Robe Gets Editorial
OMG - A Cover Shoot. Say Whaaat?
It is very hard to describe the feeling you get when your vision for your own brand really starts to come to life. I have always seen Robe as being right at home in a glossy magazine, but I never hoped to imagine it would happen this early in our journey. So you can imagine my absolute elation when my fabulous Brand Strategist Christie (you can read more about her here!) announced she had secured an editorial and, as it transpires, cover, for Brisbane News. I am not going to lie - there was some screaming. And jumping. Because not only was it an editorial featuring Robe, it was an editorial showcasing the transeasonal possibilities that Robe can offer.
So of course, we toasted to a fabulous start to winter. And oh, the possibilities.
The A-Team
The single most important thing I have learned about photo shoots since I started Robe is getting the right team. Given that I am pretty new to the whole photo shoot thing in general, and completely fresh when it comes to editorial, I needed experience and talent. That's why I chose to work with professionals I love, and who I trust to bring out the best possible shots at the end of the day (and have fun along the way, of course!). The following peeps are AMAZING:
- Styling: Christie Sutherland (AKA our Brand Strategist and all-round amazing woman extraordinaire).
- Photographer: Grace Smith
- H&MU: Reanin Glah
- Model: Sofia from Que Models.
Location Location Location
Some may say that I could have (or should have) learned my lesson on shooting outdoors after our very first campaign shoot on Cabarita Beach. But, no. Once again I had to throw myself at the mercy of the weather Gods. And don't get me wrong - it was a massive gamble. We had only one day to shoot. If it stacked with rain and a possible thunder storm we were literally going to be left NOT high and dry. Luckily for us, the universe was on our side (there had been a lot of manifesting on my behalf) and the weather was perfect.
We shot at an historical site in Brisbane called Forte Lytton. Honestly - if you haven't been there, it is an absolute must. There are cannons, tunnels, bunkers and a huge expanse of fields and grass to play in. It really is beautiful. We decided to shoot there because we wanted to capture an Autumn feel and the colours were absolutely spectacular.
I do have to be completely honest though. There is no glamour whatsoever in a photo shoot outside. I had always thought that photo shoots were full of people standing around looking super cool and stylish in retro glasses and great digs and periodically looking at the camera to make sure the 'right' shot was captured. But, no...it is all about the running. I swear I spent the entire two hours of the shoot running from car (which was parked approximately 10 minutes away from the shoot location on account of the site rules. I'm not great at following rules... but on this occasion thought I had better pay heed as it would be super embarrassing to be kicked out of your own shoot) to picnic blanket, where all of the clothes for the next outfit change were waiting, dressing the model then running back to the car with the previous outfit to get the next one. And so on. To say I was a sweaty mess is an understatement. And I had chosen that day to try out a new herbal deodorant, which did not work. So I was a sweaty smelly mess. Nice!
The Outfits
OK so you all know we are a resort wear label. Well - this was a shoot showcasing Autumn fashion - say whaaaat?! What excited me the most about this shoot was the opportunity to demonstrate how you can take your Robes into winter. I will also do a specific blog on this exact topic - because it's seriously cool - so for the purposes of this little piece of writing I will stick to the outfits directly.
First up was the Nikki in Midnight worn over pants and a sweater. The Nikki added a sophisticated element to the outfit making it appropriate for both work and on into evening drinks.
Next outfit was the Molly in Black Chrysanthemum paired up with a pale blue roll neck jersey slightly tucked in at the front. Perfect for weekend picnics and visiting vineyards. And, oh the colours!
OK so this one is probably my favourite. The Nikki in Leopard we all know because it is just so awesome but worn over a fawn jersey with knee high boots and a bum bag (ahem sorry 'belt bag' - still showing my age right??!!) just takes it next level. I'm going to say again that it is perfect for visiting a vineyard. To be fair, we always have champagne in mind for Robe in summer so why not stretch that out to vineyards and wine tasting in the winter! We think there is no reason not to!
Next up was the Molly in Midnight. I have to say I felt slightly sorry for our lovely model, Sofie in this outfit. Brisbane, while cool in the morning had heated up to about 25 degrees by the time we shot this piece. Christie had teamed it up with several hundred layers of wool. We had the Bridget in Snow at the base, then a cream wooden cardigan then a black trench then a heavy scarf. Looked amazing but I am pretty sure poor Sofie was expiring!
The Bec is one of my favourite pieces across both our collections. Not just because it is my namesake but because it is so versatile. We teamed up the Bec in Floral Ice here with a luxurious long grey woollen cardigan with a beautiful black belt and Chelsea boots. Exceptional.
The final look was the Ollie in Charbon de Bois. Worn simply over a black polo and black pants it was simple, classic and chic.
So there it is guys. Our very first cover. I may very well be biased but I think it was pretty damn cool.
