: Enticed by the Apple | 07 June 2006 at 07:11 AM
The photographer was limber, that was very funny.... I will have to remember that the next time I work on a making-of (or what the French for some reason call "making off"....). people in making-ofs tend to be limber as well...
Posted by: magillicuddy | 07 June 2006 at 09:09 PM
pretty cool! looks like it was so much fun, and working with great people makes all the difference!
Posted by: shannon | 08 June 2006 at 05:21 AM
Oh the joys of dial-up... but your post was well worth the five minutes it took to load.
Lovely photos, and lovely list of health-adjuvants (did you get them from Citypharma? I hope you did. I know I blew hundreds of euros in a hypochondriac berserk rampage there--I'm sickly--but if I'd gone elsewhere, I'd have blown even more... I highly recommend to everyone who is remotely near Paris to only frequent Citypharma, 26 rue du Four for prices on parapharmaceutical items which are at least 30% than anything else you will find anywhere else), and per usual, lovely writing.
However, regarding the photos, I was struck by how remarkably unpeopled they were. Were you shooting at 6 in the morning on a Sunday? Or was someone assigned the task of shooing away tour-flies? Or was it a sneak-peek of the rapture? I am most curious...
Posted by: annabel | 08 June 2006 at 05:28 PM
Hey there --
I've been reading your blog for a couple of weeks now and have been greatly enjoying it. I write a literary blog that I just started a few months ago Bookmoods.typepad.com -- it's still in its infancy, but we all have to start somewhere. Anyway, I'm also a freelance writer and one of my writer friends sent me this advertisement for a fashion blogger. Since I know very little about fashion I brainstormed someone I "know" who does...the first person that came to mind was you. So, here's the job description: http://www.creativehotlist.com/index.asp?linkTarget=fullJob.asp&jobID=86706
Posted by: Nicolle | 08 June 2006 at 05:32 PM
So glad you had nice people to work with. The not getting to know your name thing...I know it well. I have learnt to respond to Carol, Karen, even an icy stare in my direction! But, but, why do you all have jackets and umbrella's??? I'm coming to Paris next week - I was envisaging balmy weather and sundress wearing.
Posted by: Claire | 09 June 2006 at 08:46 PM
I'm a "lurker" but wanted to comment that your blog is just fabulous. Keep it up! :)
Tina
Posted by: Tina | 10 June 2006 at 08:13 PM
I guess that you live in Paris so you are probably perfect for answering my following question. I was wondering if you have any shopping tips for Paris, have only been thare once and I would love to get me some insider tips!
Posted by: hilda | 13 June 2006 at 08:43 AM
It looks like the shoot was alot of fun, but no doubt hardwork. i love the first picture! that hair!
Posted by: ering | 13 June 2006 at 08:18 PM
Clap clap clap that s a cool moment of life, so parisian in the mind !!!
Posted by: negrito | 14 June 2006 at 09:58 PM
Hilda: you want a good advice : check my latest post on
http://www.voiceofacity.com
on l'Eclaireur
Posted by: Negrito | 14 June 2006 at 09:59 PM
How fun! I LOVE your blog.
Posted by: The Writer | 14 June 2006 at 11:05 PM
Most of you have probably given up on responses to your comments, but I'll truck on anyway.
Frugal Fashionista, I don't really shop trendy, but there's a store called Nanie on the blvd. Saint Germain that might be a good start (try rue du Four too, there are a few shops that are cute). For the secondhand I like Kiliwatch and Porte de Vanves.
April, Yay! Congrats. See you next time I'm in Chicago.
Annabel, discount drug info, always a good thing! Oh and the streets were sometimes peopled, we shot during the day, but we sort of shepherded them out of the area where Luigi was working.
Thanks Nicolle, so much for thinking of me.
Claire, I think that was the last cold snap.
Hilda, there are some good shopping books in English if you go to WH Smith or Shakespeare and Co in Paris. You can even just skim them standing there--that's what I'd do. Hard for me to give shopping tips sight unseen. Plus, don't people get paid for that?
The Bon Marche is like nirvana to me but my most of my friends feel uncomfortable there.
Posted by: Coquette | 15 June 2006 at 08:18 PM
i;m so mad at you b/c you always look so damn FANTASTIC.
grrr!
Posted by: Beth | 19 July 2006 at 02:45 PM
Oh, those nostalgic city landscapes of France! How can I get a similar job? :)
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