brides and ballerinas

The latest issue of Metro Detroit Bride is on stands now, and this issue made one of my styling dreams come true. I love ballet - I love seeing it live in the theatre, I love taking class - and I have always wanted to do a fashion shoot that included ballet dancers. For this issue's gown shoot, I had the pleasure and privilege of shooting backstage and in the theatre at the Detroit Opera House, a truly spectacular venue. Shot by the wonderful Cybelle Codish, the spread features the incredibly talented students of Ballet Detroit. It was so inspiring to work with each of the dancers, from the adorable, earnest little girls to the elegant, exuberant advanced students. And of course the gowns aren't bad either - each one is fit for a prima ballerina. See all the looks from the gorgeous shoot below!

figo's fashion aliens

Late last year I collaborated with my favorite salon, FIGO, on a submission for the 2015 North American Hair Awards. Unfortunately the submission didn't make the cut - there is some seriously stiff competition in the Avant Garde category - but I am still so proud I got to work on this shoot. Morgan Kruizenga, the lead stylist on this shoot, wanted to created a trio of fashion aliens through cutting-edge fashion, insane makeup, and out-of-this world hair. She wanted an almost fetish quality, so that meant one thing - latex! After a little research, I found an amazing designer, Leigh Ann of Vital Vein, who was an absolute dream to work with on this shoot. The beehive pieces were stunning and helped create the idea of a hive mind among our three alien creatures. I love it when I get to push myself and shoot something so edgy - it's certainly the polar opposite of my pretty-as-can-be bridal work, and I love the opportunity to explore my dark side!

fairytales and legends for hour detroit

The shoot for Hour's Best of Detroit issue is always quite a production, but this year took things to another level. The theme was fairytales and legends, and between the cast of nearly 20 characters, the special effects, the incredible crew, and the stunning venue, it felt more like being on the set of a movie than on location for a photo shoot. The entire shoot is imbued with a dark romance, a signature of photographer Roy Ritchie - our inspiration was definitely more Grimm than Disney. From a styling perspective, it was so exciting to think about the shoot as a storyteller. It was honestly more costume design than fashion styling, which felt a bit outside my comfort zone, so I am so proud of how everything came together. I couldn't have done it without the help of two of my Halloween-loving friends - Kelly Lynne and Kellyjean Passage, thank you for letting me raid your costume closets! If you follow me on Instagram, you've seen highlights from the shoot, but you can see the full story below. Enjoy!