If you’ve been following me on social media, then you’ll probably have spotted that I’ve been doing quite a bit of travelling as of late. Now that my degree is well and truly finished (although I have to wait until July for the results), I can devote all of my time to creating high quality content – and so to kick this off, I flew out to Southern Spain to work with the incredible team at Jody Bell.
Back in February, you may remember this post, where I had my first ever photo shoot with a couture designer – even featuring in their London Fashion Week film. It was an amazing experience and the director Dean and his team were such a joy to work with. Often it can be quite intimidating to be in front of the camera, as this isn’t something I’m used to, but they all put me at such ease and I had a really enjoyable experience.
Fast forward several months and they asked whether I’d like to fly out to their base in Spain to shoot some pieces for the upcoming collection. As someone who is new to the whole fashion photo shoot side of things (I’m just about mastering managing to walk forward normally in heels) and with such a positive previous experience, it felt like an opportunity I just couldn’t afford to miss. And so I rapidly replied with “yes please.”
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Jody Bell, in case you haven’t yet come across her incredible designs, is a relatively new couture designer (she only launched her website officially in March) but already, she has come such a long way. With a passion for fashion from a young age, she began making and wearing her own designs several years ago – and decided to set up her own line after being stopped in the street by passers by asking where they could buy what she was sporting. The line features a number of gorgeous ready-to-wear handmade couture dresses and jumpsuits, in addition to matching bags and hats.
Her launch collection featured a variety of beautiful mediterranean style dresses, which were real occasion pieces with oversized bell sleeves, in stunning silky fabrics. I personally loved the effortless glamour feel to the pieces, because even I – who isn’t necessarily au faux with couture pieces – could very easily put an outfit together using her matching bags and hats. From the very first fitting, I fell head over heels for the collection – and couldn’t wait to see the new pieces that Jody Bell had in store for my summer shoot.
As you can imagine, I wasn’t disappointed…
In the months that had passed, the brand seemed to have flourished exponentially – with the designs taking on more of a boho feel, perfect for dressing both up and down. Each piece seemed to embody exactly what a modern woman wants in a piece – comfort, elegance, wearability and quality. Every item felt feminine and dressy, but not overly so that you couldn’t wear it on a regular basis.
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For the duration of my trip, without sounding like a ridiculous cliche, it felt like every girl’s dream to be able to try on these beautiful pieces and waltz around in them, in front of the camera every day.
I had my hair and make-up professionally done for each shoot by the incredible Rebecca Devin – a former Mac make-up artist who now resides in Spain – and I was also shooting in some of the most incredible locations, including Jody Bell’s gorgeous home, complete with Bohemian picnic area! I knew it was going to be a great experience, but I don’t think I expected just how much I’d enjoy it. Whether I thought it was possible to top the experience in February, this did.
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Each and every piece that I tried on, I didn’t want to take off – especially this Silk Black Jumpsuit, which was just the most incredibly made fashion item I’ve ever tried. Designed to flatter, it nips you in, in all the right places – and is perfect for dressing up or down, depending on the occasion. I’ve got my eye on it already for my upcoming #BloggersBall! So you might see me wearing this!
Some of the items aren’t yet live on the site yet, but keep your eyes peeled – as many of them will be launched very soon. My personal favourite, has to be this incredible boho-esque ball gown, which was actually quite heavy to wear but made me feel like a real princess (well, a princess with bare feet and wavy locks). It features the Jody Bell signature fabric, which has the logo printed subtly throughout. You can be rest assured, no-one else will have a piece quite like this!
Everything is handmade to order, which makes the entire collection feel very special and exclusive. It is pricey in comparison to high street stores, but having tried and tested each item myself, it’s evident why there’s a premium. It’s a couture collection and it’s high end fashion, but it’s still very much attainable – even if it’s just as a treat item.
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In addition to the photographs, we also shot a two minute fashion feature film – which I am really proud of! Dean is an incredible filmmaker and the cinematography is just amazing. I’d love for you to have a little watch if you get a moment, as much as I love blogging and photography, I do feel as though the moving image aspect really brings the dresses to life. It’s made me really consider starting a YouTube channel, as it adds such a lovely additional dimension.
And the most exciting news of all, is that Jody Bell have asked me to be one of their models for their upcoming collection, which will be launched at New York Fashion Week in September! Alongside another Spanish model, I will be flying out yet again to shoot on location – and can’t wait to see what beautiful gowns they have in store next. I feel really lucky to be a part of such a wonderful flourishing brand, which I can only see growing and taking the world by storm!
Watch this space!
Everything worn in this post is by Jody Bell or Netty Flower Crowns.
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