Best Picture & Best Hair Award at LJFFF!

Couldn't make it to the La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival this year?  That's ok, we got you covered!  

We are not at all surprised that "Nubivagant" was the winner for Best Picture and Best Hair this year!  It is truly the definition of what a fashion film is to us.  This film is directed by and features the clothing designs by Esther Dorhout Mees.  Nubivagant is filled with emotion, desire, beauty, and above all mystery.  

We had the honour to meet and speak with 3 key members of Nubivagant, Director/Fashion Designer Esther Dorhout Mees, Hair Stylist Hester Wernert and Makeup Artist Lydia Leloux.  Here what they have to say when we asked them "WHAT IS A FASHION FILM?"

LJFFF Artist Interviews - What is a fashion film?

Fashion Film is a new medium, and therefore it is still being defined.  Here at OPALUS, fashion film is what we are most passionate about, so OPALUS Creative Director/Editor, Malorie Shmyr, attended the La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival 2017 to see the top fashion films in the world and to interview a selection of fashion film makers, designers, directors, makeup artists, and hair stylists to ask them one question "WHAT IS A FASHION FILM?" 

ARTIST INTERVIEWS

La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival

Malorie Shmyr, Creative Director and Editor of OPALUS Magazine, is thrilled to be attending the 7th annual La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival in California,  where the top 1% of the fashion films produced in the world will be screened and celebrated!  Stay tuned on the OPALUS blog and social media (July 29-30th) to get the inside scoop and see who got OPALUS's attention! 

New Issue Release!

Cover by:

Photographer-  Guoman Liao

Fashion Editor & Stylist-  Verity Moon

Makeup Artist-  Sarah Pyka

Hair Stylist-  Kathy Jan 

Model-  Kaitlin White of Leo Model Management

We welcome summer with a new issue, themed HYDROPHILIC!

We are proud to have artists from all around the world be a part of this issue, including Poland, Italy, Canada, U.S.A, England and Ireland!  

Become immersed in this water themed issue!

Want an issue to take home?  You can totally do that!  

Fashion Illustrator

London based fashion illustrator, Scott W Mason, is officially our new favourite fashion illustrator.  All the way from London, his use of negative space is truly unique.  Check out a selection of his work on our website in the "fine art" section!

Lost But Found

Australian photographer, Ellifthearist (Anastasia Fua), brings us a new fashion photography series "Lost But Found" with the handsome Joseph Maher - modelling the designs of Noal Gurung and Danielle Lo.  

Who said quirky can't be sexy too?

Pietà - A Fashion Film

A new fashion film from Brazil, Pietá, is now released!  

This black and white fashion film evokes a sense of power and strength.  

Photography and Film Pupin&Deleu (@pupindeleu) | www.pupindeleu.com
Film Edition and Soundtrack  - Vivian Pupin
Art Direction and Styling - Jhoey Chinalder
Assistent  - André Veloso
Beauty -  Bruna Pezzino
Fashion Production  - Vivian Kondo
Models Kleiton  - Venturi (JOY Model) & Janete Friedrich (OCA Models)

I'll Be Your Light

Liz Dungate, Vancouver based photographer, intrigues us yet again with her amazing new series, "I'll Be Your Light".  Enjoy this brand new series with models Sabrina and Rachel of Leo Model Management now.

SEDE - A Fashion Film

Diogo Pires and his talented team empower us with their exclusive fashion film to OPALUS, entitled SEDE. 

SEDE (thirst), approaches a woman who thirsts for living in a world where gender equality is law.  Draped in designs by EL CROTE INGLÊS, Lisbon, model - Laura Almeida, moves with the fluidity and strength of water, a symbol used to represent her thirst of equality and justice. 

Become empowered by the elegance of SEDE.

 

Directed by Diogo Pires & M. Carmo Bexiga

Camera operators: M. Carmo Bexiga | Ana Monteiro | João Fernandes

Model: Laura Almeida

Styling and production: Diogo Pires

Hair & make up : Eduardo Estevam

Post-production by Miguel Brito & Marta Vales

Clothes: EL corte inglês , Lisbon

Sound: Shlohmo - Ten days of falling (Jacques Greene Remix)

OPALUS

Please tell us more about what sparked the idea to create this fashion film?

DIOGO PIRES

This film was born after several sessions of brainstorming between me and my friend Carmo. We talked about wanting to produce something abstract around the concept of gender inequality and this long-lasting fight for women to achieve said equality. The project is called ‘SEDE’ (thirst) as to represent the need that women have for justice and equal rights especially at a time when societies are still so male-controlled. The fashion world is abnormal in that way because it’s the only sector where women make more money and are more prominent than men. I feel like dance is an elegant way to portray this topic and hopefully this film will empower other women.

 

OPALUS

What was your most memorable moment about shooting this film?

DIOGO PIRES

The most memorable moment was probably when we started playing the soundtrack of the movie “Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain ” and our model Laura just completely embraced it and expressed herself with a sublime fluidity..

OPALUS

 Please tell us about the symbolism of water in your fashion film.

