Behind the scenes of October’s ‘luxury’ fashion shoot

Paper doll is the theme of the fashion shoot in the October issue NationalS Luxury Supplement. With cut-out dolls – the kind of tabs that allow you to change their clothes – from childhood, it was only a matter of time before it emerged as a concept.

Our October issue focuses on the idea of ​​bringing together leading specialists in the UAE, from art, design and cars to clothing, trainers and vinyl records. This inspired the idea of ​​all the paper dolls collected in childhood bedrooms, and how this first attempt was, for many, the first introduction to the playful world of fashion.

We expanded the idea to include balloons and old rotary phones cut out of cardboard, as well as a stuffed toy, and for that extra hands-on feel we added some painted details. All gathered in a photography studio in Al Quz, Dubai.

Using real-life props and some post-production wizardry, the talented team of Italian photographer Nicoletta Buru, Polish hair and makeup artist Ania Poniatowska and Brazilian model Vanussa set out to experiment. Vanessa in particular has her work cut out for interacting with non-existent objects, keeping calm while jumping up and down, and pretending to talk on a fictional phone.

It’s amazing how much discussion goes into shooting a paper doll in real life – like trying to figure out how the doll’s strings attach to the arms and legs.

For our toy cover star, we’ve moved from Stella McCartney and Etro playful prints to playing hide and seek under the tweed Dior Bar jacket, feminine cuts by Fendi and Carolina Herrera, or color explosions by Alexander McQueen and Valentino. The neon halos around our Hermès and Louis Vuitton, meanwhile, are another reminder that you’re never too old to wear them.

Scroll through the gallery above for more pictures from the paper doll shoot for ‘Luxury’ magazine.

Updated: October 13, 2022, 2:06 p.m