Fashion Story Ideas

[AniexDaffodil]

haha cloudstrife's is great!

Mine will be set in a industrial area :: inside of abandon factory would be the dream spot. Broken windows with paint chipping off the walls. Mannequins lying every where and maybe simple with a single chair in one shot.

Clothes: gorgeous evening dresses in all range of clothes. It would be such a contrast to the background of the photograph and every photo would have a new "theme" color. I wouldn't make the dresses bright, but have the dresses be softer . . . lilac, bubblegum pink, yellow, some form of blue ECT . .

i would love it if the models wore mask as well or face paint to go with the "theme" color for each photo.

 

[White Witch]

Ahhh if only that was allowed....

Story ideas.... nice to have them on tap but usually stylists have a page of them waiting for a specific seasons clothing to fit the concept.

My best ideas come during the lenghty waits for fashion shows to start! It sure as hell beats talking to the same person that you have been sitting next to for the previous 3 weeks of fashion shows. Long live daydreaming of editorial concepts..... but I don't imagine most working stylsts would never dream of telling them to anyone.....

The unfortunuate thing is, the best ideas are never commisioned! The Editor doesn't get "it" .... or more likely .... you are commissioned to shoot trend X for the 55th time that season (with only a list of magazine approved designers/advertisers) .... god help us for next spring summer and white......

 

[softgrey]

that's true for the most part white witch...
i agree...

but don't you find that you can talk about a story idea without actually giving it all away..
and also...
even if someone else used basically the same 'concept'...ie-white...
their 'take' on the idea would usually be radically different from your own...

plus...
i've seen plenty of my story ideas done by other people who i have never even spoken to...
basically because, as much as we would all like to think we are incredible geniuses...
the truth is that we are all living on the same planet and looking at the same clothes...
so some of us are bound to come up with similar ideas...

**case in point...
i had been wanting to do a shipwrecked/pirate kind of story for my whole life...
and then the very first story i ever saw by mert and marcus was exactly that ...
with kate moss...
even the hair and make up were what i had imagined...
and the story was so amazing that now i have no desire to do it myself anymore...
because why mess with perfection...
you know?...

anyway...welcome to the fashion spot...

 

[White Witch]

Further thoughts..... Story ideas.

"even if someone else used basically the same 'concept'...ie-white...
their 'take' on the idea would usually be radically different from your own..."

Hey Grey, Thanks for the warm welcome - the site was a welcome distraction to my prep. Usually, I find everyone scrambling for the same 5 pieces, so the ideas are not to radically different (especially when working for the US publications, where hair and makeup is usually dictated as 'free and natural' which limits the idea pool as you only can put it on a different face - ok granted find much more diversity on the European publications).

plus...
i've seen plenty of my story ideas done by other people who i have never even spoken to...
basically because, as much as we would all like to think we are incredible geniuses...
the truth is that we are all living on the same planet and looking at the same clothes...
so some of us are bound to come up with similar ideas...

I have had several ideas swiped hook line and sinker cause I blab'ed my mouth off at shows... so I learnt my leason real quick I tell you. No we are not incredible geniuses, creative and kooky from time to time and that is what give us the kick.

**case in point...
i had been wanting to do a shipwrecked/pirate kind of story for my whole life...
and then the very first story i ever saw by mert and marcus was exactly that ...
with kate moss...
even the hair and make up were what i had imagined...
and the story was so amazing that now i have no desire to do it myself anymore...
because why mess with perfection...
you know?...

Agreed that this sometimes does happen, and then what ever is done after, both you and your peers will always compare it to the original.

I guess we (stylists) are all chasing that Iconic image.... most stylists are only blessed with a few of them in their whole career.... I have only chalked up one so far ... but that doesn't stop me from trying. Also if you get more than 1 or 2 images out of a 10 page Editorial that you are not sick to the death of looking at 10 minutes post publication .... it is rare would you not say?

I am sure we both have much to say on the matter.... but back to prepping I go...

 

[softgrey]

agreed that there is little creative freedom in the american publications which are commercially driven and always play it 'safe'..
with an eye on the bottom line...

as a result most of my favourite stories have been things i have done as a freelance stylist for overseas publications...

i have to say that in truth i am tired of chasing the elusive iconic image...
without the right photographer...everything i do is nothing...
and i am still looking for the next avedon...
where is he??...
...

ps-good luck with the shoot...
i think you'll find this place is entertaining and good fun at times...

 

[Tamar Stern]

designers and their daughters

 

[fashionista-ta]

I would like to see the story Bazaar did recently--astrology/designers--done well

 

[mishahoi]

^ yes! and *well* is the keyword!!

 

[Angie C]

Ok this tread is really old... but found it on a search and love it, so I thought I'd try to revive it!

...cause always get these visions of great editorials

for now:

*The "Apartment viewing"

Starts with the people (models) standing outside the bulding on the street waiting for the real estate agent... then a pic of all the shoes outside the apt... then pics of the people inside opening cupboards and sneaking around...a quick peek in the walk-in closet of course...ends with someone signing a contract.

