Shoot no.7 Editorial no.3

For this editorial I wanted to really incorporate the current grunge look brought to YSL by Hedi Slimane. To put my own twist on my editorial I decided to apply a really smokey wing as the make-up as in comparison to Saint Laurent's current editorials they have very bare make-up nothing really on the face. 

If I could do this shoot again I would probably do it on location and push my creativity more. Apart from this I really feel like I channeled the brand correctly but still putting my own spin on it. 

I made the hair mess, slightly waved and the liner like a slept in grunge look with a hint of glamour with a sliver metallic sparkle in the inner corner. 

 The images are to be turned into black and white in post production in the style of Saint Laurent. I am very happy with the choice of styling for this shoot.  

Editorial Inspo: Telling a story

Throughout this unit I have found my chosen concept for the editorial section to be the hardest. After doing research on what an Editorial shoot consists of, my understanding of this is that an editorial tries to tell a story. This would be told through location, styling, make-up and hair. Trying to create a story for my own brand has been interesting to say the least. As this was still images and not moving frames it was something I really had to think about. Telling a story through film is a lot easier, reflecting on last semester when we had to create a fashion film. 

My first thought was to look at how Yves Saint Laurent interpret women and the human form. Through doing research it's obvious that Yves Saint Laurent looked at women being just as powerful as men in such a sexist time. I like this idea of women in powerful roles but still remaining feminine and sexy at the same time. I wanted to really play with this idea in the styling elements and follow the trend of theirs with my models wearing the tuxedo trend. I think for my editorial images I will create one image with the tuxedo look and the other take inspiration from the current spring summer 2016 collection which is a mix of  grunge punk princess types of clothes like a denim jackets, lace, leather and tiaras. I love this style because I really think this incorporates my own type of style and the style I most enjoying creating for my make up looks. 

I really want to show femininity through my images but creating an image this still shows my model as portraying a powerful representation of women. I really love the way Yves Saint Laurent do this within their images. 
Hedi Slimane, is the creative director of the brand and fashion house. I love his grungy laid back vibe he creates and it's something I want to dive deep into with my own looks. He has dealt with a lot of criticisim with the direction he has taken the brand YSL but I really love the way he is opening the brand to a wider audience, the types of looks he creates are just fascinating and something that really pulls the brands out of the same market as their competitors Chanel and Dior. 

http://fashioneditorials.com/2015/12/02/rabat-magazine-winter-201516-aline-weber-by-xavi-gordo/

Technical Session: Timed Assessment

The time came for assessment day. I decided that I was going to be extra organised for this assessment as I knew the grading criteria had slightly changed on last years. I started by making sure I was happy with the face charts I had designed and created as well as my notes. I then went on to pack my kit, making sure my brushes had be cleaned and sanitized the night before as well as my brush belt and any palettes, powders and creams I was going to be using on the day. I dressed in black and made sure my hair and make-up were neatly done. 

Going to Uni this day I wasn't at all nervous and I think this was due to being 100% prepared for the assessment. I knew my design like the back of my hand and how to execute it.  I made sure it wasn't to over complicated and that I could complete it in an industry level time. 

The idea of my final assessment look was to create a dewy skin which almost looked liquid, and keeping everything very natural that includes brows, lashes and lips. I went for fluttery lashes with a smoked out lash line to create definition without having a harsh liner. I used a nude mac lipstick colour on the lip and left these quite shiny to show natural theme. 

Product List: 

• Garnier Micellar Water cleanser 
• Garnier stuper intense moisturiser 
• Smashbox Primer Oil 
• Rimmel liquid highlighters
• Benefit cream highlighter
• Mac Studio Fix Foundation in NC15
• Kyrolan cream foundation palette 
• Mac Studio fix fluid concealer NC15 
• Kryolan concealer palette 
• Ben Nye Powder in FAIR (to prevent creasing under the eyes, around the nose and between the eyebrows)
• Urban Decay naked palette 1
• Flutter Lashes
• Black Mascara
• Mac Viva Glam Lipstick in Gaga 1
• Benefit Hoola Bronzer 
• Mary Louminzer by The Balm
• Kryolan Aqua colour palette 
• Mac eyebrow pencil in lingering
• Brushes from Crown, Mac, Kryolan
• Toothbrushes
• Couch Roll
• Cotton pads
• Cotton buds
• Hairspray
• Water
• Back combing brush
• Sectioning clips
• Paddle Brush
• Straighteners

Once I had gotten to uni, I went to start arranging my area for the assessment with sticking up my designs on the mirror with my notes. I laid out some couch roll and began to the lay out my products in an order in which they would be used just for extra organisation. I then placed protective equipment over my model so she was not splashed with paint. This was a wash proof cloak and a few towels. 

