LOVE AND LIFE I WILL DIVIDE

"I saw you screaming and no one can hear. You almost feel ashamed that someone could be that important that without them, you feel like nothing. No one will ever understand how much it hurts. You feel hopeless, like nothing can save you. Then when it's over, and it's gone, you almost wish you could have all that bad stuff back, so that you could have the good."

I would not have batted an eyelash at the thought of watching a Rihanna video, but the minute I read on Twitter that my fashion icon Aggyness Deyn was the narrator for the 'story' behind the 'We Found Love' video for Rihanna ft Calvin Harris, of course my curiosity got the better of me.

Absolutely in love with Rihanna's latest music video.

I heard this song about a month before the music video was released. I'm not even a big Rihanna fan, but I just think this music video is amazing. Love the styling, the location and the cinematography. I'd go as far to say that this is one of my favourite music video's of all time.

The video begins soft and subtle, telling the story of a young couple. Heavy drug references soon come in to play and the scenes become shorter and sharper creating a sense of breathlessness. I think it may have blown my mind...

Apparently set in Dublin where the Chris Brown-esque male model (Dudley O'Shaughnessy) is from, the music video has such a Train Spotting/This Is England '86 vibe. The drug references are overt yet so beautiful. I especially love the multi coloured cigarette ash and when Rihanna spews candy-pink coloured ribbon. 

I'm so in love with the styling behind Rihanna's looks in this video. My flatmate and I were commenting on how 80's the looks are. I really liked her double denim Jeremy Scott ensemble.

Its debatable how likely it was if casting Dudley O'Shaughnessy as a Chris Brown lookalike was intentional, but no one can argue the irony of the song. Rihanna and O'Shaughnessy play a love sick couple, not only addicted to one another, but gambling and substance abuse also. Directed by Melina Matsoukas who worked with Rihanna on  'Rudeboy' and 'S&M' has done such a beautiful job with the fast paced editing of the music video. The nostalgia created through the smokey pastel tones juxtaposed with the vivid casino/gambling scenes together are a complete mind fuck, but so beautiful. The English references are so refreshing, with the narration by my Aggy at the beginning to the scene where Rihanna is dancing on a table top in a traditional 'fish n' chip' shop. The music video really communicates a story, unlike some of Rihanna's previous videos where it seems to be more tits and ass than anything else. On the contrary however, she did agree to pose topless for this video... which is tastefully done.

See?

I'm not a great Rihanna fan, but love her music and tend to avoid her music videos as they're pretty much soft porn with no clear narrative structure. I'm all for smut when its done in a clever sleazy way, but I do get a bit bored of Rihanna's usual style. I'm really taken back by this video however. 

One scene was almost hard to watch and I felt a little uncomfortable but intrigued at the same time.

After Rihanna previously spells out 'YOURS' with a sparkler, her partner reacts by viciously stabbing 'MINE' into her butt cheek as she struggles to free his forceful grasp. This is then followed by repetitive spanking and abuse. 

It sounds comical reading this back, but the music video really is quite harrowing. Prior to watching the music video, I found the song rather uplifting and casual but I now feel like a totally new light has been shone on the lyrics.

It could be the MOD 80's styling. It could be the fact that Aggyness Deyn had something to do with the creation of this music video, or it could be the hot male model, regardless - I'm so in love with this music video.

xoxo

FINAL EIGHT...

I'm testing out my 'final eight' images from my photo shoot. 

We can only submit eight to be graded for the Fashion Communication module and I believe that the images below are my final choice. All of the photographs I submit will be in full colour, although I have featured my final eight in black and white too - just so I can examine the contrast clearly. 

All of these photographs are raw and unedited (other than duplicating the originals to black and white of course). There were others photographs I prefer, but I did not want several of my final images to have similar poses or costumes. 

The editing process has been really tough, I'm glad I didn't wait until the weekend to start planning out my final eight considering I stayed up until 4AM last night fretting over it.

With my sketchbook nearly finished and the end of the module nearing closer, I can truly say that I've really enjoyed the Fashion Photography course. At first I felt really threatened at the prospect of finding a location and model, styling them, coming up with a story/theme for the photoshoot and finding my own garments. Not because I prefer working in a team as I actually work better independently,  but because we were working on a six week time frame, there really was no room for error as it would have cost me so much time.

