Friday, April 16, 2010

Workshop BMW show 4: Christchurch

Elza and Nellie both at Ali McD

Harriet and Clare @ Portfolio

The day presented a few challenges but the evening at Jeff Gray BMW Christchurch, went without a hitch. The local MAC make-up crew and True Grit Hair Spa provided great looks and the models from Ali McD and Portfolio rocked the catwalk. We also developed a new affection for Allan Scott's 2008 Pinot Noir! Thanks to Matt and the crew at the dealership for being so accommodating, Pip and Greg at BMW and of course Chris & Helen Cherry and Rebekah at RCM.
Below: Clementine & Katie @ Portfolio

Mary @ Ali McD

Felix @ Ali McD

Tom & Kayleigh @ Ali McD

Oliver and Jonah @ Portfolio

Ilish @ Ali McD

Ali McD's son Elvis looked hot!

Olivia @ Ali McD

6 girls and Sam @ Ali McD

Budding photographer Felix

Workshop BMW show 3: Wellington

Atip with Vinnie Woolston @ 62 Models

Just arrived home from our Wellington and Christchurch Workshop BMW X1 shows. Thanks to the staff at Workshop and Jeff Gray BMW in both cities, we felt very welcome. Thanks also to the Welli MAC make-up crew and hair salon Haight Ashbury for the looks below.

Sima of Workshop Wellington with Jasmine @ Kirsty Bunny

Freddy (centre) and Lucas, both @ Kirsty Bunny

Jake and Bryn both @ Kirsty Bunny


Frith @ Kirsty Bunny

Barbara @ Nova

Chloe @ 62 Models

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Workshop BMW show 2: Newmarket

L-R: Lewis @ Clyne, Kieran @ Red 11, Evgeny @ Clyne, Bailee @ Red 11

Hannah @ 62, Kieran @ Red 11

Lewis @ Clyne

Barbara @ Nova, Derya @ 62 Models

Ariel @ August

Well the two Auckland Workshop BMW shows went rather well, and the ready-to-wear element in the styling across the local and international Workshop brands worked a treat. Last nights show was followed by a preview of the upcoming Rent musical with Annie Crummer and Tama Waipara who filled the place with some searing soul singing but it was the combination of the Workshop brand and the new BMW X1 which resonates today. At $60k, and packed with power and style the X1 offers plenty to a new generation of BMW drivers and it just looks so fine. You guessed it, we want one. We were so busy last night we didn't have much time left to take photos but here are a few pics of the models lined up backstage just prior to the start of the show. We particularly like Derya's "blue steel" look. Next week, Wellington and Christchurch...

Workshop BMW show 1: Takapuna

Gabrielle @ Red 11 and Levi @ 62 giving the thumbs up

Rhiannon @ August, Michael Whittaker @ Clyne and Lewis @ Clyne

Hal @ Red 11, Tim @ Visage, Elena @ Red 11

We love doing fashion shows - especially for clients like BMW NZ and Workshop/Helen Cherry, it's just so much fun. Last night we staged the first of four Workshop BMW shows to celebrate the launch of the new BMW X1 which is indeed a thing of beauty in itself at Jerry Clayton BMW in Takapuna. Rachael loved styling and mixing the combinations available to her; Workshop Denim, Helen Cherry, Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Vanessa Bruno, See by Chloe, Twenty8Twelve, Hudson, Yours and more and the models and H&M crews from M.A.C and Stephen Marr had fun all round. Here are a few of the backstage images from the day/night. Thanks to Jo, Sarah and the staff at Jerry Clayton for being so accommodating. Tonight - Team McMillan BMW in Newmarket...

Black Fashion Editor Rachael Churchward and crew have it all lined up


Rhiannon @ August

MAC make-up maestros at work on Barbara Fiahlo @ Nova (above)
and Gabrielle @ Red 11 (below)


Saturday, April 3, 2010

Here's looking at you Sherie







Happy Easter!

Today we have been shooting the Sherie Muijs Spring/Summer 2011 collection look book at Kingsize Studios. The collection is beautifully designed and tailored - and a lot of fun to boot; stripes, linens, the odd dropped crotch, strong silhouettes and of course, a seamless androgyny suggests the collection will appeal to existing fans of Sherie Muijs, and garner many new followers. Desirable, and wearable. All-in-all, another great leap forward from one of New Zealand's most exciting new designers.

Photographer: Russ Flatt
Stylist: Rachael Churchward
Hair: Greg Murrell 
Make-up: Karenina Jackson
Model: Barbara @ Nova

Friday, March 26, 2010

Olivia's Beauty

Most people will know Baz Luhrmann's 1996 version of Shakespeare's timeless tragedy Romeo and Juliet but a far more beautiful version was made by the great Italian film maker Franco Zeffirelli in 1968. The film starred beautiful actress Olivia Hussey and young hunk Leonard Whiting as a love-struck teenagers and left teens for a decade or so afterward, as somewhat love-struck themselves. We came across this image of Hussey from the film whilst searching for something else and were reminded of just what an incredible face she had.

