BRIDAL DESIGNER STEPHEN VAN EEDEN ON PROJECT RUNWAY

BRIDAL DESIGNER STEPHEN VAN EEDEN ON PROJECT RUNWAY

Bridal Designer Stephen van Eeden

Stephen is a fashion designer, specializing in bridal couture and red carpet glamour, based in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town.  He occasionally also dabbles in the design of luxurious resort-wear. Not only is he a very successful designer, but has also recently been selected as one of the 12 finalists for the FIRST season of Project Runway, South Africa, which starts airing on Mzansi Magic, DSTV Channel 161, on the 10th of July at 9:30 pm (South African Time).

Although Project Runway is one of my favorite shows, I have only watched the American version, not to mention the fact that I have never missed an episode, but now I will have to watch the South African version also, to follow the steps of Stephen!

Additionally, we cannot be more thrilled to hear this news, because Lemontrend is a big fan of Stephen’s work.

In the past, we did a wonderful interview about his work, and you can read it here.

What is your opinion as a designer?

Although it is difficult to define fashion because of its inherently subjective nature.  You cannot say that apparel or accessories are fashion. Fashion is the way these two commodities merge to create a look that is brought to life by the person who wears it at a certain time within a certain space.  Fashion has a social nature – people will only understand it within its context, in example within the correct time frame and social environment.

What do you stand for as a designer?

As a bridal designer I want to create beautiful (quality, well-executed and innovative) clothes that empower the modern woman that wears them.  I also believe that a brand can only succeed when it is part of a sustainable industry that celebrates the skilled artisans behind the seams.  This is made by skills development, job creation, the elevation of less privileged communities, and the preservation of the unique craftsmanship and skills of tailoring & dressmaking that in the fast-paced modern world of fashion & technology so easy are under threat.

What do your designs evoke?

My designs evoke emotions of glamorous femininity with subtle modern elements that keep it relevant to current fashion trends. Individuals that follow fashion trends do not buy something purely out of necessity. They are buying it for an emotional connection, a status of some kind, or to feel as though they belong or aspire to a specific lifestyle.

His New Capsule Collection inspiration was based on Caged Birds with a botanical menagerie of birds and florals. He took colors, textures and details that emulated these elements in the fabrics and styling.

To see one of his most beautiful bridal capsule collection, you can see it here

To know more about this amazing designer please visit: Stephen Van Eeden

 

Photo Credits: DuWayne Denton Photography

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER RYAN TANDYA

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER RYAN TANDYA

Fashion Photographer Ryan Tandya

Ryan Tandya is a fashion photographer from Indonesia, and NPM PHOTOGRAPH represents him. NPM Photograph is a creative artist management and media consultancy, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. I stumble upon a few weeks ago with Ryan Photographs, and I was very moved by his creativity and talent. He is a self-taught photographer, and today we bring you guys a nice interview about his career.

 

For those who don't know you, tell us about yourself

I'm Ryan a fashion photographer from Indonesia. I am represented by NPM, a boutique creative management in Jakarta.

How is fashion in your home country?

We are a work in progress. I would say foreign creators that are considered superior still heavily influence most of us.

How would you define beauty?

It's anything that moves you. It can be a beautiful architecture, a wonderfully-crafted dress, or intangible things like intelligence and persistence. It comes in many forms.

Were you educate in photography or are you a self-taught photographer?

I am a Self-taught photographer.

What camera do you use most of the time?

For the past few years, I've been using the Sony systems. They produce beautiful pictures and are compact and lightweight. My current go-to cameras are the a7ii and RX1Rii.

Which photo are you currently most proud of?

My pride is for the very passionate people I work with.

Comparing where you are now with where you are when you first started, what could you have done differently to get to where you are sooner?

If it had been possible, I would have ditched uni so I could start creating sooner.

You’ve clearly worked with a wide range of models, what tips can you recommend to people looking to expand their portfolio?

You have to really want it, be very eager and persistent.

Describe a typical shoot.

