1st Option location agency blog
This weekend we felt that summer vibe as Billie Faiers (off of TOWIE) launched her new swimwear line, through In The Style a great new fashion brand that shot at our stunning Ambleside location just the other day,
Here’s some of the shots from this sizzling shoot…..
It’s the month of Pisces and something fishy’s definitely going on…
Get your fins on this… Aquarius location is a stunningly quirky newbie this week! Gorgeous turquoise colour meanders throughout the whole house.
Across the ocean in New York and Sophia Webster is turning the tide on the fashion world as she channels the serene siren look with her fresh Spring 2016 shoe collection. Blue, woo hoo, we’re all over it! Had you guessed?!
So is Hannah Deacon, with her inspiring styling, combined with Mark Scott’s sublime photography.
House & Garden Magazine are feeling the water vibes too with their beautiful bathrooms to get swept away with. And the final thought for today…. just coz we can!….
(What?! It’s the theme!)
So, Leo won Best Actor at the Oscars (woo hoo!) and we had the pleasure of popping along on a shoot at our ‘Primrose’ location for Ham & High
Mag last week, with the wonderful & vivacious Meg Matthews.
The article hit the online cosmos last week: shows off the futuristic workings of Meg’s mind through her interior design choices. We got a full tour from Meg, her home is immaculate & reminds us of a star studded space ship, but with a lot more minimalist flare and kitsch memorabilia.
A bit more futuristic inspiration for a Monday…..
We have basically the same chairs in our stunning Blake house location:
Hold onto your chefs’ hats… As one of our fav girls Sam Cam & the (rather dishy) David James have joined Bake Off forces this February, in aid of the great charity, Sport Relief.
And, Oh My! they’re not going to disappoint as they leap into the fluffy meringue heaven (or hell depending on ability) of high pressure tv cooking. David’s ingenious idea of using a metal spoon as a conductor in the middle of his unbaked cake to speed up the process, really has blown our minds!
My metaphorical taste buds were salivating at the thought of this delightful duo gracing our screens, but not quite as much as Paul and Mary B, the latter of whom I truly am in love with! So, when I got the opportunity to catch the end of a photoshoot Mary Berry was starring in, at our very own Parson’s location, the manic grin & cookery puns were flowing all week!
Another Bake Off firm fav & winner of the last series, is Nadiya who, I heard on the grapevine, will soon be bringing out her first cookery book. I’m wistfully hoping she indulges my terribly sweet tooth, as interior writer and stylist Emma, @emmamortonturner, always does with her cakesbakesandcookies blog
Thank you for indulging me Emma!
Yes please!! Stuff the January diet, did you not get the memo…. it’s February!!
The count down is on for London Fashion Week and inspiration for the next 7 days comes in the form of our two favourite little fashionistas in the office…. Violet & Lilly… Follow them on instagram here!!
So we did a bit of digging around and putting their best paw forward, pioneering haute couture, occasional wear, puppy style, is designer Anthony Rubio. His new collection of doggy matador outfits are just the cutest thing we’ve seen since Princess Charlotte popped up on instagram!
Celebs and their pets are always a hit in our books, and with LFW looming, we decided to pay homage to some fashion designers you may well have heard of (duh!) and their lesser known but beyond adorable furry friends…..
@verawanggang with Cooper, Sam & Lucy- courtesy of a fab Harpers Bazaar feature
The one everyones eyes will be glued to at LFW- and @caradelevingnes of course! Meet Cecil! Our very own girl Ellis spotted @davidbe in new restaurant, Sexy Fish @SexyFishLondon, at the weekend, nice spot Ellis! @victoriabeckham
Karl, the King of couture, & Choupette, we’re in diamond encrusted kitty heaven! Photo courtesy of Harpers Bazaar, @BazaarUK
For more fashion inspiration check out our pinterest boards where this weeks theme is walk in wardrobes, a la Carrie, and more!
As we are rapidly propelled into 2016 we, at 1st Option, were reflecting on the last year and found a great way to recap through @adollworldafterall, who’s instagram pics of famous celeb moments are re-enacted with Barbie dolls!
