le cirque

"Violin D'Ingres"- Man Ray

How AMAZING is this shoot?! It's "Le Cirque" for Marie Claire Italia, April 2010. I really love over the top fashion shoots that incorporate fantasy and fairytale. High fashion is so exaggerated that there is a wide berth for over styling. Not only is the circus like feel of the shoot brilliant, the photographs are shot in a way that almost makes them seem like old circus posters- the soft lens creates a blurred edge and evokes a feeling of nostalgia.
I especially like the subtle reference to Man Ray's "Violin D'Ingres" in the last image of the shoot. The ringleader is playing the woman like a violin- an idea initially championed by Man Ray's depiction of a woman's back as a violin.
The model, Sophie Vlaming, keeps this spread up to date with geometric leggings and boyfriend blazers.