Research, sketches, doodles, scribbles →casting (very crucial) →deliberation →more deliberation →arguments regarding the looks onset (this is where the magic happens) →photoshoot →photo culling with the fashion editor/stylist →post-production →final picture.

How much time do you spend taking photos, versus retouching photos?

It really depends on how elaborates is the assignment. I will always try to lessen the needs of the post by trying to get everything right on set.

Favorite accessory?

I'm always weak for fascinators and hats.

Who would you like to work with most?

I've been dreaming to shoot a white-haired old lady in pompous outfits, Iris Apfel crazy. Nanas are cool!

Favorite photography book?

There are too many. Right now it's between Mapplethorpe Flora and Tim Walker: Story Teller.

To know more about Ryan, please visit: Ryan Tandya

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER TOMMY CLARKE

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER TOMMY CLARKE

Aerial Photographer Tommy Clarke

Tommy Clarke is a British aerial photographer who started working as a fashion photographer in Sydney until he started photographing the beaches and landscapes around him, and this developed a new passion. Today, he is one of the most recognize aerial photographer, his photographs have appeared on the cover of many magazines, and today we bring you guys a nice interview about her career

When did you know you wanted to be a photographer?

I was 16 and had broken my back snowboarding a few weeks before the rowing season started. So I took my mum's camera to the regattas to take some photos of the school teams in action whilst I was sidelined. The enjoyment I got from showing my teammates a few days later, after I'd had them developed, was addictive. I've been striving for that feeling ever since.

How did the idea of aerial photograph start?

I was working as a fashion photographer in Sydney around 2010 but was finding myself spending more time on the beaches than actually working! I ended up photographing the beaches and landscapes around me, and it took over as a new passion. It wasn't until a tourist helicopter was buzzing around over my head whilst I was surfing at Bondi beach that I thought, wait a sec that would be a pretty amazing view from up there!

What is most important at the moment you take a picture?

For me, it’s important to make sure there is no blur in my photos, they need to be as sharp as possible. So a correctly exposed photo with a fast shutter is vital.

From where you get your inspiration

I travel a lot now so am always seeing new parts of the world, new colors, textured landscapes, etc but also apps like Instagram and travel magazines give me ideas too.

How do you look for the perfect spots?

I use satellite imagery a lot now, to scour the world from the comfort of my gallery in London. I'll maybe see an image of a beautiful location on Instagram then I'll find it on there and search the surrounding area for possible shoot locations.

Describe a typical shoot.

Early wake up to test all the cameras, lenses, memory cards. Get to the heliport usually an hour or so before taking off. Get the harnesses on and lifejackets if needs to be. Brief the pilot on the areas I want to shoot. Then, I get a safety briefing. Then we strap in and go for it. Time goes very quickly when you're up there so 2hrs can fly by. Then when I've got enough, we head back to the helipad and I start to back up the photos.

Were you educated in photography or are you self-taught?

Self-taught! I study sports science at university!

What camera do you use most of the time?

A range of Nikon cameras, currently the D800e, but also some film and Polaroid ones.

Which photo are you currently most proud of?

I took a photo of some boats moored off a beach in the south of France that became my first cover of Conde Nast Traveller. As that magazine was a huge influence on me growing up and inspired me to see the world and travel more, it was a proud moment to get the cover.

Comparing where you are now with where you are when you first started, what could you have done differently to get to where you are sooner?

It's actually been a pretty speedy rise for me, especially in a world of drones! I would have been more proactive in contacting publications and places where my photos could have been seen sooner.

Favorite photography book?

Massimo Vitali - Landscapes with Figures

 

To know more about Tommy, please visit: Tommy Clarke

PERFECT SUMMER SHOES

PERFECT SUMMER SHOES

Perfect Summer Shoes

Vienna is the perfect city to walk around, and that’s why is very important for me to have a pair of comfortable shoes. To find a coffee on the weekends and just sit down and enjoy a hot day outside, and disconnect from the busy with my significant other is essential.

One of my favourite spots is next to the Danube… Sometimes I just take my bicycle with my best friend and just drive along the Danube till we found the perfect spot to make a stop, and sometimes it gives me the feeling that I am not even in the city anymore.

