Botanical Sketchbook

A KALTBLUT exclusive editorial introducing designer Eleanor Williams. Photography by Anna Nygard. Model is Masha Mikheieva. Set Design by Isabel Forbes. Hair Styling by Carlyn Griscti. Make up by Hannah Wastnidge. All fashion by Eleanor Williams.

Shoot concept by set designer/ Art director Isabel Forbes

“The concept of this shoot came to me quickly after seeing Eleanor’s collection. I imagined her using a book of pressed flowers and plants for reference. The model emerging clad in the garments dyed with the plants shown on the page of the book is the fruition of her imagination and hard work.

The whole story of her collection and the materials she uses takes me back to when I was young when I used to pour over The Flower Fairy books, in which every flower has it’s own pixie or fairy. We decided that the model should be nymph-like, mysterious and mischievous, dancing around the pages and in the book.

When designing this set I was aware of creating a sustainable set, I solely used materials that I already owned, including fabrics, paints and other crafting tools, Eleanor’s Mother eco-printed fabric for us to use on the shoot and I decided to use them as end sheets for our giant notebook. The book frame itself had been and will be reused for many other shoots. We used plants as accessories which Eleanor had responsibly foraged herself [in the pouring rain!), we did the shoot in a workshop, further playing on the idea that the viewer was seeing into Eleanor’s workplace.”