Editorial / Previous Editorials

In preparation for planning my Givenchy inspired editorial shoot, I have looked at previous Givenchy editorials for inspiration. 

Photography: Most of Givenchy's editorials are shot in black and white which makes the most of the monochromatic styling. The lighting is very harsh and contrasting and shadows are used to make a statement as seen in the bottom right image. 

Setting: Most of the editorials I have found have been shot in a studio, usually on a white or grey background. This allows the photographer more freedom to use the style of dramatic lighting often seen in these shots. However some shots are filmed on location, in which the background is complementary to the styling and mood of the shoot. I am hoping to shoot my editorial in the studio, but use props such as chairs draped in fabrics to achieve a fuller background while still having full control of the lighting. 

Styling: What I noticed is that all the brands editorials have a very grungy feel to them. This is achieved by combining harsh elements such as dark leather and heavy embellishments and contrasting with soft pale fabrics such as white lace. This mixture of monochromatic hard and soft textures is very typical for the brand and can also be seen at their catwalk shows through in Ready to Wear collections. This is something I will keep in mind when shooting my look as the styling of the editorial shoot will be as crucial to the image as the make up. 

Make up: In keeping with the grungy styling, the make up in previous editorials is often quite smoky and dark. As most of the shots are black and white, the make up needs to be impactful even without colour so focuses on shadows and shapes featuring elements such as statement liner, sunken sockets, bleached brows and facial embellishments. 

Models: Givenchy uses a mixture of both male and female models, often using groups of models posing together. I found when looking in detail at their appearance, that the brand favours either models with very light colouring, or models with very dark hair - both very striking. The models poses are very serious, going along with the harsh theme running throughout these images. 

 じゃいレアー (2011) Editorial: GIVENCHY S/S 2011. Available at: https://sdlpunk.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/editorial-givenchy-ss-2011/ (Accessed: 18 March 2016).

jQuery, F.G.R. and document (2015)Givenchy’s fall 2015 collection gets the editorial treatment in vogue Japan. Available at: http://www.fashiongonerogue.com/gallery/givenchy-fall-2015-collection-editorial-vogue-japan/ (Accessed: 18 March 2016).

StyleCaster (no date) Asian culture. Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/550776229400736356/ (Accessed: 18 March 2016).

(no date) Available at: http://lookbook.nu/lilianamatthaeus (Accessed: 18 March 2016).