Aveda invites fashion editor Karie L. Frost to pop in for an exclusive on-set peek of its Fall 2008 collection, Raw Beauty.
The first clue that an intensive beauty photo shoot is in progress: bass-thumping music, the type that pumps your heart for you. The second clue: A frenzy of activity at the hair and makeup area, where world-renowned hairstylists and makeup artists fuss diligently over their subjects.
When I arrive at Chelsea Studios, one of NYC’s premier photo studios, I follow the aforementioned “boom, boom, boom” to the studio Aveda has rented to shoot their fall 2008 trend collection, Raw Beauty. I’m a ball of jittery excitement for a few reasons: 1) I’ve directed several photo shoots, but I’ve never been a part of such a large-scale production and am anxious to take in all of the painstaking details; 2) I can’t wait to see what Aveda, a progressive industry leader in so many ways, is going to cook up for this shoot; and 3) too much coffee.
The scene is hectic, and over yet another cup of coffee, David Adams, Aveda’s global technical director and master hair colorist, charismatically explains the inspiration behind Raw Beauty, which you can check out in this month’s issue of Launchpad. The story is one of true beauty, born of a partnership with the Yawanawá, an indigenous tribe in Brazil. The Yawanawá’s hand-painted tribal shapes, which the people emblazon on their faces and bodies, provided the foundation for the collection. “What’s remarkable is that each shape means something,” Adams tells me. “The diamond, representing the anaconda snake, is believed to be a teacher of wisdom and healing. The fish, which is their sustenance, is a symbol of life. The chevron shape represents wisdom as well.” From product ingredients to Aveda’s fall packaging to the cuts and colors of its collection Raw Beauty, this tribe’s mark is felt.
I try to slip quietly behind the photographer, Miguel Reveriego, to get a “lens-eye view” as he clicks off dozens of frames of Shi Han, a dashing Asian model who’s working all of his angles against the stark gray background. Image after image pops up on the computer screen to my left—an amazing story seemingly unfolding right before my eyes. The lighting and feel are so organic; the quality of the images is so flawless, they seem to be ready for publication, right then and there.
Back at the styling station, I quietly observe Aveda global creative director Antoinette Beenders as she twists a model’s locks around hairpins in a tight zigzag formation. Beenders’ brilliant vision for the collection involves head-to-toe monochromatic fashions—one of fall fashion’s biggest trends—as well as moody lighting. She tells me, “This collection brings traditional Yawanawá cultural and festive looks to life in wearable, fashion-forward iterations. I chose clothing made from rich fabrics in earthy and red tones. In terms of lighting, I think a darker sensibility reflects the mystery of the rainforest.”
Behind Beenders, Aveda global makeup educator Rudy Miles deftly paints models’ faces in the then-unreleased fall makeup palette. To watch these two beauty makers, you get a great sense of teamwork and camaraderie amidst the clouds of hairspray and racks of handpicked clothes. The collective talents blend seamlessly, and by the time I leave, I feel like I have a sense of what the final product will be.
A few months after the shoot wraps, the finished images flash across my computer screen—a collection of dazzling works of art put together by Aveda’s own tribe. The shots are gorgeous, unique and a definite fashion-forward tribute to the Yawanawá. Aveda has proven yet again that beauty, even in its most raw form, has the power to inspire, beguile and truly capture the imagination.
Check out the collection in its completed form on pages 62 to 66 of the September issue of Launchpad.
