MY FIERCE EXPERIENCE: THE PHOTO SHOOT

Do what you love and love what you do. (is there even such a saying?)

Ms. Aries keeps on asking me every time I’m done with doing something for Erzullie, “Timmy, how’s your experience so far?” Even though I’m so tired na; I always answer her with the same reply, “Im fine Ms.Aries, I’m having fun!”.

Really, I am truly and sincerely having fun with what I do; I looove what I do! I know that she’s just checking if I’m still doing fine with the tasks, but there’s really nothing else I can say about it.(parang love ba, you just can’t describe it. Haha!) Maybe next time Ms. Aries asks me, I’ll add the words funtabulous or amazeballs to better express how I feel. =)))

I truly didn’t feel that I was working 7 hours straight during the photo shoot for the Corporate and Resort collection. I just felt super exhausted when I got home. (And really craving for a diet coke float) =)

During the photoshoot, I got to fulfil my life-long dream to be a Stylist. Yey!

I got to style the models by assisting them through the fitting and made sure they looked camera ready. I felt like I was styling my life size FULL-FIGURED dolls. To be honest, I don’t know anything about styling. Are there even any rules when it comes to style?

I just used some techniques that I learned from Art school like Balance, symmetry and opposition and made sure that the right accessories made the look complete; Simple!

So.. What I learned from this experience:

First, I learned that desperate times call for desperate measures; (learned this in a very pricey way) having the need to check-in in a hotel just to do hair and make-up. To make the long story, short; there was an issue with the general schedule so we had to do our hair and makeup somewhere else.

Second, It’s more fun to be the model rather than be the ones behind the camera! I realized that, even though it’s very hard to model (I’ve actually seen women starve themselves just to get a job). The feeling in front of the camera is truly very surreal. I’ll admit it, naingit ako sa kanila. Maybe next time I’ll apply as a model after this internship. Ha!

Lastly, (I didn’t learn 3 things lang ha! I just think the other things are more situational than the others and you really have to experience it for yourself talaga). I’ll repeat what I said earlier, Do what you love and love what you do. Whatever happens, don’t let anything/anyone stop you from doing what you love. If you really have the “passion for fashion”.. GORA!

See you on the runways.

X,

Timmy

P.S. Here are more BTS photos =)

PLUS SIZE FASHION: ERZULLIE CORPORATE 2013 CAMPAIGN I

Presenting the 1st photo of the campaign for the Erzullie Plus Size Corporate 2013 collection. This is dedicated to all the Alpha Female Erzulliestas out there. Love what you do and do it with passion and fierceness!

Cheers!

Aries

P.S. Corporate 2013 collection will be available online by next week. We will update you girls.

PLUS SIZE FASHION: A LITTLE WORD ON CORPORATE 2013 (THE JOURNEY ON HOW IT CAME TO BE)

Yes. I know. I keep on having "words" about the Erzullie Plus Size Corporate 2013 collection. It has already been released earlier this March. Now the Erzulliestas are just clamoring for it ONLINE.

I mean, even my mind is saying it ... --- JUST RELEASE IT ALREADY, damn!

Before we do, and I promise we will, I would just like to share a few good words with regards to the Corporate 2013 collection.

The reason it was born was mainly because a lot of Erzulliestas have been asking for it and the first woman that ever did ask for it was our dear Erzulliesta, Rocky Lim (aka swankywoman). I was interested with the idea because it is true, all of Erzulliestas are fierce career woman (no matter what path they have chosen). Why not design a fierce corporate attire for them?

At first, the theme was supposed to be "Makati City". I remember seeing this photo in Facebook. It showed a city that looked like New York and then it mentioned "New York? No. It's Makati City." And I am like, yeah. Makati City is the New York City of the Philippines (although some may disagree, I respect that but for the purposes of my view, please... just give this to me.) I was also initially inspired by plus size model and blogger, Jhaki David at that time. She had this photo of her hair up in a bun and she had sunglasses on.

How chic!

