Styling / Art Direction
Consumers are beginning to get a taste for African designs but the jewellery industry is still in its infancy and I wanted to showcase African inspired design as well as pieces created by African designers. The lack of fine jewellery infrastructure and world-class colleges mean that many African designers leave for the West sooner or later and this prevents home-born talent from enjoying the support of those who have gone before.
For this shoot I sourced original masks from Tribal Gathering London, mostly from Tanzania. Also Ernesto Montenovo, our hair stylist and afro magician created a series of bespoke hair pieces which he carved into sculptures on our model Paige Tyson-Simmons. Long time collaborator Isabelle Bonjean gave me a mood inspired by Nefertiti, the Egyptian Queen and Julie Jacobs a splash of colour on makeup. Even manicurist Chisato Yamamoto’s choice of colour vibed with my vision and as shoots go, it was a corker.
Jewellery Chaumet, Graff, Hemmerle, VanLeles, Satta Matturi, Bibi van der Velden.
Creative Team Stylist: Melanie Grant, Photographer: Isabelle Bonjean, Hair: Ernesto Montenovo, Makeup: Julie Jacobs, Manicurist: Chisato Yamamoto, Model: Paige Tyson-Simmons at Named Models, Digital Op: George Zenko, Lighting: Erwanns Peterson.
Photographed for 1843 Magazine at The Economist in January 2020.