Living in Vienna, and be proud to call this city my hometown, makes me realize how different the life is in here in compare with Venezuela, don’t take me wrong I love my valley city of Caracas, but there you are always on the run and always on a car, here in Vienna the public transportation is one of the best of Europe, that you just leave the car at home and use it on the weekends.

 

This time I choose to combine my new pair of shoes with a nice summer dress and a jeans jacket.

 

The White Sneakers

With summer here, I decided to pick a new pair of sneakers and I discovered a new online shoe shop named Footway. Footway is a European Online Shop that started in 2010 in Sweden. Today, you can order from England till Austria.

Although I had the opportunity to order for the first time at Footway, I was very overwhelming, with all the shoe products they have. At the beginning, I didn’t know what to order. After taking a closer look of my closet, I decided to go for a pair of white sneakers that are perfect for summer.

I am a sneaker fan, especially because they are comfortable and easy to combine, and that’s why is always a good idea to have a good pair for every occasion.

Footway not just have sneakers, they have all sort of shoes, they have from boots till heels, and for someone who is looking for a special pair, and this is the online shop to go.

The process to pick up your pair of shoes is really easy; however, the delivery time is amazingly fast, for my pair of sneakers it took just 3 days to arrive, and I was really excited to receive my new pair of sneakers.

I have never had a pair of completely white sneakers, and with the hot days we have had in Vienna, it seems like the perfect companion for a walk in the city, or at the Danube. I choose a pair of Nike Air Max Thea, which is extremely comfy and very lightly to wear.

If you are looking for a simple way to order your shoes, Footway is one of the easiest and faster with a large product range

Which are your favourite shoes for summer? Share them in the comments below

For more information, please visit: Footway

 

*Sponsored collaboration with Footway.

 
Photo-credits: Angie in Motion
WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR TO A SUMMER WEDDING

WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR TO A SUMMER WEDDING

What to Wear to a Summer Wedding?

It’s the season for summer weddings and whilst a lot of you may still be reeling over the excitement from the Royal wedding, you may be thinking about what you should wear as a guest to an upcoming event!  This can be something that a lot of women dread, as you don’t want to look out of place. Of course, your decision will depend on the dress code, but we have put some ideas together for what you could wear to look great this summer if you plan on going to any weddings.

Beach Weddings

It might not be hot enough in the UK for a beach wedding (although you never know), but if you are travelling for someone’s big day – this could be a possibility.  Don’t worry – you don’t need to go in a bikini, there are lots of great looks you could choose.  For example, you will definitely want lightweight material that is breathable – so a maxi dress could be a good option.  To be in-keeping with the summer vibe on the beach, you may also want to wear some nice floral bright prints to keep it light.  There are some great floral dresses at Firefly and Lillies that would be perfect for a beach wedding. You can team these up with some accessories to jazz it up.  If you want to really pull of your look, some designer sunglasses would also go down a treat.

A Casual Wedding

Some people definitely choose to opt for a casual approach when it comes to weddings. With this, it’s a good idea to select a dress that doesn’t look overly formal – but still packs a bit of a punch.  Jumpsuits can be a great option for a wedding like this, and they are in style this year.  You can team up your casual dress with some stiletto heels to make it look a little more formal if you like.  A nice clutch bag will also go a long way to making a casual dress look fantastic.

A Black Tie Wedding

If it’s a black-tie affair, it will normally state this in the invitation.  This is the type of occasion that people tend to get a little bit more worried about, but there is really no need.  For this we would tend to go for a nice cocktail dress, and even though it’s summer and you are going to a wedding, there’s no reason why you can’t pull out a little black dress if that’s what you feel comfortable in.  It will fit in with the formality of the occasion. Again, you can team these up with some nice heels and jewelry to make your look complete.

Are you ready to go to your summer wedding? The important thing is to relax, and make sure you are dressed in something you feel comfortable in.

Cristi Casella

Photo Credits:

Photo Credits: Lindie Jacobs