❂ Island Boho ❂

16.02.2015
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ISLAND BOHO // SPELL MARCH 2015. 
Photographer Johnny Abegg
Muse Zippora Seven @ IMG
Hair Luciana Rose | Make up Rosario Belmonte
Production Micheala Macdonnell
Location; Thank you to the very gorgeous Annelies who welcomed us to Villa Crusoe.

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Story below by my darling sister and business partner Spell Pennefather who brought this collection and shoot to life…

Let me paint a picture. After the first day of shooting, we all lay back on warm sand as the sun set and the full moon rose over the water. We sat around a crackling fire chatting quietly and sharing stories, the silhouette of mountains on neighbouring islands fading into the evening. Suddenly, the huge moon began to turn a deep auburn as a full luna eclipse unfolded before our eyes.  The spirit of the island was all around us and we felt happy, and lucky and the most relaxed we’d ever felt after a full day shoot! Such is island life.

THE JOURNEY. On the long boat ride to the island our boat’s engine failed and plumes of black smoke surrounded us. As we bobbed silently in the huge ocean, the smell of petrol taking over, Zippora and I held hands, terrified.  and she gently reassured me that we’d be ok. Of course the engine started again and we were on our way, but we held onto each other for the rest of the journey. That’s the thing about shooting out on location, you bond with the team around you, and it makes for a more authentic shoot. Because you’re all kind of on the same journey.

All memories of the horrific boat ride faded away as soon as we arrived at our villa on the island. Villa Crusoe, an ode to luxe island living, was the most divine place I’d ever been. There were vintage rugs around the rooms, on the tables lay ancient coral encrusted bottles that looked like they had been buried in a shipwreck for century’s, framed tropical scenes hanging on the walls, crochet hammocks even a treehouse at the far corner of the land. We felt castaway in a magical fairytale!

As we hung our latest collection on the bamboo bed, the flowing white mosquito nets draped all around, the garments looked right at home. Island Boho is such a soft collection, soft palates of gold dust, opal and turquoise. Textured woven linen and lace, vintage inspired peacock prints, cheesecloth and cottons, all flowing together. A flurry of production never seen before on a Spell shoot, and there have been many, began – steaming, stitching, sewing, digging holes, rigging up washing lines and even working with local fishermen to build a raft from a picture I’d sketched on a scrap of paper.

SHOOT DAY. Shooting with Zippy was a dream come true. She seemed to epitomise everything about this collection, and the shoot was a reflection of her free-spirited nature. She swam with turtles between shooting, her vibe was island time. She just cruised.  Nothing phased her, even when asked to walk across sharp coral, she just floated across it. Quietly spoken, like a little faerie on a flower petal – she just encapsulated everything we’d dreamed of for Island Boho.

All I’d talked about as the shoot neared it’s end was wanting to find a salty margarita when we wrapped – and then on wrapping, out of no where, a line of waiters walked out from behind a thatched hut carrying trays filled with margaritas, our production girl Michaela had arranged it secretly! We screamed with excitement and then breathed a sigh of happiness, the perfect end to a perfect shoot.