The waiting game...

...I had to wait until this hit print for me to post it:

A story that I did a while back on metallics and summer bronzing...

...and also some of my favorite products to achieve said look.

Class with the Countess....

...continues with her newly released music single & subsequent video (that was leaked) for her song: "Money Can't Buy You Class". (For my international readers, The Countess is one of the stars of the hit Bravo reality TV show: The Real Housewives of New York.) I was sitting on this post for quite some time, but since The Countess' video was leaked last week and was all over the internet within an hour, I had no choice but to bump up the publishing of this post.

I did her makeup for both the CD & the video which were shot about a week apart. The first shoot took place at Pier 59 Studios (I feel like I've been living there lately, btw) and the latter was an all day shoot at Covet Lounge.

Save the comments about your opinions on the song, the auto-tune, the post work and all of the other etcetera as this is definitely not the place to post them unless of course, we are discussing what several sites have called the job done by her 'world class makeup artist'. Straight bottom line of the matter is that The Countess is a beautiful woman who has always kept herself VERY together and frankly, on both the CD and the video both she and her makeup look amazing! She was such a pleasure to work with and beyond super cool. Below are 2 shots of her CD cover and...

photos: K. Simone

...the video that was leaked:



It is only fitting that I give out the rest of the props where they are due so, I'm sending kudos out to the entire styling team on this one: Jersey on styling & conceptualization, Miki Mori on hair for the video & Agata-Helena on hair for the CD.

To learn more about The Countess, head on over to her website. Next up for moi is doing the taping of the reunion show with her....

Ismini & MetroDaylight

Here's an excerpt from a looonnng day (and night) playing around at a recent shoot:

The Setting:

The Goods:

a plethora of sparkly things and clothes with metallic accents & details...

and shoes with sculptural details although there really is no explanation required for the above picture...

this sort of looks like my closet...

The Girl:

(and the makeup...)

Giving the side-eye...

above are examples of the proper way to take advantage of a cyc

captures...

and me mixing the perfect shade of pink on the back of my hand...

Ralph Lauren F/W 2010

Waking up at 3 am is worth it for VERY few and select people. Tom Pechaux, who keyed the Ralph Lauren show is one of them. Ralph's show is always a well oiled machine in terms of production and the atmosphere despite the huge number of photographers, celebs and press is always laid back.

The backstage Makeup/Hair area @ Ralph Lauren's F/W 2010 show

There was way more room here...

to finally be able to properly set up a makeup station and work...

Tom demo-ing the makeup. He created a look that complimented the slightly bohemian gypsy feel of the clothes with softly matted skin and just the slightest hint of black on the eyes...

Marike's final makeup...

Marike on the runway

runway ph. courtesy of Style.com/ M. Madeira

Dare I say it but, this is the perfect way to celebrate and close out Fashion Week:

It smells like Girl in here...

I love creating a space where every element coincides perfectly creating a beauty bubble inside of which prettiness reigns. More often than not, that synergy comes along when its just the photographer, the model and myself. (This equation is further heightened if everyone on the team has XX chromosomes).

Conceptually, what we wanted and was going for was lightly traced out from the beginning but halfway through, it veered off into its own special dreamland and beautiful was created...Sometimes the best things happen that way...

Natalie has alot of hair...

..the better to do fun things with...

Some behind the scenes snapshots of Natalie in various incarnations of herself, smelling like Girl...

Period, end of post...

Jade is gorgeous...PERIOD, end of post:

Jade M.

(agency polaroids courtesy of Elite Models UK, Paris)

No, I'm just kidding. Not about the gorgeous part but I wouldn't just end a post abruptly like that. Or, maybe I would but I'm just not going to end this post like that. She came here for a month from Paris and thankfully she was able to be snagged before show season starts. I've not shot fun fashion in a few months as more and more of my jobs coming in were beauty related so I was happy to be able to wet my makeup brushes on some fashion for a change...

Although she's a classic beauty when all dolled up, almost Old Hollywood in her looks, Jade was quite the whimsy when she wasn't onset; throwing peace signs, blowing kisses and the like...

A spritz, spritz of Elnett here and a peace sign there...

Pausing for a second before I get to makeup to share the fabulousness of this Christian Louboutin bootie (above)

Below are some behind the scenes that are a bit more makeup specific... The inspiration in the clothes was a bit 'Arts & Crafts' so I kept with a strong natural brow and soft shades on the eyes to contour. The hair is quite graphic on the finals and some shots even feature some ornate and avant garde hair accessories so pulling back on the makeup was a bit more necessary. She did get a chance to rock a lip though, and before too much fun was had, I switched it up and paled it back out...

At present, I am not able to share the rest of the story. You should know how it goes by now... You'll have to keep watch over on my website for them to pop-up...

Out-take of the week....

Here's a recent out-take from a shoot. Sophie is 18 and here from Holland...So many new dutch faces are in town....Finals aren't up on my site yet, soon come...soon come....

Sophie

Wet-N-Wild

New Beauty!!!!

Just another day in the Park

Combine my favorite friend and photographer with an amazing girl, and the usual kick ass all girl styling team that I'm a part of, and you end up with the images seen below. This was an off the cuff, kind of spur of the moment last minute fall fashion story on spec. Thank goodness that the weather and the sunlight was super cooperative. These images are too gorgeous for me to keep them to myself so alas, I will share a few selects with you....