To begin I started by applying a cleanser to my models skin to make sure her skin was clean and ready for application of more make-up. I then applied a thick amount of moisturiser as it was a dewy look I didn't want any unwanted dry skin patches showing up to the eye or camera. I applied a skin oil which is also a primer quite liberally over the skin and allowed this to sink in. As the hair and make-up was going to be incorporated together I moved onto the hair first and started to straighten it, as I wanted a very sleek look.  Then taking hairspray, back combing brush and a tiny amount of water I began to create my look. I sprayed a fair amount of strong hold hairspray onto the section I wanted to pull back and used a back combing brush as it had dense bristles compared to a comb so it didn't turn out separated and having any gaps. Once this was done I moved back onto the face and started to apply some liquid illuminators to the skin to create even more of a dewy look. I let them settle into the sink for a couple of minutes whilst I mixed the correct shade of foundation up. I had a mixture of liquid and cream based foundations to create the look as I didn't want anything matte. Once I had mixed the correct shade by testing it out on the jaw of my model I moved on to application of the base. I used a stipple brush firstly to apply a light coverage of the foundation all over the skin and then took a beauty blender sponge and continued to add coverage. Once I had finished I took some Kyrolan concealer and concealed any blemishes on my models skin and under the eyes with a warmer toned concealer to cancel out any blueness. I then took a lighter concealer compared to my models skin tone and started to high light the cheeks bones, under the eyes, the nose, the cupids bow, between the eyebrows and the chin as well as under the cheekbones. I then took a shade of foundation that was three shades darker then my models skin tone and started to shade the sides of the face, under the cheekbones, on the sides of the forehead and the side of her nose. Once I was happy I applied a small amount of Ben Nye powder to the skin just in places that were prone to creasing. I then moved on to the eyes, I applied an eyeshadow base and set this with a powder the same colour as my models skin tone. I then took a small amount of brown toned eyeshadow and started to carve and blend out the crease of my models eyes. I applied a black shade to lash line and smoked it out to create definition to the lash line. Moving on I curled the lashes and applied one coat of mascara. Then applied the lashes, to create a fluttery look. I applied a lot of powder highlight to all the high points of the face and over any areas I powdered just to bring back and mimic the shine. Next was to apply a lip and I used a nude lip pencil just so the lip wouldn't bleed and then applied the nude cream lipstick. Next was to create the paint splatter effect and I did this by using toothbrushes and using very watered down aqua paints. I sprayed all colours and started to flick the hard bristles at the face making sure my model had her eyes and mouth closed. I alternated colours and made sure to bring it up into the hair and down the neck. I positioned it onto one side of the face only and had it going in a diagonal direction.  Once this was done, I placed the suit jacket on my model and we proceeded to take some pictures. 

I had managed to finish in plenty of time which is what I had planned for. That normally never happens for me as I tend to be a perfectionist in assessments and I normally create a look that takes longer then expected. Over all I am extremely happy with how my pictures turned out and my assessment went. I felt like it was my best to date. 

Here are some of my images taken on my phone: 

What could be improved:

If i was to do this assessment again I would probably create something that was a little bit more on the challenging side. But looking at fashion trends, especially for my brand YSL they like to keep things basic and have the focus mainly on the clothes. I would also perhaps do something more with the hair, again challenging my skills. But I am very happy with this look that I don't want to change anything unless I was to create a new design again. 

Technical Session: Lips

During this technical session with Fenella we looked at creating different types of lips. Lips has always been something that I find the hardest just because if i concentrate too hard I get shaky hands! No other part of doing a make-up do I get shaky hands apart from the lips! Anyway full well knowing this was something that I had to work on I went full throttle into this lesson. From previous lessons when I had worked with my peer Jasmine I knew her lips were one of the hardest I had ever had fill in and draw as they are quite thin. But knowing this I went and used her lips to try and conquer them once and for all! 

