Hit_The _Road_Jack!

"...and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more!"


"Hit the Road Jack is a song written by rhythm and bluesman Percy Mayfield and first recorded in 1960 as an a capella demo. It became famous after it was recorded by singer-pianist Ray Charles. It hit number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, beginning on Monday, October 9, 1961. The song was also number one on the R&B Sides chart for five weeks, becoming Ray Charles' sixth number one on that chart.The song is ranked #377 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

"Woah Woman, oh woman, don't treat me so mean,
 You're the meanest old woman that I've ever seen.
 I guess if you say so
 I have to pack ma things and go. -That's right-"

Certainly in this case we had to deal with a "powerful" face. Mikaela has astonishing face angles, which present a strong character. She looks mean and scared at the same time. Moreover, Mikaela is the "ancient greek beauty" type: brown hair and eyebrows, wonderful big eyes, fleshy lips, angles and particular -in a good way- nose. Stefi used a simple smokey make-up and a nude colour lipstic in order to show off model's eyes. Elise focused mainly on portraits and the result looks powerful & harmonic at the same time. Regarding the styling, i preferred to play with "Art Deco" minimalistic accessories and use metallic elements, beads, crystals and small mirrors. 

Defence
*the epaulettes were a last-minute add, but surely completed the outfit_Mikaela's pose is really strong and defensive_i believe that Elise chose right and stayed in black and white tones.

Naturalness
*"Well baby, listen baby, don't ya treat me this-a way
 Cause I'll be back on my feet some day.
 -Don't care if you do 'cause it's understood-
-you ain't got no money you just ain't no good.-
 Well, I guess if you say so
 I'd have to pack my things and go. -That's right-"

View_from_the_top
*i told you that her eyes are amazing, even in black and white shades_Mikaela wears an original Harley Davidson biker jacket.

Backstage_maximalism

credits: 

styling: maro_palamara

make-up: stefi_bazavan

hairstylist: dimitris_ioannou 

 model: mikaela_kourkoula 

photography: amaryllis_koufantoni

special_thanks_to_charalampos_nikolaou_for_the_contribution!

Orient_Express

"The Orient Express was the name of a long-distance passenger train service originally operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. The route and rolling stock of the Orient Express changed many times. Several routes in the past concurrently used the Orient Express name, or slight variants thereof. Although the original Orient Express was simply a normal international railway service, the name has become synonymous with intrigue and luxury travel. The two city names most prominently associated with the Orient Express are Paris and Constantinople, the original endpoints of the timetabled service.

On 12 December 2009, EuroNight train number 469 'Orient Express' left Strasbourg on its final overnight run to Vienna, and on 13 December the celebrated name 'Orient Express' disappeared forever from the official European timetables after 126 years.  True, the Orient Express may have been the ultimate example of a knife that's had its blade and its handle replaced many times, but this train was indeed the true descendant of that first 1883 'Express d'Orient' and it officially carried the name 'Orient Express'. The Orient Express ceased to operate and the route disappeared from European railway timetables, reportedly a victim of high-speed trains and cut-rate airlines."

Generally known from Next Top Model 2, Jiannan Peng was our model coming from Orient! When i first show her, i knew it would be a challenge for us to "transform" her. Dimitris followed exactly my instructions regarding the hair-styling and the result was astonishing - a huge 50's coiffure, which officially attracted all the attention-. Sarah, also gave its best and made Jiannan's face look like a doll. The styling was a combination between '30s & '60s elements with a few '50s bizarre touches.

Plastic_Beauty

*the black & white photographic filter makes the "plastic" raincoat look weird_i really love these amazing feather lashes that Sarah used.

Little_White_Dress

*this dress is actually the first outfit i have ever constructed_it was 1st years final assignment at pattern making course_a classic white Americaine dress styled whith a 3 in 1 navy colored belt. 

The_Orange_Is_On_Fire

*i have to thank specially Mrs. Mika Panagou, Costume & Stage Designer, who conceded me this orange coat from her personal wardrobe_the purple background creates a pleasant contrast to the outfit.

