The Boy, The Woman, and The Cardinal
Aganovich & The Colour of Opium
Spring/Summer 2015
Photographer: Erik Madigan Heck
Model: Guinevere Van Seenus
Nana Aganovich and Brooke Taylor's Spring/Summer 2015 collection was based on interpretations, from the religious to the profane, of the word 'icon'. The cardinal reds and burnished golds were at once sacred and luxurious, providing a beautiful addition to the black or white garments that otherwise made up the collection (there were also a few red and silver stippled pattern garments that were stunning). Their tailoring really is second to none, but the catwalk also saw the introduction of drapery, which was taken even further with the layered and tiered looks in their Autumn/Winter 2015 collection. Front-on catwalk images are obviously limited in their ability to show a garment in terms of movement and flow. This is especially the case where drapery is concerned, because it is so inherently connected to the shape of the body and the dynamic between skin and fabric in movement.
So I always enjoy seeing editorials and photoshoots where the photographer seeks to capture some sense of movement, allowing the clothing to really come to life. I really do love the way Erik Madigan Heck uses colour in his photography, creating bold images that feel almost painterly in their composition (a lazy metaphor I know, but think more acrylic than oil). The strokes of colour are deliberate and the lighting is usually incredibly strong, allowing for a clear separation between planes (especially with his studio work). Even in this outdoor setting where there is natural light to play with, he uses it to create very dramatic shadows and allows the red to really pop against relatively solid backgrounds - black, white or a subtle shaded grey. I love high contrast work...which probably explains the wardrobe full of black and white clothes.
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