zou BISOU BISOU
A little Valentine from Me to You…x
shopper's BEAUTY
A few little beauty illustrations for Canadian retailer Shoppers Drug Mart, including make up smears, lips and face chart!
See the final product below.
PRADA BEAUTY
I've long followed the make-up legend that is Pat McGrath on Instagram, marvelling with stars in my eyes over her delectably inventive beauty looks for various design houses - be it during any given fashion week, or the editorial pages of a magazine.
One particular show captured my imagination during the Fall/Winter RTW showings - namely Prada - which saw beautiful tweed Winter coats breezing down the runway, paired with rubber boots, shockingly bright neon bows tied in tulle and brilliantly shiny diamanté cat eyes. It was a collection of beautifully ethereal, wet-haired aliens and I loved it!
I couldn't decide on any one look in particular as each girl varied wildly between outfit and beauty looks. So I combined my favourites to create the ultimate Prada girl!
I hope you like.
PRADA RTW F/W '18 / via VOGUE UK
PRADA RTW F/W '18 / via VOGUE UK
PRADA RTW F/W '18 / via VOGUE UK
CHANTECAILLE
Some new work for luxury beauty brand, Chantecaille.
To coincide with the release of their F/W 2017 collection, Chantecaille invited a number of artists to take part in their 'Save the Forest' campaign, taking inspiration from the product within the collection, along with the fundamental elements of the brand identity; natural ingredients, beautiful botanicals, and lush wilderness.
The F/W collection also includes a very special eye palette, designed to both reflect and raise awareness for a carefully chosen environmental cause. This year, Sylvie Chantecaille, the creator of the brand, was inspired by the incredibly beautiful, but endangered, habitat of the Congo and its last remaining silverback gorilla population.
(Fun fact: the photograph used on the palette is one of Sylvie's own.)
It's an astonishing figure that 50% of the world's rain forests are destroyed every minute.
As someone who happens to live in one of the most naturally beautiful parts of the world, Tasmania, this project was close to my heart. (Temperate rain forests comprise roughly 10% of Tasmania, 598,000 hectares, which is the largest coverage in Australia.)
It's undeniably important that we do everything we can to protect and nurture our natural forests and landscapes.
Taking my inspiration from the lush greenery of the forest, along with the gorgeous colours of the palette in their rich, earthy tones, I wanted to create a sort of super-chic wood nymph, standing on the forest floor, surrounded by, and holding close to her, foliage and products from the collection. Along with the sense of beauty and sophistication that comes with the Chantecaille brand, my aim was to portray the idea of new life; which, for the rain forest, is all about fresh, bold colour, unfurling shapes but it also has a certain fragility. It was important to me to show in some way that we have to nurture the environment as best we can.
To make it even more alluring, a portion of the proceeds from the 'Save the Forests' eye palette will go directly to the Rainforest Alliance, an organisation that works to protect both the precious forests and the vast array of wildlife and endangered species' that inhabit it.
Clicking on 'add to cart' never felt so rewarding!
You can read more about the campaign by heading to the Chantecaille website here.
Australian shoppers can shop the product in Mecca stores nationwide or online at Net-A-Porter.
VOGUE JAPAN BEAUTY
Some brand new work for Vogue Japan!
Excuse me for one second while I gush about something...
Aside from the obvious – my intense love for Japan itself – this edition of Vogue has always been one of my favourites. Mainly for their unique take on fashion, but also for their unwavering support of illustration. It's something of a rarity these days to find illustration used frequently throughout any one issue of a magazine, yet Vogue Japan do it EVERY MONTH.
I love – and applaud – it!
I was so thrilled to work on these beauty illustrations for the September issue – on stands now.
Featuring a bevvy of beauties taking the appropriate steps toward flawless skin; nutritious smoothies, gentle massage and face creams.
There were also additional illustrations on the following pages, covering four different face shapes and the best skin care routine for each.
If you want to get your hands on a copy, Vogue Japan can be purchased via this link to Amazon JP HERE. I very frequently purchase my fave Japanese titles (of which there are many) this way.
SIDE NOTE
Can we take a moment to appreciate this insane cover? Original noughties Supers dressed head to toe in Prada = ICONIC.
I could not have fluked a more flawless issue to be asked work on.
I just had to share some of my faves from the shoot by Luigi & Iango below:
Photographed by Luigi & Iango, Vogue Japan September 2017
Photographed by Luigi & Iango, Vogue Japan September 2017
Photographed by Luigi & Iango, Vogue Japan September 2017
Photographed by Luigi & Iango, Vogue Japan September 2017
Photographed by Luigi & Iango, Vogue Japan September 2017
Image Credits:
Photographer: Luigi & Iango
Styling: Anna Dello Russo
Models: Anna Ewers, Doutzen Kroes, Joan Smalls, Lara Stone, Natasha Poly & Vittoria Ceretti
Hair: Luigi Murenu
Make Up: Yumi Lee
Nails: Sara Alaimo
BVLGARI BEAUTY
Beauty piece for my folio, featuring Bulgari jewels made with stunning rubellites, tanzanites, aquamarines, diamonds and Akoya pearls.
