For the Summer issue of IMAGE Magazine, fashion contributing stylist Sinéad Keenan had just three words in her cover shoot pitch: Floral. On. Floral. And boy, did she deliver! Here, she shares her inspiration behind some of the key looks.
“Florals for spring…. groundbreaking.” But for summer, an absolute essential!
The SS23 runways were awash with blooms both in print and 3D form and in the fashion editorial for the IMAGE magazine Summer issue, I wanted to showcase them in all their glory.
Of course, florals for spring/summer aren’t really “groundbreaking”, but there was a newness to this trend that I wanted to capture – a romance entwined with modernity. I was inspired by the Dries Van Noten SS23 runway collection, where a tentative undergrowth of decorative foliage and ruffled tendrils emerged from structured tailoring in a palette ranging from mucky pastels through to vibrant bouquets.
The model was going to be key. With florals there’s always a risk of it looking a bit twee and predictable but ballet dancer Katya Grey brought a contemporary feel with her short cropped pixie cut. Hairstylist Jake Ryan styled her crop with nonchalant texture yet precision which gave a an almost architectural contradiction to the soft feminine fabrics and florals and make-up artist Mary Ellen Darby gave Katya a dewy glow and fresh pink rosebud cheeks, courtesy of Bobbi Brown cream blush across the cheeks and the bridge of the nose and Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter on the tops of the cheeks.
The Look
This Oscar de La Renta silk skirt in a duck egg blue hydrangea print from Brown Thomas caught my eye as it had structure and volume to juxtapose all the other floaty ethereal fabrics featured in the shoot.
I also wanted to include trousers in the shoot to ground this overtly feminine story so these gorgeous blue ticking striped sailor-style pants from Beatrice B at Gallery 9 were the perfect pair.
Not wanting the entire look to be in print, I still kept the floral theme with this beautiful embroidery anglaise crisp white shirt from Mantù at Kalu.
Oversized broderie anglaise shirt, Mantù, €859; straw hat with leather band, Catarzi, €369; both at Emporium Kalu, Naas. Hydrangea print skirt, Oscar de la Renta, €2,605; white leather trek sandals, Celine, €720; both at Brown Thomas. Striped cotton cargo pants, Beatrice B, €295 at Gallery 9, Naas. Woven bag, Bellerose, €85 at JuJu, Greystones.
On the High Street…
The Location
Before beginning to scout for location, I knew who I wanted to work with for photography. It’s been ten years since I last worked with Nicky Emmerson but it might has well have been last week. She was perfect for this shoot, she has a modern, cool, aesthetic yet captures images in the most romantic way.
Wanting to keep the shoot as as organic as possible, the shoot location needed to be a little wild and untamed. There is no where more magical than Jimi Blake’s beautiful Hunting Brook Gardens in Blessington especially in summer. Bountiful with blooms and colour spilling over every pathway I knew this was the place. And all we had to hope for was the weather…
Typically, the shoot day fell on the one and only wet day in the middle of a glorious sunny few weeks in May. As the heavens opened we shot between the downpours. Yet, that famous Irish flat light saw us through and and the result was something very special.
The Look
This silk and linen mix floral top with a ruffled sleeve detail from Australian brand Alémais really captured the mood I was going for. I styled them with these great oversized cotton trousers by Hache at Kalu to give contrast to the overly feminine top. I gave them a large turn up to evoke a vintage gardening pants feel.
Jimi Blake personally gathered this pretty posy of flowers to add to the super-sized woven basket bag by Craie Studio at Gallery 9. which draws in the natural texture of the incredible back drop.
Floral ruffled silk and linen top, Alémais, €445 at Brown Thomas. Beige cotton wide leg trousers, Hache, €440 at Emporium Kalu, Naas. Oversized woven basket, Craie Studio, €120 at Gallery 9, Naas.
On the High Street…
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