UFC Octagon Ring Girl - Jhenny Andrade
- Russel Frank
- Mar 9, 2015
- 5 min read
03.08.2015
Theme: UFC Calendar
Fashion Stylist: Myself
Photographer: Sam Hon
Hair | Makeup: Suzy Friton
Location: Celebrity Car Rentals
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Designers: Natasha Mors Designs | Shine - N - Sparkle | Syrup Swimwear | Knaughty Kouture | Sharnel Guy Swimwear
I was contacted by photographer Sam Hon, needing a wardrobe stylist for this calendar shoot, featuring UFC Ring Girl, Jhenny Andrade at Celebirty Car Rentals in Las Vegas. Sam and I have never met, nor were we social media friends on any platform. I was actually tagged on Facebook with a post searching for a stylist. Good friend of mine, Debbie Carol, sent him my contact info. The timing was around WPPI here in Las Vegas. With the experience I had from WPPI 2014, I wasn’t trying to jump on to another WPPI related shoot. So, in a sense, I was secretly hoping to not be reached for this shoot. Two days later, I got a call. It was Sam, the photographer finally reaching out to me for styling his shoot.
Sam and I spoke via text and conversation over the phone. He shared with me the ideal and vision of his shoot. He was in need of a stylist, wardrobe, and accessories. His shoot was also in the next two days. My first reaction I told him, I can’t promise that I can get this together. It’s such a short notice, as a stylist, it’s a process of requesting the right wardrobe, getting the stores to approve it, etc. Since it was a calendar shoot, going into the weekend, I told him this would be a tough one. All he needed was swimwear and jewelry designer, that changed everything. Working fashion week, I had a handful of designers I could reach out to and organize the wardrobe portion of this shoot. I still told him, give me 24 hours let me see what I can do. Didn’t want to jump the gun and promise wardrobe, because I still wasn’t sure that these designers would be interested let alone available with this project. After discussing the exposure, the extent of the shoot, what it all involved, all designers were on board. Designers I pulled to be included with this shoot was swimwear designer Sharnel Guy Swimwear, Knaughy Kouture Swimwear by Irnel Wilson, jewelry designers Natasha Mors Design, and Elena Pineda of Shine - N – Sparkle. Sam already had one swimwear designer he's worked with before, Syrup Swimwear.
Jhenny Andrade wearing Syrup Swimwear | Natasha Mors Jewelry
I partnered with Sam, and we both agreed that the best thing to do for the shoot, were to invite these 4 designers into the studio at separate times. The day of the shoot, I finaly meet Sam for the first time. There was an instant chemistry between Sam and myself. The creativity that we are both seeking to capture from this shoot was in synced! Again, swimwear styling wasn’t my most thrilled concept, but his energy had me intrigued to work with him. We had the designers show up at an hour between each one. Syrup Swimwear showed up first along with Natahs Mors Jewelry Designs. I’ve never worked with Syrup Swimwear, but I have seen images of his collections. Still was unsure what to expect from his collection in person. We started to set up the wardrobe until Sam was ready to start shooting. Shine - N – Sparkle and Natash Mors showed up shortly after. I helped both designers get set up. We got Syrup Swimwear done first, for shooting. I jumped back and forth between the two jewelry designs, to be sure we got through all the collection of the jewelry designers. Syrup Swimwear, is a junior, Malibu feel design of swimsuits. Bikini tops and bottom, solids, prints, where you can mix and match the pieces. Mixing the jewelry pieces from both designers, gave it a little more spice and jazzed it up for each look. For styling, I find swimwear designers who have collections like this, easier to style differnetly. It allows me as a stylist or the customer, free ability to mix and match. It's more sellable.
Towards the end of our first segment, Shanel Guy Swimwear arrived. I was super excited about her pieces and Knaughty Kouture. Sam had originally asked for non-ordinary swimwear. With these two designers, I knew they would bring exactly that. Sharnel walks in with her suitcase of her suits. There were cut out pieces, strappy pieces, mixed colors, metals blended in the designs. When Sam saw the pieces, he fell in love with her collection. I knew for sure right then and there it was going to change the game of the shoot. The first look, we used a black and white cut out on the side and front of the pieces. The second piece Sharnel Guy Swimwear had a red cut out pieces. Her designs are so unique and different. I have never seen anything like them. They are a mix of cut out suits that favors a Mortal Kombat character suit (Kitana, Mileena, or Skarlet) but swim suit pieces.
Jhenny Andrade wearing Sharnel Guy Swimwear | Natasha Mors Design Jewelry
Next pieces we had was Knaughty Kouture. With her pieces, they are unique cut outs as well. A little subtle cut outs in comparison from Sharnel Guy, but she uses a lot of prints. Bright color, vibrant colors, patters, and textures, and more use of hardware in her pieces designs. Sam loved her pieces too. It was a refreshing feeling and change in atmosphere when these pieces came on the set. In all, all three swim designers are different in their own collections and aesthetics. They each were able to show different sides of swimwear which made it very different and very unique for the calendar shoot.
Jhenny Andrade in Knaughty Kouture Swimwear | Shine - N - Sparkle
We only shot two of Sharnel’s pieces and two of Knaughty Kouture’s pieces. We also got some topless shots and looks where the jewelry pieces were big enough to still cover Sam was shooting faster than I anticipated. In an essence, was good. He was aiming for 15 looks, being a calendar shoot. Half way through the shoot I was kicking myself at the plan I had set for each designer to show up an hour between each other. Sam also wanted to do some creative shots with topless looks that we had Jhenny wearing just some jewelry pieces. These design pieces are big, over the top statement pieces that were more than able to cover her body so no worries for the nude portions.
We wrapped up the shoot a little sooner than we had planned for. Sam is a very quick shooter, maybe it was the excitement of the wardrobe, to the luxury cars, or what, but he was feeling very excited throughout the shoot. These image are going to be used for a calendar for 2016 as well as a gallery work. Calendar is scheduled to be released, July 2015 for the 2016 year.
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