the parasol project

ivana zannini

even though photography is just a pastime of mine...I feel it is something that is very much a part of my everyday life. I don't know if I plan so much with my ideas, as I think its more about finding moments and just creating something beautiful and interesting. case in point, this summer I was asked to style and shoot something unique using various parasols. I have featured these lily lark parasols before on sisters in black frocks but this time I decided not to model and have some of my friends wear them for me. I was surprised by how much I did with them this summer and I very much enjoyed the process of trying to work with them, even though at times I felt a little clueless. parasols can be tricky with how to hold them and finding the perfect amount of light and shadow to go with. out of all the ones I took this summer, I think this may be my favorite, just because it feels very natural, but yet still very polished and sleek. I had my friend ivana model it for me and she styled the parasol with a form fitting black dress with heels. her dress very much reminded me of 90s herve leger, perhaps because in how it shapes to her figure. I think her body language also says so much and I love how she is looking off to the side in her sunnies. I guess you could say this image has a very sister's in black frocks kind of ambiance about it. however you want to interpret it, I must thank ivana for incorporating her own sense of style, with that parasol....so noir chic to the next level.

ladylike

photo by mario testino

the inspiration for my photo of ivana with her parasol came loosely from this gisele image by mario testino from a 2009 issue of vanity fair magazine. I know its not a 100 percent a copy of it, but I like the idea that this image evokes. its very sexy, yet ladylike, but still very noir chic. its exactly what I wanted to create with my photo. I guess what they both have in common though is that they are both standing on rooftops. there is something about a rooftop with a view of sky scraper buildings, that just adds a little something extra. whatever it is, I love the helmut newton quality of this photo, that mario testino was embodying....it some how very much inspired me with my parasol photograph...interesting how it all correlates.

for our fans

ivana & myself

recently, my friend ivana bought these decadent chinese fans and suggested to me that we do something extravagant with them. naturally, I said yes and since ivana and I met through the late franca sozzani we thought we should do a tribute to her. after all, franca sozzani not only loved style, but she loved fashion with a sense of humor. so with that in mind we decided to put on our best black dresses and stand by her hollywood pool with these beautiful fans. ivana and I had some helmut newton images in mind, so we tried to take on the persona of the types of women you see in his photographs. basically, we wanted to be sexy california noir chic, but still not take ourselves too seriously. I think franca was all about that with vogue italia and that is one thing that I try to keep in mind when I do photo projects. ivana and I have talked so much about the death of franca sozzani and how it has affected us. we both can recall certain issues of vogue italia during her era that we will never forget and what a style impact they have had upon our lives. I am not sure if we will ever forget that she is no longer living, but her sharp taste for fashion and photography will always be a major source of inspiration for us both. so on that note, we dedicate this to her.