>> Need more proof that Anna Selezneva is Carine Roitfeld's new favorite? Check out "Hor la Loi" ("Outlaw"), the September 2008 Vogue Paris editorial in which Carine styled Anna as herself, complete with sky-high heels, leopard print, and of course, lots of the requisite black.
*image: source

We think it's interesting to paint the fashion picture from all perspectives. You know, when we meet someone interesting in the fashion industry, we interview them. As far as we're concerned that person has just as important a perspective as the designer or brand themselves. That said, when we began work on our Fall's Top Five: Past & Present photo shoot we knew right away that we would want to interview our photographer Shannon Sinclair for the site. A young mother, an accomplished photographer, a leggy gal whom, at first glance, you might confuse for the model, we thought her insight would be interesting to share in a post. As things progressed, her husband, Bryn Bowen, who happens to work in our office, got involved. His company, We Are Rocket Science, builds world class sets and installation pieces for fashion editorial. Before we knew it, both Shannon and Bryn were committed to the shoot, and we had quite a little production on our hands. Below, a few questions answered from the talented pair, and, below that, some out-takes captured by Shannon.


What are the advantages to working in the same industry?
B. Knowing where each of us are coming from when dealing with outside work. We don't get the opportunity to work together very often, so knowing the highs and lows of the industry helps with understanding each other.
S. The industry has a tendency to be very word-of-mouth. At times, we have been able to be each other's PR manager.

What are the disadvantages?
B. The inconsistent income.
S. The Hours! Some days he isn't home until late! We have a 2 year old so I find myself wondering where my break is.

Do you often bring in each other on board to the projects you are working on?
B. We always look at each other's work and critique it. Everyone needs that extra opinion sometimes even if they don't want it. She sees things I don't and vice versa.
S. I value Bryn's opinion. I always ask him what he thinks of my concepts for shoots. We agree to disagree!

Shannon, how has Bryn made you a better photographer?
S. He has a wonderful creative eye. He always brings ideas to the table when I am shooting with him. He also keeps me grounded and calm.

Bryn, how has Shannon made you a better designer?
B. I wouldn't know to think about a crop, movement, or when to stop working if it wasn't for her.

What inspired the set for the trend shoot?
B. There were so many shots and so many different looks. The simplest idea was to take inconspicuous walls and add texture, depth, and color. Do it in a way that wouldn't take away from the clothes but, instead, compliment.

What inspired the lighting and photographic techniques?
S. I wanted to go back to the way of shooting that I like which is more on the conceptual side. The last several shoots I have done I have kept the lighting
pretty straight forward. I wanted to be more creative with the mood of the shoot. We were going to be shooting clothing that had a lot of texture and color
and I wanted to enhance that. I decided to use several different lights to create a sort of blurred effect, with the feeling of movement and fluidity. I think the lighting brought a lot of life & color to the shoot.

What don't people realize about the fields that you work in?
B. That I can still make a living at making art.
S. It's hard work being a photographer! It isn't as easy as you would think it would be. The photographer wears many hats. We don't just stand there and push a button. We are orchestrating an entire job. Oh, and we control the ipod.

What don't people realize about the fashion industry at large?
B. Its a huge stone that we each have to chip away at to get ahead. I think what ever people think about it is true. It can be fast, creative, and fulfilling at all the right times. One can always find either a city or a designer that inspires them to either create or think outside the box.
S. That there are hundreds of people doing different jobs to make the fashion industry go round. There is much more going on than just pretty models, cool magazines, and a fancy party.

We often feel like the second career of every stifled creative woman working an analytic job is jewelry designer. The volume of press releases announcing new jewelry designers breaking free from their corporate life simply astounds. Everyone it believes they can help us accessorize. And yet so little quality seems to emerge from the morass of hopefuls that we had despaired of ever unearthing something of value. It seemed best to stay with established names when laying out for life's most precious purchases.

But just as we reached the pits of disinterest a beacon of hope emerged. Manju Jasty's namesake Manju Jasty Fine Jewelry is a new line worth discovering.

Inspired by classic Indian design, crafted from the finest quality materials, and honed by fresh aesthetics, Manju Jasty is a cultural treasure trove of ancient influences for modern women. With a focus on updating traditional Indian jewelry, the line features "negative" space as a way to lighten and renew for sophisticated yet easy to wear designs.

This was certainly the opinion of Barney's Fashion Director Julie Gilhart who by a chance encounter met Jasty. The designer charmingly did not know the director and was unaware of the buyer's incredible influence when Gilhart encouraged her work. In fashion fairytale form, Gilhart picked up the line for Barney's.

Jasty, an MBA and investment banker, had just left her job at Barclays Capital and from talking with her it sounds as if she was not entirely convinced jewelry was the route to go. And while its tempting to say it was meant to be with a first name derived from the Sanskrit word meaning “jewel box,” trust us when we say it could have gone poorly. The fact that Jasty had talent and inspiration to transcend the cliché made us take notice. But then perhaps we were simply jaded, for if anyone knows the true value of an updated cultural classic its a banker. We like to think its akin to rebranding a jewelry tradition. Nothing says success like taking an underperforming asset like one's heritage and making it live again.

Photographed by Gareth Cattermole.