Last month, I was given the incredible opportunity to shoot an entire lookbook for ML Monique Lhuillier’s Spring 2021 collection. “Monique Lhuillier designs capture the essence of sophisticated luxury by provoking femininity, allure and glamour that have made her renowned in the world of design. She appreciates that luxury can be whimsical and playful, allowing the brand to become a destination for women who understand the art of fashion.” Fans include Emma Stone, Blake Lively, Gwyneth Paltrow, Taylor Swift, Reese Witherspoon, to name a few. 

Because opportunities like these don’t happen often, I figured today would be the perfect opportunity to give you a peek at what goes into a photoshoot (of this size) and how we brought it to life, in the middle of a pandemic — mind you. 

First off, I’ve never viewed myself as a model (far from it), I just know which poses work well for me because of my ballet background and have an understanding of light and angles. And since I don’t love being called an influencer, because it sounds somewhat “self-important,” I’m still figuring out the right role. While my blog (and backgrounds) encompasses many different aspects I love, the commonality that ties everything together is that it all spans from one source: a unique vision. So when we were given full creative control to capture her spring collection in the tropics, a rare opportunity with so much freedom to create, I felt both humbled and honored to know someone else out there (in the big leagues!) understood this point of view. I enlisted the help of my long-time friend, collaborator, photographer and art director, Chelsae Anne, while my right hand, Tida, essentially wore all the other hats (assistant stylist, assistant photographer, shoot coordinator, etc.). Outside of immediate family, and the occasional friend, I pretty much only see these two ladies for work and it’s been that way all year. Please know we were extremely careful throughout this shoot and took all the proper precautions to ensure everyone’s health and safety were top priority. Between us three (yes, only three), and over two 12-hour days of nonstop shooting, we captured 15 looks and endless treasured moments.  

Initially we proposed three locations in Palm Beach, which included some of my favorite hidden gems, to the ML team. They loved them all! One location in particular, the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach (a popular garden for weddings), ended up working out so beautifully that we made the last-minute decision to shoot the entire collection in one spot instead of three, a risk we hoped would work out. The gardens are currently open to the public, but very (I mean very few) people visited during our two days of shooting which gave us peace of mind that this was not only safe for our team, but for others as well. Under normal circumstances, a major brand would hire a photographer (who brings an assistant), stylist (who also brings an assistant), art director, hair and makeup crew; and bring along their team, which sometimes includes the designer, PR director or brand manager, and social media team (to capture behind the scenes content). Hence, the reason why it’s called a production! I remember very early on in my blogging career (if you know, you know!), being part of a few national advertising campaigns where I witnessed (sometimes) teams of 50 (yes, 50 people!) conceptualize and bring a brand’s vision to life. The results? Let’s just say I’m very proud of our teeny team for wearing all those hats! 

In keeping with Monique’s romantic spirit, and to capture a feeling of getting lost within the gardens, we purposely shot a few out-of-focus and blurry moments. The only way I know how to pose for photos is to continually move and dance a little; therefore this approach worked out naturally. And in true Style Bungalow fashion, we incorporated some lush foliage of the tropics into many of the shots accompanied by my favorite poses. ML’s line, specifically this collection, combines the perfect blend of elevated day dressing with luxurious evening pieces. Geared towards young women who love getting dressed up for an intimate outdoor event or brides seeking a simple, yet sweet option for their civil ceremony, it’s no wonder ML’s collection has a beautiful color palette (which includes bridal whites!), feminine silhouettes and novelty lace. The collection is slated to release February 2021; in the meantime I recommend heading over to their website to view the latest styles… some of which took my breath away (yes, I’m talking about this look, this one and this one). 

An incredible thank you to Monique Lhuillier for trusting us with this project. I will forever remember this opportunity and cherish the memories as a huge “win” for The Style Bungalow for years to come. 

We hope you enjoyed these photos as much as we loved creating them. 

Xo, Stephanie

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Photography by Chelsae Anne

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