Yesterday for Black 12, we shot a ten page Rachael Churchward homage to Zambesi's 30 years at Mangawhai with photographer Marissa Findlay. Rachael styled up a Zambesi story based upon her vision of a label she has long admired, and it was amazing to see how completely cohesive this great New Zealand brand has remained over so many years. Shirley Simpson saw to hair and make-up and Zambesi Man's Dayne Johnston assisted Rachael in the styling department. It was a hot mid-summer's New Zealand day which felt beautifully incongruous and perfect all at the same time. Also beautiful were Ukranian/Polish model Olga S (62 Models/Chadwick), a Zambesi natural and our favourite boy in town, or out of town as the case may be, Vinnie Woolston (62 Models/Premier). We have been working with Vinnie for nine years and he just keeps evolving beautifully each year. Rachael cast Vinnie in his first shoot, for Workshop Denim's 2001 campaign, and fell in love with his personality, manners, and respect. His capacity to model naturally is unsurpassed in our experience. We think he is one of the hottest male models. Yesterday we were driving to a location in the truck and Vinnie wanted to ride in the back of the cab to "feel the wind on his body" - and that, in a nutshell, is what we love about Vinnie...you can't take Raglan out of the boy...
