How I Planned an International Photoshoot Part 3

In case you’ve missed it, here are parts 1 and 2 of this blog series.

After months of designing, planning, and anticipating, I couldn’t believe the day that I had been envisioning for months had finally arrived. I woke up early in the morning to get myself ready and to review every outfit one last time. The models and the hair & makeup artist were coming from Milan, so we coordinated a train ride from Milan to Lake Como and they shared a taxi ride from the Lake Como train station to the shooting location.

Once everyone arrived, we discussed my vision one last time and re-shared the concept I was imagining. While the models got ready, they enjoyed the breakfast, coffee, and tea I had ordered for them the night before. I was pleased to see the corsets fit the models perfectly. To start to see all of my hard work come to life was truly amazing.

After each corset was photographed I worked with the hair and makeup artist to change up the model’s hairstyle and makeup to coordinate with the next look. All I had to do was show Angelina the outfit and she knew exactly the look to create on the model. Her experience and expertise was invaluable.

In between shooting the corsets, I took lunch orders so we could sit down to eat with little time wasted. It was so important for us all to remind each other to take a break since we had such a full day of shooting.

It began raining towards the end of the shoot, but luckily the hotel had umbrellas for us to borrow. This delayed us getting on the water for the boat photos, but luckily it had stopped and we had just enough time for a short ride on the water.

We shot a total of 6 corsets, 3 on each model. Their endless energy and dedication during the photoshoot was immeasurable. The dynamic between us all felt like we were in total sync with each other and the entire team worked seamlessly together to ensure every shot was extraordinary. The day was productive and a great success in how we turned a dream photoshoot into a beautiful reality.

After the shoot, we coordinated transportation back to the Lake Como train station so that the models and makeup artist could get back home. Once they left, I ended the night by recapping the day with the photographers, Lucia and Luca. We decided we didn’t have enough close-up, detailed photos of every corset, so they ended up coming back the following morning. There are so many special details that I add to my corsets on both the inside lining and outside of the corset, and the photographers made sure to capture them all.

I ended the night with a delicious Italian dinner and a deep, well-deserved rest. I couldn’t have been more pleased and proud with how everything turned out. This team that Lucia and I put together was truly a dream to work with and there isn’t anything I would have changed. Showcasing my designs against the breathtaking backdrop of Lake Como was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.

A special thank you to Lucia for her help in coordinating this successful photoshoot and helping me see my vision come to life. Thank you to Angelina for her keen eye and expertise in styling the models’ hair and makeup so beautifully, and thank you to Diletta and Alicja for elevating my designs and helping communicate my story with their artistic and engaging personalities.