Out Of Africa =
Click above to see greater details...in particular, the fantastic writer's desk on the bottom right corner. The set designers must have had so much fun putting together this period story. Vogue photographer, Arthur Elgort's portraits of the actress, Keira Knightley in Kenya was in many ways an explicit homage to one of my favorite films, Out of Africa. I've always loved the confluence of buttoned-up Victorian fashion with loose safari wear (over the days paired down for practicality). I can't imagine what it was like for women to arrive in the hot African landscape in corsets and ruffle dresses, only to realize that they would have to make great feminist strides for shear necessity (trimming their skirts, allowing their knees to show and parting with their pressed white blouses).
Colonialism is not something one should ever romanticize. Somehow, in film and photography people have made aspects of Victorian culture in Africa, visually provocative.....quite possibly, due to great juxtaposition of equally unique and fascinating lifestyles.
One doesn't have to travel to Africa to experience the great outdoors, the NYtimes magazine has referenced Mary Jane's Bed & Breakfast farm retreat in Idaho as a great place to travel back in time, sleep in a canvas tent, cook on an outdoor stove, and open your tent to this:
(Photos from Style.com & Mary Jane's Bed & Breakfast)
3 comments:
Emma and I drooled over this article... and I've been watching Elgort's work for over 20 years. He's extraordinary, and it's wonderful that he's still making magic happen in fashion photography.
And yes, this kind of styling is 'chance-of-a-lifetime' fun... but soooo much work and dedication goes into it. African hats-off to that crew! And to you too, Lee.
That was from me, Chris Weber, Lee!
stunning.
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