Reflecting back at Fashion Photography in hindsight, although I really enjoyed the actual photography on the big day of the shoot, I felt so in my element when it came to the styling. I get so excited when it comes to picking out elaborate garments that will photograph like a dream... Especially if they are vintage. 

One day, I'd love to be as big as Patricia Field. I'm currently OBSESSED with the SATC boxset and I always find myself pining over Field's styling of the famous SATC girls (particularly Samantha and OF COURSE Carries wardrobes).

This is so typically me and so bias as Westwood could do no wrong in my eyes, but this is my all time favourite Carrie outfit. I remember writing my Advanced Higher Art dissertation on this dress and I'm 100% sure I've dedicated a whole post to this in the past... 

YOUCH

Love this too...

I would definitely wear this. Its so wrong but so, so right.

I don't usually mix work and play with my blog posts, but I've not been too personal recently and blogging predominantly about University work. 

I often flit between ideas of what Fashion career path I'll follow. After working at Philip Treacy I was SURE I would work in PR upon graduating, but sometimes I like the idea of being a writer or a stylist. The prospect of being an accessories editor has always appealed to me also (I have a reoccurring dream that I'm chief accessories editor at Harper's Bazaar, I believe this is where the sudden accessories pang has stemmed from).

Next week, we start our 'Still Life' module. I believe we will be photographing accessories so I have no doubt that I'll be in my element...

xoxo

P.S... Thank you to everyone who voted for me to win the Cosmopolitan Blog Award. It would be a dream come true if I won. I really do work hard to make this blog as unique and diverse as possible whilst documenting my own work to show you all. I'm really honoured and flattered that I have been nominated to win an award and no matter what the outcome will be, I will never forget that. I would recommend any First Year Fashion Communication students to do the same as I have done and blog as much as possible and enter competitions such as the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards. It's great to include on your CV, even if you do not win.

This blog started out as a minor piece of work that my lecturers asked me to start last year and it soon became a diary that followed my journey to where I am now - from an amateur clueless student, to moving to London to work at Philip Treacy to now showcasing my best photography work. 

I've had some great opportunities from people that have been inspired by my blog  such as the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards, being allowed to borrow vintage clothing to show on here and friends from back in Aberdeen asking me to show my photographs at charity events. Not to mention the amount of people who give me 'shout outs' on their blogs from all over the world and others saying they're inspired by what I've wrote and then decided to create their own blog or expand on their own.

Thank you to Cosmopolitan.co.uk for choosing me, I'm so happy that I'm nominated.

10.30 IN THIS HOTEL ROOM...

I've been blogging about this for the past couple of weeks and losing sleep over it for the last month and I've finally done it! Here are some images from my Fashion Communication photo shoot that I took on Saturday.

I've blogged about this day in and day out, but for those of you catching up with my blog now, the story/concept behind my shoot is that a young woman has been thrown out of her flat with no money after having a fall out with her boyfriend. She grabbed a suitcase of her favourite items of clothing - fur jackets, art deco necklaces and night dresses and decided to take shelter in a run down ex-hotel for the night. This story stemmed from the song lyrics '10.30 in this hotel room, you and I locked in the gloom'.

The styling of the shoot is supposed to reflect a 1950's feel, although some contemporary aspects of the backdrop/setting are contemporary. In retrospect, these juxtaposing contrasts work well within the context of the story. 

The photos have to be shot in the style of i.D magazine and I think these photographs reflect the magazines appearance well. I also think the photographs would appeal to the readership of i.D.

The model I've featured is Samantha Hair - a third year Fashion Design student from Grays School Of Art, Aberdeen. All clothes are genuine vintage pieces from 'The Closet Shop' Aberdeen.

I shot these photographs in one of my dads flats (he's a landlord). The flat is shabby and in need of attention, but the location is perfect for my story. I love the Edwardian features such as the elaborate railings on the staircase. This ties in nicely with the 50's feel I sought to recreate. 

I hope you enjoy the photographs, a great deal of time and effort went into the planning and preparation behind it. I'm so delighted with the outcome, I just hope my lecturer agrees! 

xoxo