Black 12 - Michael Schwartz to shoot Alana Zimmer for Black 12 cover




This weekend in New York, incumbent Black cover snapper Michael Schwartz is at it again with New York editor and make-up artist Valery Gherman and stylist Elizabeth Sulcer to shoot Alana Zimmer for the cover of Black 12. The Ontario, Canada native is something of a runway stalwart and has covers and editorials for the likes of V Magazine, Numero, Italian Vogue, 25 Cent, Numero Korea and French while her most recent campaign was Sonia Rykiel SS10. We love her strong, yet beguiling classical beauty. The crew will also shoot an editorial of Alana for our fashion section.

Who Dares Wins


Kia ora, apologies for the lack of posting in the past couple of weeks. We've just come off the back of an extensive shoot schedule for Black 12 - the largest New Zealand fashion component we have yet had in Black - and on top of that we've had computer meltdowns and the attendant new computer transfers to deal with this week. But that's all behind us now.

This week, some great news from the wonderful Impossible Project. Despite some technical and logisitical hurdles The Impossible Project launched the first of its instant films at an event in New York City on March 22 - attended by Black New York editor Valery Gherman. Several packages of the new film - described as offering "a new, broad range of possibilities, fresh characteristics and results" - are currently winging their way to Black photographers in New York, Sydney and Auckland for inclusion in a combined photographic feature in Black 12. This first film; PX 100 and PX 600 Silver Shade is nicknamed First Flush (after a type of premium tea with a rich and fresh aroma, picked in March) and is a black & white film - colour films are being lined up for distribution later in the year, up to 10 different films by the year's end. Each of the photographers contributing to our feature will also contribute one shot each to be included in The Impossible Collection, a gallery of work featuring Impossible films that will be housed in the Musee de l'Elysee in Luasanne.

Even better news for instant film fans is that the film is now available to anyone, online here at The Impossible Project shop. It will be available from selected dealers globally thereafter.

Black and Kingsize Studios are planning an exhibition of these works in May.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Black 12 - Rupert Tapper shoots Annabella


You've seen her on one of the lovely new covers for No 9, and you'll see her in Black 12 and a host of other magazines in the months to come because ex-pat New Zealander Anabella Barber is, in model agency parlance, "hot!" Sydney-based photographer Rupert Tapper and Black's contributing Australian fashion editor Paul Bui have teamed up with hair wizard Jenny Kim and make-up artist Diana Dusting to capture the moods of Anabella, undoubtedly one to watch.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Wellington Model Call - Workshop/BMW


Becky @ Vanity Walk in the Workshop Ponsonby store opening show, Nov 2009

We are currently casting for Wellington models for an upcoming fashion show we are producing for Workshop/Helen Cherry and BMW. We are working with the existing Wellington agencies but we require at least 24 models so Black fashion director Rachael Churchward will conduct an open casting in Wellington on Sunday March 28. If you, or someone you know, is suited to the Workshop and Helen Cherry brands as a model then we are taking expressions of interest. Please email grant@blackmag.co.nz with a photo of your face and a full length photo as well as providing your contact phone number/email and your sizes if possible.

Here is the criteria:

Women: 16 - 25, at least 5 ft 8.5 inches and over, size 8 - 10
Men: 16-25, 6ft to 6ft 2 inches, 31-32 inch waist.

The show date is Wednesday, April 14, you will be paid, and you would need to be available from 2pm until 9pm that day. Successful applicants will be provided with the times and address of the casting. We look forward to hearing from you...

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Black 12; On set Beautiful Youth Day 3

Greg finals on Tas wearing Stolen Girlfriends Club and Cybele

Sakura standing by wearing Cybele

Emiliene hair finals, wearing Stolen Girlfriends Club

Ariel wearing Glassons beret, Juliette Hogan

Above: Greg and Jannine at work with Mary wearing Alice Howard.
Below: Black Fashion Director Rachael Churchward
having a thoughtful moment.


Russ Flatt shooting at Kakamatua

Same crew; photographer Russ Flatt, fashion editor Rachael Churchward, hair editor Greg Murrell and make-up artist Margo Regan, different location and models. Kakamatua is a pretty Pohutakawa-laden harbour bay just short of Huia on Auckland's Manukau Harbour where the tide goes out a long way, and comes in very fast. It's also a handy 20 minute walk to our chosen location from the carpark so Greg Murrell and myself now have extra long gorilla arms from carrying flash unit batteries, but it was well worth the walk. Jannine @ Ryder was hair assistant. Models today were Tas and Ariel @ August, Sakura @ 62 Models and Mary and Emiliene @ Visage.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Black 12; On set Beautiful Youth Day 2

Greg Murrell adjusting the hair piece attached to Frankie's brushed-up 'fro

Sabine in make-up

David; model, and temporary photo assist

Attaching (and removing) hair pieces is harder than it looks

Hair pieces, sequins and a little more fluoro sparkled in the bush at Waiatarau yesterday for the second day of shooting our Beautiful Youth story for Black 12. Photographer Russ Flatt and fashion director Rachael Churchward teamed closely with hair editor Greg Murrell and make-up artist Margo Regan to continue themes and stories over the two days of the weekend and across eleven models. Models for Sunday were Sabine @ August, David @ 62 Models, Michael @ Vanity Walk and Frankie @ Visage. Here's a few close-up images of hair and make-up. Day 3 this Wednesday at an obscure and slightly-difficult-to-get-to-beach...