DIOGO PIRES

The glass and the water on the back of the model is a metaphor. It represents the thirst for gender equality – the water is right in front of her but she can’t drink it.

View fullsize

OPALUS

We love the styling.  Please tell us why you chose these garments. 

DIOGO PIRES

The styling and the garments here are meant to showcase three different types of women – the first one is dressed with a knit blouse and a pleated skirt, a comfortable and easy going girl; the second outfit is a blue dress with a straight cut which reflects a feminine, dreamy and fragile woman; the least outfit is meant to represent a strong and secure woman who claims her place in society.

 

OPALUS

 Is there anything else you would like us to know?

DIOGO PIRES

The shooting of this film was heavily based on teamwork, where everyone contributed with their knowledge and inspiration and I am really glad I had their cooperation.

Artist Interview - Stylist Anastasia Rasschupkina

Credits to all Imagery:

Photography / Turkina Faso
Style / Anastasia Rasschupkina
Make up / Ksenia Shostko
Hair / Adelina Umarova
Models / Ilina @ President Management Moscow & Mary Bel

Written by

PAULA BLANCO LONGA

Turkina Faso’s Naiads embodies the spirit of this OPALUS Extraterrestrial Issue. “Something as beautiful and intriguing as the mysteries of outer space”.

Anastasia Rasschupkina sensibility for textures translates these water nymphs mythical attributes into gorgeous new attires:  soft knitted sweaters for their long floating manes,light reflecting fabrics for their scales. In Faso’s and Rasschupkina’s extraterrestrial imagination these water creatures are no longer bound by nets. They wear them. As scarves, sleeves and skirts; as armour.

Romantic and soft at times, poised and gold others. Fakoshima’s retro sunglasses seems to bring us out of the water and with this Vera Kulshitskaya‘s dress, we are suddenly presented with a otherworldly Audrey Hepburn held in space by lights. Queen of this alien realm, in between water and outer space. 

We had the pleasure of chatting with the incredibly talented Anastasia Rasschupkina about her styling for this shoot and process as an artist:

OPALUS

Your styling is so inspiring to us. We are so proud to have your work on the cover of the "Extraterrestrial issue"!   Please tell us THE inspiration behind this series, “Naiads”.

ANASTASIA

Thank you for the warm words, my pleasure working with you!  Water spaces and ocean creatures always were mesmerizing to me. A lot of inspiration comes from accent mythology and fairy tales about mermaids and Naiads (The Greek word is Ναϊάς).

I always been fascinated by idea of half human half aquatic creatures. Also drawing inspiration from photographers such as Alix Malka, Elena Kalis and Phoebe Rudomino. 

 

OPALUS

What challenges do you face, if any, when styling an underwater shoot?

ANASTASIA

The main challenge we faced was finding a space and a model who swam well, as it is very hard physically. Also it was a bit challenging to convince designers that water wouldn't ruin their pieces (which it didn't).

 

 OPALUS

Are we correct to say you work from London and in Russia?

ANASTASIA

Correct. I was doing my BA in Fashion styling in London, but this particular shoot was produced in Moscow while I was there on holidays.  But the time has passed and I moved from Greater London to the West Coast to continue my studies.

 

 

OPALUS

Do you have a favourite image from the series?

ANASTASIA

I like all the images from that series, but maybe the most mysterious image for me would be one with the floating hand-woven net.

 

 

 

OPALUS

Did you take any training for the arts? How long have you been stying for?

ANASTASIA

I’m trained as a painter and sculptor, but received degree in BA hons Fashion Styling.  (This shoot was produced during my last semester in school)

 

OPALUS

What are your favorite color(s) right now? Do your favorite color(s) change or are they quite consistent?

ANASTASIA

My all time favorites are white and black. Right now i have blue and orange colours on top of my own rating. The colour preferences definitely vary during different stages of my creative journey.

 

 

OPALUS

If you could manifest the ideal place for you to create in, what would it look like? 

ANASTASIA

Oh my...I can write the whole page here, but briefly: It should be bright, spacious, top floor studio with very high ceilings an lots of natural light. Somewhere close to where I live at the moment.

 

 

OPALUS

Do you listen to music while you create? 

ANASTASIA

Yes. I always play music on sets. Usually I start with chill, relaxing and often classical music. Then I switch to something like nu-groove jazz, and finally turn to more rhythmic and fast music such as techno, electronic or deep house.

 

OPALUS

What is your beverage of choice while creating?

ANASTASIA

Caffeine in all possible forms. Usually coffee or green tea.

 

 

 

 

OPALUS

If we could get a glimpse into the land of your imagination, what would it look like?

ANASTASIA

Magical, dark-blue forest, with lots of water, mist and dim light. Where magical and bioluminescent creatures live.

 

 

OPALUS

What is your favourite type of shoot to style?

ANASTASIA

Non commercial editorial story, where i have freedom for creativity. Hate being limited.

 

OPALUS

What can we expect from you next?

ANASTASIA

Even I am not sure what will happen next...But right now I am receiving my MFA at SFAI and exploring myself. 

Enjoy all the images from Niads by enjoying the issue below: