Client: Preston and Olivia
Photography: Trent Bailey Photography
Styling: Merci New York
Makeup: Facetime Beauty Concierge
Flowers: Kat Flower
Suiting: Billy Reid
Venue: The Green Building
Wardrobe from J. Crew, Merci’s kit, H&M and Gabriella New York .
There’s truly nothing I love more than styling. Pairing pattern and texture and color – unexpectedly arranging pretty things and making them shine in a new way – it’s exhilarating to me!
Prop and fashion styling are generally exclusive entities, so when my dear friends Dara and Trent Cobb asked me to concept both prop and fashion styling for Dara’s stunning first Preston and Olivia collection, I jumped {and jumped, and jumped!} at the chance. It was fun to work on one project and cohesively gel prop and fashion styling to accentuate the amazing Preston and Olivia aesthetic. But before I go even further, here’s a bit from the designer herself…
From the Designer, Dara Kent-Cobb:
“For this first collection, I wanted the focus to be about the fabrics and textures for each piece, all while keeping each item timeless. I referred back to the basics of millinery and the techniques I learned in classes at FIT . As for inspiration for each piece, I looked at vintage hats and embellishments found in flea markets, antique shops, and my grandmother’s cedar chest (a favorite spot of mine to visit as a child). This collection is filled with nostalgia for the place I left behind (my home state of Louisiana) but is only a preview for the wonderful things that are to come for Preston & Olivia.”
Don’t you love it?! The line is just so darn fun. When styling this campaign, the vintage “found” objects in muted blues and mustard yellows look so fresh against the softer, pastel elements to me… The goal was to use these “once old, now new again” colors and textures as a catalyst to showcase the P&O product. Dara’s gorgeous accessories {for both him and her} popped against all the varied texture and color, and shone through as both fresh and nostalgic.
To learn more about the gorgeous Preston and Olivia collection, visit the P&O Web site , catch Dara on her blog , and be sure to check out this post where Dara explains her collection inspiration in {cute and fun!} detail. And oh yes- don’t forget enter the Preston and Olivia giveaway on 100 Layer Cake , too!
xx,
Photos courtesy of Trent Bailey Photography
