INSIDE THE COLLECTION NO. 13 CAMPAIGN

Shot in Brooklyn, the Collection No. 13 campaign marks a new direction for Merlette, with French photographer Camille Vivier and Creative Director & Stylist Roxane Danset creating a portraiture series of 10 unique women. The campaign focuses on the character of each woman as well as the diversity that reflects the versatility of the collection, inspired by 20th-century African-American painter Alma Thomas.

The campaign features 10 subjects who were street cast by iconic casting agent Lisa Dymph Megens:  Natalie, Jahyisa, Karen, Syd, Rachel, Carina, Camille, Jackie, Bunny, and Madeline. The women represent a snapshot of NYC, chosen for their personalities over proportions. The women ranged in size and height, marking the first time that the brand has worked with such a range of subjects. 

The unique faces and personalities brought an element of reality to the fantastical quality of Camille’s work. The use of pink soft lighting creates a dream-bound and romantic mood, and her appreciation of women and their natural form is what made her such a strong fit for this campaign. In her practice she is interested in women's bodies, constituting a dialogue of forms between the sensual and the surreal. 

As a global brand, the Merlette team designs for such a broad range of women, and as a New York City-founded brand. The styling was focused on highlighting the fabrics, especially the new evening fabrics and denims and jacquards, and the layering demonstrated the many ways to style the clothes. The campaign is about joy, color, and looking beyond the surface to find beauty and celebration of women and the versatility of the Merlette woman.