Firstly we had to do a nude lip and perfect this. I started by taking a peachy colour as I thought this would suit Jas's skin tone, I was correct. I tried to make them seem a little fuller on top as this is the area Jasmine was most concerned about. I also brought the lowest part of the bottom lip down a little just to make it seem plumper. I feel like the bottom lip is slightly off but apart from that I am happy with this application. 

Moving on we had to create a red lip and this seems to be the most difficult lip for me because of the pigment in the lipstick it is hard to clean up any mistakes. I created a very full glossy pout something that I have seen many times on the catwalk shows so this could be practice for when I create my looks.  I again filled in the personal problems Jasmine has with her lips and the added what I wanted. 

 Overall I am happy with this outcome, I know I need a lot more practice but I know that this will come with time and possibly one day I will have perfected it!

Editorial - Grunge Inspiration and Courtney Love

Looking at the trend of grunge in fashion was key to me for understanding the brand YSL, especially in how the creative director Hedi Slimane has reinvented the fashion house in the last couple of collections. I really love the direction he has taken and it has inspired me to look further into were the grunge trend has come from originally and how it features as a main style inspiration for every day people too. 

Grunge started in a musical sense and artists perhaps started the fashion sense, with thrift shopping, flannel shirts mix and match womens and mens clothes styled all with leather and oversized items. I love this trend because it seems effortless and not very put together which is something I think is so relevant and reflects music, art and general life for some people. 

Grunge seemed to start in the 80's with leather looks and developed with the help of stars like Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love  and band Nirvana in the 90's. 

As you can see from the picture of Courtney Love, there is clear inspiration for the SS 16 collection by Saint Laurent. They actually had her model for the brand not long ago with other famous musicians such Marylin Manson.

The silk dress and the Tiara featured are clear items featured in the collection and something that I am going to look at for my own editorial pictures. 

Music Stars for Saint Laurent

Courtney Love For Saint Laurent Paris

I love that they used such an iconic star as inspiration as I think it is something that many people understand and get this type of grunge style. With these well known music stars featuring the brand opens up to different age groups which is what this brand really needed. 

Another way Saint Laurent is mixing with Yves Saint Laurent Beauty is through the fragrance Black Opium - the advertising for this scent has a very grunge vibe to it,  within styling, make-up and hair and the story itself. 

http://www.kadincaozel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/53ce5319a0c9dc706af99970edc2fd1dfc335bf7.jpg

Stretching Yves Saint Laurent's target audience through the release of Black Opium Fragrance

Changing OPIUM - black opium

The brand YSL beaute has attempted to change it's target audience in recent years by releasing an updated version of their best selling fragrance Opium, titled, Black Opium. It doesn't come as a shock that the brand that had created very iconic fragrances such as Opium, Paris, Rive Gauche and some backlash and negative responses to the brands new fragrance. The scent includes top notes of Pink Pepper and Orange Blossom, middle notes (heart) include Coffee and Jasmine and the base, Vanilla, Patchouli and Sandalwood. Some of these notes reprise as luxury scents and seem to be only featured in luxury fragrances, such as Sandalwood and Patchouli. The heart note of coffee is an unusual one for YSL to use but seems to fit in well with other fragrance releases like SI by Giorgio Armani. 

Through my research I believe that Yves Saint Laurent Beaute released this perfume to stretch the brands target audience more than anything. As a young adult I would see myself reaching for other brands fragrances over YSL's as I feel these are honestly dated more than anything, I applaud the brand for attempting to change their target audience after 50 years, its brave and if the fashion house can why can the beauty label not do the same. 

The advert for the fragrance features model Edie Campbell (who also features as the face for the Spring 2016 make-up collection.) The advert is set in Japan with a very modern look (I see references to the current fashion collections by Hedi Slimane for the brand itself. I feel it fits in well with the grungy punk princess vibe slimane wanted the brand to head in. 

The scents advertising response did get initially some bad responses as some critics referenced some of the scenes to drug taking. I believe this is true but understandably it fits with what kind of way the brand wants to go with the fashion line as well. 

I think this is good knowledge to know about the brand as it is something I could perhaps incorporate into my editorial looks ( something I am sure I will). As I am not advertising the fragrance Black Opium but the spring make-up collection, I will perhaps stay away from this kind of look for my advertisements but yet keep them classy and keep to the main YSL style of the sexy suit jackets, and  focus on make-up.