I wanted that to be the theme of the Corporate 2013. I wanted to have the Urban Jungle vibe. I was drawing leopard prints, bright colors with some nudes. I was sketching long trench coats, pencil skirts, button down tops and so on. But then, the Holiday Bazaar came in and the Erzulliestas were requesting that our blazers be longer but not that long. They were also requesting for some tops that can transpire from work to play and back and forth. I have looked at my sketches and I was like ... "This is not good enough."

I have tried a different approach on the collection but unfortunately it ended up just wrong. Everything that I sketch is something that is "common" (and Erzulliestas are everything but common) or something that I have seen before (and why would my Erzulliestas buy something form us that they have already seen elsewhere?) I needed something fresh. I needed something new. I needed a perspective that would say --- "Ah Aries! Erzullie has done it again!"

And so, I went back to square one. I went back to Ms. Rocky Lim, the Erzulliesta that rolled the ball with regards to this collection and really kept me on track by regularly checking on me about it whenever we meet. Lol. I was thinking, "What would Ms. Rocky wear to work?" Since she is an Erzulliesta with a (high profile) job, I wonder what she would look like at work in "fierce mode".

And then it hit me --- ALPHA FEMALE. My Erzulliestas are all Alpha Females. They are at the head of their game. They are the queen of their cubicles. They are the goddesses of their businesses/blogs/hobbies/family etc. They are the ALPHA FEMALES.

Then I have started to sketch again but to no avail. The sketches are not "Alpha Female" enough. Then it was time for cloth shopping and that is where the pure inspiration came from. There were no sketches but the theme helped me choose the fabrics, which later on determined the looks and style of each design. I absolutely love it. We have discovered fabrics that we have not used before and we haven't seen used on a plus size clothing locally. So here we are.... The Corporate 2013 collection.

During production, we make it a point that we really consider the final price of the product. You know us girls, we try very hard to keep it within the range of Php 480-1,000.00 as much as possible but in the past collections, we have reached around Php 1,200.00 I think. This time, because of the fabric and the construction, I was a little nervous because the maximum range has now reached Php 1,370.00. I was thinking if the Erzulliestas would find it worthy of its price. But I know my Erzulliestas, once they see the quality of the craftsmanship on every piece of design and the high quality fabrics used, we know they will see that it's worth the price.

Then the public launching happened this March for the Corporate 2013. I was surprised that the ones that were priced at the maximum range was almost sold out by the end of the 3 day sale. It was amazing for us. I am so happy that Erzulliestas went there and actually appreciated what we did. Thank you so much again, for making that happen.

But wait, the journey is not yet over. The Corporate 2013 collection is supposed to be launched online. With that, of course, we still have to shoot the campaigns/editorials of the Brand for Corporate 2013. Not only that but it is now in conjunction with the Resort 2013 timeline. Oh dear... what to do. To view the panic? Click here. But like every reality series out there, everything went well in the end. Click here to view the BTS photos of both Corporate and Resort 2013 photo shoot. 

So now, here we are few hours before we post the editorials, one by one and soon enough it will be available online, I hope that you girls will be able to love it as much as I did. The journey was crazy but because of my main inspiration --- you, Erzulliestas --- and the confidence you have --- I was able to push through.

Lots of love and gratitude for everyone.

Cheers!

Aries

P.S. Berna and I would like to thank the Erzullie Team --- Mark Alvarez, Azaza Rodriguez, Katrina Catapia and Audrey Ann Lee for making this particular photo shoot to happen, as well as Rouge Studio, for being the place where we do the magic. Love for everyone!

