*Story 1 of 5 for “The Musician’s Approach To Style.”
Director of Photography: Josh Davies
Lisa answers the phone after the first ring. “Good morning lovely Julia.”
It had been a couple of days since our photo shoot, giving me more than enough time to digest the adventurous day. Thursday morning had been set aside to talk with T.V. Stylist Lisa Williams to discuss her creative process of dressing individuals who are diverse in style and in personality. Shoot day was a whirlwind of laughs, passion and hard work. The models were musicians, and our concept was a hybrid of both music and fashion. The format of this shoot was different than any editorial we had done before. We had a larger team than usual, which was highly necessary as Canada lived up to its icy and snowy attributes. HOLR’s music editor was a great partner in the process. We were able to focus in on our crafts and bring it all together in the end.
In an ode to Season 2 of CTV’s ‘The Launch’, HOLR Magazine aimed to uncover the musician’s take on style, by profiling contestant Jayde and U.K. artist Vincent Darby.
“When you look at a show like ‘The Launch’, and the sort of job I have on ‘The Launch’, we start to look at what is imperative for an invested stylist who’s passionate about what they do. You always look at the artist first. Who is that person, what are they all about?”
It’s clear that Lisa lives out this mantra whenever she styles. Her connection with the artists is uncanny and impactful which creates a space that is collaborative and naturally makes the artists feel they can offer their opinions willingly.
“I think the next step in terms of being successful in crafting great music style, is taking a careful look at the inventory of hallmarks within the genre that the artist is working in. Only then can the invested stylist take these conventions and re-imagine them in a totally fresh and unique way. This formula works for both the viewer and the artist because it says: this is the world the artist is living in, and this is our unique take on their ‘world’. At the end of the day, we want to play with the style conventions of the genre.”
The formula was beginning to become apparent.
“Then on another tangent, but also related, I think crafting on-point looks also involves nodding to the trends of the moment, which is why for example in the pictures below you see Jayde in a pastel jacket and Vinnie rocking a neon hoody – these are both trends that are huge for Spring 2019”
All of the 20 outfits Lisa pieced together displayed a process of artist first, genre second and finally, finding a way to encompass current trends that fit seamlessly with the artist and the music. Lisa’s role on this season of The Launch spans far and wide, as she is working directly with every musician, and styling one-of-a-kind looks on host Liz Trinnear.
“It’s that formula of looking at the artist, looking at the genre, and then playing with all of those conventions and making them exciting. If it is exciting for the artist, then all of that is instantly conveyed in their performance.”
In the coming weeks, we will take a closer look into how Jayde and Vincent’s personas were the driving force behind the final looks.