The team at Cooper St takes Ragtrader behind the scenes at its pre-dawn campaign shoot for the spring summer collection, covering three separate locations all before 7am.
August 19 – 11:30pm
Crews set up and get ready on location at Observatory Hill. Prominent Sydney photographer Georges Antoni, along with art director Pete Buckley from Disciple, are scouting the best possible Moreton Bay Fig to snap the first shots. Stylist Rachel Wayman is putting her finishing touches to the looks and hair, and makeup artist Daren Borthwick is primping and priming the first model, Camille.
August 20 – 2am
After Georges and his assistants set up, Camille comes down for her first shot. On a freezing cold night when you wish you were at home in your warm bed, the crew sympathises with the model, who is in a signature Cooper St party dress, bare legs and open toe shoes. Georges directs Camille into a position that truly encapsulates the ‘Wear Yourself Out’ theme. The first shot is taken at 2:11am. Two more outfit changes follow while Georges experiments with lighting, text and new poses – very ambitious for a cold winter morning. After Camille gets the hang of things we wrap up at around 3.15am, ready to head to location two.
3:15am
Daren Borthwick works his magic on second model Michelle while Georges and his photography team move to the next location. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew takes some much needed sustenance from chocolate and coffee – a great combination at 3am.
4am
It’s all systems go for location two, an old concrete spiral staircase leading up from historic Hickson Road in The Rocks. Light from the street lamp eerily illuminates the stairs so the set-up for the team isn’t as elaborate. With both girls ready for action, they take their positions on the cold concrete before removing their big fur jackets. We can only look on in amazement as they take the cold conditions in their stride, and with Georges’ directions, we finish the first outfit in a mere 10 minutes. At this point we realise how our many months of planning and preparation are coming to life, the first step of many for our brand. With a quick change and a few adjustments from our stylist Rachel, Michelle is up next for her single shot in our favourite outfit, the ‘Savage Kaftan’. Before too long both girls are back at it again in new outfits for the second of our double frames, with the last shot taken at 5.10am, only 10 minutes behind schedule.
6am
The sky is still dark and the crew is all set up at our second location – Barangaroo car park, a now-desolate and defunct shipping port area spanning some 22 hectares but with water views overlooking Darling Harbour and Port Jackson. All we have to do now is wait for the perfect opportunity to catch the sun rising above the horizon.
6.20am
As we step out into the now freezing gusty winds, the light is breaking open behind violet clouds, creating a golden pink glow in the sky – a perfect back-drop for our final frame. With a final freshen-up of hair and makeup and a quick pose demonstration from Georges and his team, both Michelle and Camille are ready to go. With only a short time to get the perfect shot, the girls ace it, meaning we have just enough time for one more outfit change. As the bangles are stacked on and the necklaces fastened, the Apricot and Sorbet-coloured dresses prove the fitting end to our summer campaign as the sun shines brightly and the ferries begin their peak-hour run. The last frame is taken at 7.34am... just in time to grab some breakfast.