PLUS SIZE FASHION: CORPORATE AND RESORT 2013 PHOTO SHOOT (BEHIND THE SCENES)

PLUS SIZE MODEL, AUDREY LEE, POSING FOR A PLUS SIZE EDITORIAL

Yesterday, March 9, 2013, Erzullie had the photoshoot for both Corporate and Resort 2013 collections. We are very happy to say that we are launching the Resort 2013 collection privately. Details are to follow. For now, here are some of the details about the shoot

Plus size models present were Katrina Catapia, Loren Monares, Audrey Lee and Kat Lopez. Hair Stylist is Erzullie designer and co-owner, Berna Cuevas, while make up artist is our fierce Erzulliesta, Azaza Rodriguez. Of course, where would our shoot be without our high fashion photographer, Mark Alvarez? And of course, the day would not be complete, without the help of our fashion intern, Timmy Mariano (mind you, she also styled some of the models during the shoot). Our shoot was again done in Rouge Studio, Ortigas Center. The theme of the Corporate 2013 is Alpha Female while for the Resort 2013 it's Saharan Glamour. 

Here are some BTS photos of the Corporate and Resort 2013 collections:

PLUS SIZE MODEL KATRINA CATAPIA GETTING HER FIERCE ON WHILE PLUS SIZE FASHION INTERN, TIMMY MARIANO IS HELPING HER WITH THE STYLING

PLUS SIZE MODEL KATRINA CATAPIA PREPARING FOR HER FIRST SHOT OF THE DAY

PLUS SIZE FASHION INTERN TIMMY MARIANO PREPARING THE ACCESSORIES FOR THE PHOTO SHOOT

PRACTICING FOR THE STYLING OF THE RESORT 2013

ACCESSORIES TO BE USED IN THE PHOTO SHOOT

OUR PHOTO SHOOT PLACE

OUR PHOTOGRAPHER MARK ALVAREZ AND PLUS SIZE MODEL, LOREN MONARES, POSE FOR AN AFTER SHOOT SHOT.

PLUS SIZE MODEL AUDREY LEE IS BEAUTIFUL WITH OR WITHOUT MAKE UP

PLUS SIZE MODEL, KAT LOPEZ, PREPARING FOR THE FIRST SHOOT OF THE DAY

PLUS SIZE MODELS, AUDREY LEE, KATRINA CATAPIA AND KAT LOPEZ POSE WITH MAKE UP ARTIST, AZAZA RODRIGUEZ AFTER THE PHOTO SHOOT

MORE ACCESSORIES FOR THE PHOTO SHOOT

PLUS SIZE MODEL, KATRINA CATAPIA, PREPARED FOR THE CORPORATE 2013 EDITORIAL

Result of the whole shoot? Absolute high fashion greatness. We will release it asap. We love it. hehehe.

Cheers!

Aries

PLUS SIZE FASHION: ERZULLIE CORPORATE AND RESORT 2013 PHOTO SHOOT (JUST THOUGHTS)

As I blog this, it's almost midnight. My thoughts on the Corporate 2013 and Resort 2013 collection is as so --- I am nervous. I am a little nervous because this is the first time that we are shooting 2 entire collections (different in theme if I may add) in one day. It's going to be an interesting feat for the brand and I am deeply wishing that we can pull this off with our wits in tact.

We are handling 4 models (2 veterans and 2 new) with 2 different sets of make up and hair style. We have maximum of 7 hours to do the shoot and we have at least 12 clothes to shoot. The fitting actually gave us some challenges as the perceived model for a specific collection looks better on a different one and so on. Dropping and adding of styles is also done. Finishing touches on the Resort 2013 collection. Coordination for all of the team to arrive on time. So many last minute changes. Gah ... what more can happen?

Although photo shoots are generally fun, I will be very honest, it's real hard work. You have to direct people, but not become an irrational tyrant. You have to style and be creative but not to the point that it's detached to the reality of this world. We want to do a plus size campaign for the collections that will really raise up the ante of our brand without losing our identity. We want to do something that will really thrill our Erzulliestas but stay true with our voice as designers.

A thousand thoughts and hundred number of different efforts are done during a shoot. It's not a walk in the park. It takes a whole team to create such an amazing photo.

And so, here are my prayers to the fashion gods/goddesses/beings etc. --- please let us do this right so that we can delight the Erzulliestas. We want to do something that have not been done before. Please, oh please... let this photo shoot run as smooth as possible.

By the power of well wishing Erzulliestas, I believe. (Hehehe.)

With a lot of love for fierce plus size fashion,

Aries