I was really excited for our look book shoot for my newest ready to wear summer collection called MALI! My team and I have been working on this for several months now and finally we will be able to show everyone all our hard work. Coming up with the look book for the collection cements the images that has been playing in my mind and making it all tangible for everyone to experience.
Checking the fit and the fall of the samples.
For this project I am so happy to be working once more with the talented BJ Pascual to photograph the collection. The whole collection is really a fun mash up of African sensibilities mixed in with the memories of the 70′s (as a child mind you! LOL!) and that of this pared down Scandinavian sensibility. We always try our best to come up with something fresh and new but at the same time stick to our core design sensibilities as HOUSE OF LAUREL. What came out is one of the most fun and exciting collections. I cannot wait for my customers to wear and enjoy the fruits of our hard labour.
The collection really makes me happy and this sense of joy is what I wish everyone to experience. From the exuberance of the colours to the ease of the shapes and the airiness of the materials. It’s all about the celebration of summer.! I would first like to thank my entire team Martin, Michelle, Cher, Sam, Kathy, Judy, Chariel, Gloria, Tin, Ven and many other countless angels. I really appreciate everyone in my staff for always giving their best! I certainly have the best team there is! I am so blessed to have all of you! To my dear friends Pam Quinones, Liz Uy and Divine Lee thank you for letting us invade your shoe closets and let me have at least for a day the most covetable shoe collection ever! Imagine the power of these 3 ladies shoe collection in my studio? That was a sight to behold!
Raided the shoe closets of 3 of the most stylish women in the Philippines! Thank you Liz, Pam & Divine! Pointed pumps galore!!!
Here are the mens shoes!
Inspecting the samples before the shoot.
The war room! LOL! AKA. The House of Laurel Make up studio!
Enrique's first few looks! Fresh!
Scandinavian…..explorers visiting the african continent in the 70's.
LOVE times 3!
trying to organise the looks for speed! We literally take photos the whole day.
RAJOMAN details. Beading for men! YAAAAY!!!!!
I love this crystal button up shirt.
Exploring local indigenous materials and making it modern! Think PINA done for NOW!
The externally young BJ! Gosh he looks like he is 14! LOL!
Playing with my camera. LOMO!
It's all about the proportion and the short! Raglan, long back Barong is LOVE!!!
Print mix!
Styling……..
Easy breezy….SUMMER!!!!
African queens!!!
PRINT MIX RIOT!!!!
NOTE! Pointy toes are a MUST!!!!!!!
Thank you Digzy Umali for the fabulous shades. Thank you to my sister Gela who did an amazing job! Your make up courtesy of MAC cosmetics, was not only flawless but really made a such huge difference! I LOVE YOU! Thank you to Mark Familara for making my models look like the ladies of Guy Bourdin & the children of Sonia Rykiel! LOL! Thank you to VERONA OPTICAL www.veronaoptical.com for the coloured contact lenses. Thank you to Petra from Mercator. Olga & Enrique from Elite, you were all so amazing! With out my models the whole image would not come to life.
Make up detail by Gela Laurel-Stehmier thank you to MAC!!!!
It's all about the graphic Bandeau!!!!
Fun separates inspired by African prints that we enlarged to 80% of it's original size resulting into these delicious graphic lines.
I declare that the new erogenous zone this season is the bare is the rib! Bare midriff tops is the ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE!!!!
This is my favourite lay out! It captures succinctly the essence of MALI! This look is very limited!
Bold printed summer gear!
Happy colours to make this summer absolutely joyful!!!
Thank you to my SM shoes family! Thank you Wave Events for the astroturf wall! Thank you to CIVIC duty shoes! I think your shoes are so cool! I want them all! LOL! I do hope that I got to thank everyone? It truly takes a village to create these images and each person is vital and important in making true fashion. Take a peek into our behind the scenes MALI look book shoot and hope to see you in the store! It’s going to be one happy & beautiful summer!
Don't kill me Cher!!!! LOL! Group shot!!!! Thank you my team!
HUGS,
RAJO!
SIMPLY L-O-V-E!! Everything is so beautiful my dear!!
SIMPLY L-O-V-E!! Everything is so beautiful my dear!!
Thank you Amanda! Can’t wait to see you in some of the dresses! I am sure you will look sensational in them! See you soon?
In love with the black and white jumpsuits, Rajo!
Thank you ISHA! Congratulations on Chuck’s grub and the coming little Valles that will surely be the Sunshine of all our lives! See you soon?!