FRIDAY LATE AT V&A: Lara Jensen - Backstage preview

On a late friday night we joined designer Lara Jensen at V and A museum to showcase her amazing jewelled head pieces. But we were not alone! This couldn't be done without a help from five stunning models and fantastic team.

We fell in love with the beautiful adornments since the first show many months ago and to work with them again was super.

Here is a little behind of the scenes from our magical evening! 

Everything started with a five beauties. But with a help from hair and make-up artists and little styling we turned them into a marvelous Lara Jensen girls! 

We love to take care of our lovely models and in order to make them feel as comfortable as possible, while hair stylists work their magic, we brought in some fun slippers!

Looks cute, doesn't they?

We had a sneak peek on their massive equipment! Dozens of brushes...

... and here even more!

We absolutely loved the hair style! Above Sadie Pinn, below Kiera @ Select Models.

Such a cute little Minnie Mouse buns suited girls perfectly!

 All of them!

 Here is how it happened! All about a team work!

 And then it was time for make-up!
Make up was headed by Nat Van Zee.

We take care of every single girl!

And voila! It is time for rehearsal!

We tried out V and A stairs and hallways before the big moment!

After all - practice makes us perfect!

And finally it's time to put on jewelry!

They look like foreign princesses!

Oh, fantastic! Love it!

3, 2, 1... and the big moment is here!

We thought that lights and shadows made a perfectly mysterious atmosphere!

This was one magical evening and we absolutely loved it! And so did the spectators or at least that was what we could tell from the loud applause we could heard from them!

Thanks everyone for their help! We couldn't do it without you!

Designs Lara Jensen, Styling Hope Von Joel, Back stage photography Madara for Hope Von Joel, Hair by Idira @toni and Guy, Make up Nat van zee, Models Fern, Issy, Charlotte, Kerry, @ Select Model Management and Sadie Pinn.

Hope Von Joel Styles and Art Directs Lara Jensens Lookbook for ss13

Hope Von Joel reviews her latest work for Lara Jensen

For the second season running Hope Von Joel has worked closely with Lara Jensen. Lara's success has been seen worldwide with pieces worn and made for the likes of Lady GAGA and THE ROLLING STONES.  This season Hope along side Lara created a whimsical dark scene for the death inspired gold maggot and bird pieces. The collection included pieces that contorted the mouth, touched on the grotesque and attached to the head to create angelic but sinister images of death and beauty.

Hope's thoughts on the collection " I Love working alongside Lara Jensen, her vision in exciting and dark, just how i like to see beauty. We work as a great team, bouncing ideas of each other. It has come to the point that we know what each other is gonna say and this in a creative sense is magic. Every season this is my favourite lookbook shoot. Working with my dear friend Philip Meech who is a genius the results are always spell bounding and atmospheric. I am always excited by Lara's vision and its a pleasure to hear her deepest thoughts and make them a reality"

Below are a selection of Hope's Favourites.

Bird Head piece - using birds wings and Maggots.

 Red leather rose face mask

 Jay wing and Maggot head piece. Gold Maggot crown and veil

 Single maggots on gold chains, Gold coin glasses and coin

Contorted Jay bird head piece ( Hope's favourite 'much discussion went on around this piece and i think Lara has made it immaculately.'

Here are the details of the shoot
LARA JENSEN SS13 LOOKBOOK 'VANITAS'

Vanitas vanitanium omnia vanitas – vanity of all vanities, all is vanity.

The SS13 collection 'Vanitas' by Lara Jensen, is inspired by the symbolic art forms of Vanitas and Momento Mori (still life and portraiture paintings) that originate from the 15th century. These contemplated the transient elements of beauty in life and the futility of narcissism.

Using materials such as Swarovski crystals, 18k gold, hand-moulded leather and taxidermy, Jensen has created a contemporary re-enactment of these ideas. Her pieces are based on elements of these paintings, translated into detailed jewellery, sunglasses, mouth accessories and headpieces. Flowers, birds and maggots meet as symbols of life and death, creating pieces that highlight and reflect upon the fleeting nature of the wearers beauty.

These remarkable fashion artefacts celebrate the immortality of their physicality, in contrast to the transience of the wearer. 'Vanitas' is Jensen's first full solo collection and sees her combine the millinery for which she is reputed, with her jewellery design skills.

Photography by Philip Meech Styling by Hope Von Joel ૐArt Direction by Hope Von Joel and Lara Jensen Hair byKota Suizu Makeup by Nat van Zee Model Mary Select Model Agency