At least ten models... the real estate agent a woman in a suit of course.

Would love the Meisel/Enninful take on this

*The "Instrument bag"

A studio shoot in B/W with the models carrying big intrument bags (of violins, tubas, cellos, saxophones etc), the old-fashion hard ones that are shaped like the instrument. Clean styling, mostly black/white, all models with round glasses and nerdy haircuts... like music college students.

I think Marie Chaix would style this perfectlly....and Willy Vandeperre could take the pics...

I also visualize one with just great old fashion 80's 90's posing

(credits: scans from an old issue of an old Swedish mag/catalogue called "Habit")

 

[Meg]

Great thread, I don't know if i've ever seen it before. What would the clothes be like for the instrument bag? I like the idea of an apartment viewing.

I don't usually think of storylines or anything like that, it's just not something i imagine on a large scale unless it's specifically in reference to me (ie I want to be childlike, glamourous, etc. etc.) but when I was coming off the tube the other morning I saw this woman with heavy heavy makeup and her hair pulled back like as if she was a dancer.

I'm sure an editorial like this already exists but i love the idea of a storyline with these girls who are just coming off the job of dancing all night whether in a big production or a just possibly some seedy outpost, heading home in the big urban city scape, hair scraped back, stage makeup still on, in quite simple clothing. I imagine a lot of rick owens knits or something along those lines. Somethign comfortable. This image is quite strong with me right now for some reason.

 

[Angie C]

I'm sure an editorial like this already exists but i love the idea of a storyline with these girls who are just coming off the job of dancing all night whether in a big production or a just possibly some seedy outpost, heading home in the big urban city scape, hair scraped back, stage makeup still on, in quite simple clothing. I imagine a lot of rick owens knits or something along those lines. Somethign comfortable. This image is quite strong with me right now for some reason.

Sounds amazing... stumbling home in the very early morning light! I think i can see it too!

as for the instrument bags... I imagine a lot of white shirts and big black pants, black patent leather platforms... Balenciaga/Yohji/Jil Sander...

 

[icarlo]

ONDINE...means sea nymph in french...


we're on a beach as the sun is going down...(which means we'll have to shoot fast...hahaha)
i see long damp blonde hair..loose and natural......glistening skin...healthy glow ... wonderful curves

lots of skin...she's like the little mermaid walking out of the sea...wearing a party dress to go to the masked ball and meet her prince...she is barefoot and we can always see her bare legs...

colours...aqua/turquoise/jade/indigo...the colours of the ocean...clothing and make-up...
fabrics...shiny materials...satin/taffeta/beadwork and floaty chiffon...i want a huge taffeta wrap...(like the kind andre leon tally wears..ha)...probably from christian dior...with nothing underneath it...

the same ankle bracelet worn throughout...to hint that she is still tied to the sea...

beautiful sky and sea in the background...
i see this one so clearly in my mind...

You have some great ideas sotfgrey. I hope I get to work with you sometime. Cheers.

 

[ultramarine]

OMG! I've been looking for this thread for AGES!

I have more ideas ...

For MENSWEAR .. i want to do a beach shot ... of dead surfers or surfers who had accidents ... its close ups of the shorts mostly so its OK .... the shots are like a a surfer who died choked by the surfboard rope and a surfer with a (shark) bitten surfboard next to him (he laying in the sand) .. maybe one of them drowned and another one sunstruck ... you dont see their upper bodies ... maybe the abs and the trunks and the legs and feet ... Id love to do it!

I want to do a warehouse industrial theme ... with women as ghosts in cyanide-colors and maybe others in mens clothes playing mad scientists ...

I want as well a shot of a girl walking fast .. the shots would be profile and perfect with long flowy dresses ... and she always is eating something and with something in her mouth ....

I want as well one of minimal clothes on a french baroque environment and maybe another one which may be title "horrori vacuo" or brocade dresses against old tapestries (sp?) and chinese ladscapes and stuff ...

Another one based on comics ... like robocop attacked by models clad in bikinis (I think it wud be great for MAXIM, lol)

Another one with printed clothes which matches the furniture they sit on ...

Another one of death of fashion with suicidal models .. putting their heads on ovens and trashbags and on car running in closed space and such ...

Another one is clothes on dolls ... like voodoo dolls and such ...

 

[yourbestfriend]

I've had this idea I thought about last night revolving around the underlings of an underground club reached only by the exceptionally rich, and crazy.
The shoot would be created inside a concrete wasteland of an old building under construction, or demolished from the age of time. The lighting would be dim, and feature peaks of light through cracks, and hanging overhead lights. Much of it will be feautured in muted colour or black and white.
I imagine there to be a woman standing at the edge of the wall on the right end, looking over at a table full of aristocratic eccentrics sitting at a round table smoking etc etc. The rest of the photos will be featuring the different situations and revolve around the story of the girl and her encoutners with the guests of the club.