"Agatha Christie's 'Murder on the Orient Express' isn't set on the Orient Express, it's set on the Simplon Orient Express.  By the 1920s and 30s there were a whole inter-connecting network of Wagons-Lits company trains with 'Orient Express' as part of their name in addition to the Orient Express itself.  The Orient Express has always run from Paris Gare de l'Est via Munich, Vienna & Budapest, whereas the Simplon Orient Express started running in April 1919, taking a Southerly route from Calais and Paris Gare de Lyon to Milan, Venice, Trieste, Zagreb, Belgrade, Sofia and Istanbul, with a portion for Athens."

credits: 

wardrobe styling: maro_palamara

make-up: sarah_elizabeth_jordan

hairstylist: dimitris_ioannou 

 model: jiannan_peng 

photography: amaryllis_koufantoni

No_Satisfaction

"Rolling stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" released in 1965. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and produced by Andrew Loog Oldham. The song is notable for Richards's three-note guitar riff which opens and drives the song, and for the lyrics, which include references to sexual intercourse and a theme of anti-commercialism. The latter in particular caused the song to be "perceived as an attack on the status quo".

The song was first released as a single in the United States in June 1965 and also featured on the American version of Out of Our Heads, released that July. "Satisfaction" was a hit, giving the Stones their first number one in the United States. The song initially played only on pirate radio stations because its lyrics were considered too sexually suggestive. In Britain the single was released in August 1965; it became the Rolling Stones' fourth UK number one. The song is considered to be one of the all-time great rock songs. In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine placed "Satisfaction" in the second spot on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time."

(I can't get no) Satisfaction _The Rolling Stones_Ed Sullivan Show_1966

The concept goes like this: a girl, Isabella, wakes up alone at her boyfriend's apartment. Almost sleepless and still drunk from the previous night, she starts playing with the camera and explores her boyfriend's "toys". A bat, a pair of boxing gloves, a pizza slice, a starbucks coffee and a colorful -like lollipop- ice-cream are playing their leading roles and different stories are being developed. Isabella poses wearing different sets of lingerie, high-knee socks, male tank-tops, boy jeans and kinky underwear. 

The question is: "Isabella what else you can do till you get your satisfaction?"

Addiction

*the colorful & glossy ice-cream was actually a last-minute idea that came to complete our concept_i love Isabella's hair color gradation; it is so "Californian"!_of course i have to say a few words about starbucks: my addiction_since their first coffee shop opened, here in Athens, i am surely among their most loyal clients_i have to confess that Tazo chai tea late flows through my veins.

Boys_toys

*Charlie's "equipment" proved very useful_unfortunately we didn't use the amazing green skateboard!

Greed

*who doesn't feel greedy in front of a pizza slice?_especially for Tony Bonanno's original italian pizza!_believe me, if you try it, you will understand!

"Tony Bonanno": 4, Vasileos Pavlou str, Kastella, Piraeus

                         tel_2104121700

credits: 

wardrobe styling: maro_palamara

make-up: stefi_bazavan 

 model: isabella_stratigakis 

photography: charlie_makkos

My_innocence_is_not_dead

"The loss of innocence is a common theme in fiction and pop culture, and is often seen as an integral part of coming of age. It is usually thought of as an experience or period in a child's life that widens their awareness of evil, pain or the world around them.


Innocence can imply lesser experience in either a relative view to social peers, or by an absolute comparison to a more common normative scale. In contrast to ignorance, it is generally viewed as a positive term, connoting an optimistic view of the world, in particular one where the lack of knowledge stems from a lack of wrongdoing, whereas greater knowledge comes from doing wrong. Since experience is a prime factor in determining a person's point of view, innocence is often also used to imply an ignorance or lack of personal experience."


The color white is commonly used to symbolize the innocence. In our case, we had a strict "black-tie" concept, in contrast to model's innocent -white like porcelain- face. My aim was to use mostly black clothes combined with a few colorful accessories, creating a gothic but playful atmosphere; revealing, at the same time, model's hidden innocence. The original tittle comes from a very close partner to me: Amaryllis Koufantoni, otherwise known as "Elise", the photographer (and Αquarius) who accompanied me during my first stylish steps. 


Amaryllis, this post is dedicated to you!

Red_flame

*what is still fresh in my mind is Marina's red & endless hair_the photo-shoot took place into a really particular location; an entertainment park near "Neo Faliro", where the stuff and the passersby were very kind and helpful. 

Innocent_eyes

*the head fascinator/hat is one of my personal handmade constructions, specially made for this particular photo-shoot_it is combination of a variety of buttons, wire mesh & tulle_i love the black lipstick that Amaryllis asked for!

Innocent_until_proven_guilty

*"Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat" is a Latin legal term used to refer to the principle that one is considered innocent until proven guilty.

credits: 

concept & creative styling: maro_palamara

make-up: sarah_elizabeth_jordan

hairstylist: dimitris_ioannou 

 model: marina_jaksic 

photography: amaryllis_koufantoni

photographer's assistant: dimitris_poutouridis