CLARINS FLORAL BEAUTY
Last year I had the pleasure of working, again, with Clarins Australia on a series of floral-inspired imagery for their Winter '17 gift promotion. (You might remember our previous collaboration, but if not, click HERE.)
Taking inspiration from key product notes of Rose, Chamomile, Lavender and Hydrangea, as well as the incredible natural beauty of some of the most intoxicating places in the world, we came up with a series of colourful, blooming beauties exclusive to different retail partners to display in store throughout the past few months.
See below for the current "Pink" image, which you can see in-store at Myer this week, along with the other floral fantasies. (I think my fave might be the basket full of daisies AKA happiness!)
PINK - The chic London Florist with an armful of David Austin roses.
YELLOW - The Summery Sunday bike-rider in Primrose Hill with a basket full of daisies.
RED - The sophisticated shopper with a box of classic roses in the signature Clarins hue.
BLUE - The lady on vacanza, soaking up the Italian sunshine, surrounded by sparkling water and hydrangeas in the brightest azure blue.
PURPLE - The Provençal flower farmer in a rolling Lavender field.
VANITY
I had originally intended this piece to be something of a throwback to my 2009 illustration 'Scented' - one of my most popular prints ever - a 'Scented 2.0' if you will.
It quickly evolved, however, into more a still life featuring some of my favourite beauty products; scented in more than ways than one!
Aesop's 'Resurrection Aromatique' hand balm, which smells so delicious I could eat it, is also secretly used by my husband (I'm a regular ol' wikileaks over here!)
My 'Baies' candle from Diptyque has long since burnt out, but using it as a vase for the most fragrant of peonies is another way to admire its beautiful design.
Also featured are Charlotte Tilbury's 'Very Victoria' - hands down the best nude/beige-rose lipstick - and Chanel's 'Coco Mademoiselle.' I find so many Chanel perfumes too strong for my senses, and as much as I would love to say I was a fan of the iconic 'No.5' it's just too overpowering for me. 'Mademoiselle' is by far my favourite; powdery and soft, but also a little bit sexy.
My other go-to is BYREDO's 'Bal D'Afrique.' I first discovered BYREDO a few years ago while browsing the beauty department at Liberty London where I was immediately seduced by the edgy beauty of 'Rose Noir' and wore it, quite literally, every single day until it ran out. When I popped into a store to re-purchase it I tried 'Bal D'Afrique' on a whim, and I jumped ship faster than you can say 'WRAP IT UP, WENDY!'
As you can see from the image above, although not featured in the illustration, I am also a huge fan of Charlotte Tilbury's beauty products. I was converted on a visit to their counter when I purchased ol' Vic and was given a few samples of 'Magic Night Cream,' which is one of the best products I have used for my skin - and even better, it can do its thang while I sleep!
I also use CT for my brows, lashes, and even my highlighter/bronzer combo. ALL OF THE THINGS.
Anyway, none of this is sponsored, just heavily endorsed by my face and skin!
I do hope you enjoy this latest illustration, along with a peek at what's on my vanity.
It did start out as 'Scented 2.0' I promise. But what's a CT lipstick and classic white peony between friends?!
'Vanity' is available as a limited edition print in my store here: www.birdyandme.com.au/shop
REDKEN VOLUME ESSENTIALS
Illustrations for Redken 5th Avenue NYC 'Volume Essentials' Spring 2017 promotion.
DIOR COUTURE BEAUTY
Christian Dior Couture SS'17 / via fasionista.com
Christian Dior Couture SS'17 / via vogue.co.uk
Some quick beauty sketches from last week's Christian Dior Haute Couture show for Spring/Summer 2017. I had intended to get these up last week, but I was away and forgot to take the connection for my laptop so I was unable to finish them off until now! Whoops.
While Maria Grazia Chiuri's first Couture show for Dior was a little reminiscent of her ethereal work for Valentino, it was undoubtedly beautiful, feminine, and fantastically whimsical!
The stars! The florals! The incredible head pieces!
As soon as I saw it I was transported to the pages of a fairytale; a Midsummer Night's Dream or a Secret Garden.
Given my latest project, it was a given that I would have to capture some of it, albeit it quickly.
Stay tuned for another illustration based around one of Paris's biggest shows.
This one, however, is going into the storybook series and gracing a fictional femme...