Being closet Beiber fans (resistance was futile!), our personal fav was this one of JB getting papped on his hotel balcony in Bora Bora, all modesty kept in tact, obviously!
So, that lead us onto thinking of our own highlight of last year and it, hands down, must be the new Ab Fab movie being filmed at our exclusive location, Archer.
The girls in the office were lucky enough to go on set, they’re sworn to secrecy but lets just say it lives up to the name, sweetie!
Well, maybe just a little sneaky peek then…..
We caught up with Interiors Stylist Lucy Gough on set to find out what she’s been up to lately – read the conversation here, and see some of her beautiful work!
What’s your favourite thing about shooting on location?
I love the general buzz of being on a shoot. Everyone is excited to be there and looking forward to creating beautiful images! I also love that you get to shoot in a different location each time- it’s like going to open house each week.
If you weren’t a stylist what do you think you’d be doing (&where)?
Probably continuing with my previous career in book publishing, in Australia. I loved it, however it would have to be in interiors/cooking/design books somewhere like Murdoch or Conran Octopus.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Everywhere from nature to fashion, architecture and film.Mostly nature though. It never lies! If a colour palette exists in nature, you know it’s going to work in your shoot.
What’s your favourite thing about styling?
I love that I get to ‘own’ a project from beginning to end. I love meeting clients and getting to know them, researching trends, coming up with a creative concept, choosing (often, but not always) a photographer, hiring props, sourcing a location, and generally orchestrating the whole shebang. It does mean, however, that it falls on your shoulders to make it work- no excuses! There can be a huge amount of pressure on the stylist.
What’s been your most challenging project?
The only real challenge I find is having to juggle multiple projects simultaneously!
Where do you think are the best places to pick up props/pieces of furniture/odds and ends?
There are so many places that I use but I love using Granger Hertzog and Farley for prop hire as they are brilliantly helpful and there is so much choice. I also love Habitat’s range of vases, vessels and tableware, John Lewis for lighting, Amazon Prime for all those bits and pieces that I need last minute, and you can’t beat a car boot or Kempton Market for random vintage/second hand pieces!
If you could settle anywhere where would it be?
I absolutely love travelling. My partner and I hop on a plane any chance we get. There are so many places that we could settle, but I have to admit it would be my home country of Australia! I love it there, my family is there and the weather is fab.
Jose is looking pretty good, and so is our exclusive and amazing location Clapham Common. We heard it was a fun shoot, though perhaps not as much for the crew member who had to clear up the confetti!
Location: Clapham Common | Client: BT Sport Europe |
(Source: https://www.1st-option.com)
A Dame’s Seal of approval because Clapham Common – is worth it! Again!
The new L’oreal advert featuring Dame Helen Mirren was shot here, bus stop and lunging man not included!
Location: Clapham Common | Client: L’Oreal
(Source: https://www.youtube.com)
Visiting Madrid for a long weekend is super fun for your inner culture vulture with classic architecture lining the streets and wonderful winding cobbled streets enticing you off the main thoroughfares to explore at every turn.
The wonderful Prado is currently hosting an exhibition of Goya
Across the road is the ever beautiful location The Ritz Madrid, perfect for an elegant and luxurious pitstop with a café con leche or perhaps one of their signature cocktails.
Madrid is also foodie heaven and the streets are littered with artisan bakeries, cafes and delis
Not to mention the fabulous Mercado de San Miguel – the indoor food market with everything from Spanish tapas, olives and oysters to vino tint and bubbles galore, you simply won’t want to leave.
Loved their upscaled lighting feature making use of the distinctive blue bottles of Solán de Cabras water.
If shopping is your vice then you certainly won’t be disappointed from the fabulous Zara flagship store on Grand Via (photo below) to local boutiques and the ubiquitous El Corte Ingles.
Wandering and meandering along the streets there are stunning details worth doing your own mini photo shoot everywhere, below is a monastery with lovely original wooden doors just around the corner from the main shopping area.
Viva Espana!
