Maison Martin Margiela Beijing store opening event. 

Ph: MMM

In the moment: Louis Vuitton bag + fur coat. Might have posted this earlier…

In the moment: the super fabulous store of Louis Vuitton in New York.

In the moment: Gucci store in New York.

Interview with Casting Director Katrin Wesolowski

Katrin Wesolowski is one of Sweden’s leading casting directors, working worldwide for some of the most respected brands in the fashion business. I first met her in Paris two years ago at the Valentino show casting, and found her way of meeting the models very respectful and down-to-earth, like an equal. She is special because she has an artist’s eye - an extended perspective of creating an iconic image, collaborating with designers, photographers and stylists alike, to find a great ground where they can build, grow, and develop an overall vision, way beyond the surface.

Why did you choose to be a Casting Director?

Good question. I didn’t really choose to become one, I just kind of ended up doing it.  When I first started working, I was as a Stylist Assistant, and my dream as a teenager was to become a Stylist.  But the more I worked in the business, the more I got in to the casting part.  I was fascinated about the beauty of the models I was working with.  I found it intriguing how different beauty could be for us.  And I loved the part of searching the right character/personality for the different projects I was casting for. I then got in contact with my mentor, Patrizia Pilotti at La Mode en Images (one of the world’s leading production companies in the fashion industry.) She asked if I could come work with her, and that was one of the happiest work moments of my life.

What’s the most challenging part about casting?

I think it can be very challenging work, just as many other things.  The competition in finding The Girl or The Boy for a designer can become a bit of a task, but so exciting!  I am very lucky to have had learned from the school of Patrizia Pilotti, who is a very calm, generous, and loving person.  She puts personality and humility first.

Why is your work so important for the fashion business?

For me, casting isn’t just finding a pretty face.  It’s more about finding personalities, beauty that corresponds with the client and what they are looking to express at that particular moment.  As a Casting Director, I get to know the girls and boys in a more personal way.  I see their outer beauty but also their inner beauty.  Many times, I’ve even seen them grow up from a child to an adult.  I think that the outer beauty is a very important combination with the inner.  A beautiful face should have a soul too, to be able to show the difference and become that Icon that we are all searching for. 

How do you create an image? 

I think that an image is the result of team work - the designer, the creative director, the photographer, the fashion stylist, the hair stylist, the makeup artist, the casting director and the model.  Together they all collectively play very important roles in making the image.  

What inspires you?

So many things inspire me:  living, loving, seeing, music, films, history.

What do you believe is success?  What’s the key to success?

I think that success is something very personal.  To achieve success, you have to be honest with your surroundings and yourself.  Success isn’t just having a lot of money, a big house and an expensive car.  Success is when you can wake up and feel good about yourself, knowing you have love in your life.

What is beauty?  And what does beauty mean to the world?  

Beauty can be so many things!  You can find beauty everywhere: people, animals, nature, but also inside your heart.  Honesty is beauty, it’s important to be true to yourself.  It’s something real - something that makes you all warm inside.  Beauty is something that inspires.  I think it’s important for us to have beauty all around in order to feel happiness. 

 What is the most important attribute as a model?

I don’t think that there is one most important attribute.  It’s more a combination of things.  It’s happened before where I didn’t book a model because of a personality problem, even if she had such a pretty face.   My interest in her disappeared and I didn’t see the same beauty anymore.  I’m looking for the perfect combination.

 Is fashion passion, or a coincidence?

For me it’s passion.  I think you really need to love this business to be able to work within it.  It can be a very tough industry, but it’s the passion for it that keeps it always exciting.

Tell me about your most recent projects and what you have coming up?

This fashion show season, in Stockholm, I will be casting for Filippa K, Tiger of Sweden and The Local Firm.  In Paris, I will do the casting direction for designers Nicolas Andreas Taralis, Sacai, Julien David, Calla and Gabrielle Greiss.  And I also collaborate with Patrizia Pilotti on Valentino. 

I’ve also been collaborating more and more with talented creative directors from Meri Media, who create projects in digital publishing & interactive fashion films for iPad applications, most recently for Gucci and Post.  This is a new and growing form of media and really is one of the most exciting things in our industry today! 

What would make you scream out loud of happiness?

Learning to surf!

 What is your secret obsession?

Homemade Vanilla Ice cream!

Ph: Private.
Sc: Dorotheas blog.

Found this at Dorotheas blog and I thought it was very interesting so I thought I should share it with you guys! Enjoy.

Remember when I told you about the photoshoot I was planning and how I promised you the moodboard? Well, here you go. This time we’ll go for a more classic, elegant, sophisticated, natural, male, modern and casual look with an amazing greyscale - one of the biggest trends for fall. 

In the moment: Gucci bag + boho look

I love the new cage installation at the Alexander Wang store in New York. I had the opportunity to step by and say hello this summer! 

Ph: alexanderwang.com

While searching for inspiration, I ended up looking at the file that contained these pictures from a photoshoot I did this summer that I totally forgot to tell you about! I was the photographer and the creative director, but also the stylist. I wanted to go for a vintage boho look with a very natural touch. Light, freedom, spirit, natural and classic were our main guidewords. 

I’ve been talking to the model, Erika Torshed, about planning another shoot in the days. This time we’ll go for a more classic, elegant, casual look - maybe in black & white mode? I’ll post my moodboard later on.