Behind the Scenes With Pranella: Our SS18 Lookbook Photo Shoot

Although the temperature is dropping outside and the nights are at their longest, at Pranella we’ve been looking forward to sunnier times and putting together our SS18 lookbook. Our recent photo shoot saw us turn our studio into a tropical paradise: verdant banana leaves and exotic ferns created a psychotropic contrast against bold neon backgrounds, with cerise, lime and lush coral tones drawing their influence from our stunning new beachwear and jewellery. Transporting you from the gloom of the British winter to the beaches of St. Barths, here is an exciting sneak peek behind the scenes of our latest creative venture.

Mother and daughter team Alex and Charlotte were on hand to provide art direction – everything from steering make up and hair design to pruning the foliage (someone’s got to do it!). “We wanted to create the feel of a neon bohemian heat-wave”, says company director Charlotte, “so colour was very important. The natural element provided by the plants is a nod to the tropical trend that saturated the runways in the SS18 shows – we wanted to incorporate that into our collection without losing the statement Pranella look. Those influences are there in our nature-inspired embroidery and detailing, but this is definitely our unique take on it.”

Models were sun-kissed and glowing, and photographer James Cummings placed an emphasis on movement to accentuate the versatility of the fabrics: the collection incorporates cotton, silk and–for the first time–pure Belgian linen. “Our pieces are chic and elegant,” says Alex, “but because of the nature of the materials they’re still laid back enough to just be thrown on. They work just as well for a walk along the shoreline as they do dancing barefoot under the moonlight. Capturing that balance was key.”

Jewellery and accessories played a big part in the overall look. Reflecting the vibrant colourways of the beachwear, the necklaces and bracelets are designed for layering and creating exciting contrasts. “When you’re on holiday you want your jewellery to be three things: feminine, fun, and easy to wear”, adds Charlotte, “so it was important to us that each piece could work in harmony with the different lines, be it the cotton kaftans or the linen co-ords.” Layering the different lengths of the necklaces, especially when there are tassels involved, creates a luxe effect that remains aligned with the collection’s bohemian aesthetic.

The incorporation of Belgian linen contributes to the natural feel of the collection. Using eco-friendly dyes, Alex and Charlotte wanted to accentuate the softness of the material by focusing on pastel and earthen hues. “These pieces really take the collection in an exciting new direction for Pranella”, says Alex. “Linen is such a timeless material – it wears so well in the heat and flows beautifully. We’ve been buying linen pieces from boutiques in Ibiza and Formentera for years, so it made sense to design our own!” The Jagger dress is a personal favourite for both ladies – the frill details and flattering cut make it a fun but sophisticated option for day or night, and with a colour palette that takes you from powder pink through ice blue to dove grey there’s an alternative to suite everyone.

As you can see, the photo shoot produced some incredible images that really capture the effortless glamour at the heart of Pranella’s vision. It’s all got us more than a little bit excited for summer, and we can’t wait to share the lookbook with you in the New Year!

With love,

Pranella x