 

[Angie C]

Amazing ideas ultramarine and yourbestfriend

another one of mine, a little silly

ten pages of different models wearing exactly the same outfit. Preferably something avantgarde. Pictured at their day-job ie:
The cashier
The chef
The teacher
The secretary
The daycare personnel

ja, you get it. The title would be "don't qiut yor day job"

shot by Laura Sciacovelli perhaps

 

[Snurrig]

I have actually been thinking of doing pretty much exactly what wyatt posten on page 2. Bored glamorous girls waiting for date, or just being depressed after a lousy night out. Though the airplane shoot was something new for me, brilliant.
I love the contrast of urban darkness against expensive upper class clothing. Same with the otherway around, though that is way to common these days. Punk kids looking misplaced at the nobel dinner party or whatever. Very avril lavigne, and her, I do not like.

Boredom & curiousity in general is a great inspiration to me, because it's those two things that make us try new things we'd never try otherwise.
Look at me, I'm just rambling on here.

I would like to do a photoshoot in my flat since it's quite decayed and putting a girl in a big dress, maybe even a wedding gown waiting for her date, her one and only chance to get out of the slum to show up and take her out.
A table with envelopes - bills, ashtray and her open purse with **** visible.

She getting ready, no clock visible, but we know that she
is right on time, spraying her perfume/taking a last looking into the mirror. Looking a bit stressed out.

Two or three **** gone from the box, she's sitting down on the old sofa, toes pointing towards eachother and she's leaning forward, still looking hopefull.

Little more than half the packet is now gone, she's standing up, walking back and forward in the little room. She's frustrated.

Four or Five **** left in the box. She's smoking, biting on a nail. The shoes have been taken off and she's giving up hope.

No **** left, she got her legs up to her chest, arms around them and mouth and nose resting on the knees. Only her, sad(maybe crying eyes) are visible . She now knows - this is where she belongs.

I began planning this with a very dear and beautiful friend of mine who was going to model for me. Unfortunately she had to leave London for reasons that are very complicated and somewhat similar to the actual shoot.
(Hang in the Kalli)

Anyway, what do you guys think? Would it be something that could actually work?

 

[ultramarine]

what about a love story? a guy chasing a girl across the globe ... you see pics of them on famous places or maybe on diff. airports ... SO romantic!

 

[MakeUpJunkie]

Okay, so there has been one in my head for a while. Its generic and has probably been done for a while. My idea is like a couture high school. Have one girl in couture dresses doing one handed push ups in gym class and everyone else is wearing sweats. It sounds stupid, but in my head it looks good.

 

[wheneveriwakeup]

This thread is ancient but it's sooo good. I fancy the idea of styling one day but still feel incredibly insecure about my ideas, esp. when all the jaw-dropping work being produced today is taken into account.

At any rate... here goes! These are just 'ideas in theory', I suppose. The finer details such as photogs, accompanying titles and necessary clothing have yet to be extensively thought out. Still a lot of listening, questioning, researching and immersing I have to do! But that's the beauty of it!

Anyway...

* Being a sea enthusiast, I'd like to see the models indirectly take on the form of a couple of sea creatures. Not to be literally executed, of course! Crown-of-thorns starfish, human corals, clownfish, jellyfish, etc. As the pages progress, the lighting would increase in darkness as if one was descending into the depths of the ocean. Bits of green would be used on the beginning pages to represent kelp and algae. I'd use opaque garments to contrast with the darkness of the latter pages. Simple make-up and suitable but subdued hair. This would be all about the clothes. Would def. use Yohji Yamamoto, Olivier Theyskens' work, Anne Valerie Hash, Ruffo Research, Cdg, etc.

* A feral model stumbles upon an antique assortment of costumes in a dilapidated, forgotten Parisian theatre. Clothing is a 'new' experience to her so she excitedly tries on and muses in all of the pieces. Benign isolation. Bare make-up and messy, unkept hair. Would prefer a model with strong yet delicate features. All of the clothing used would be genuine antiques.

* BALTHUS GIRLS! Innocent and nondescript looking models. Only difference is the girls would be less prim than your typical Balthus painting. Would use clothes from Margaret Howell, Bruno Pieters, Charles Anatase, Veronique Branquinho, Hussein Chalayan, Dries Van Noten, Sacai, Marni circa fw 05, and perhaps a bit of Westwood.

 

[BerlinRocks]

* BALTHUS GIRLS! Innocent and nondescript looking models. Only difference is the girls would be less prim than your typical Balthus painting. Would use clothes from Margaret Howell, Bruno Pieters, Charles Anatase, Veronique Branquinho, Hussein Chalayan, Dries Van Noten, Sacai, Marni circa fw 05, and perhaps a bit of Westwood.

Love Balthus so I love this idea...
by the way interesting thread... if one day my english improve i may post some ideas...