Michelle Green modeling Camille Goodman’s navy Yuki dress

For our December party-styles-for-the-holiday-season themed cover/editorial shoot with  #teamVIVA model Michelle Green, VIVAFASHIONISTAS Fashion Editor  Alyssa Cave  and I collaborated on the concept, looks, and the set design.  She also did superb hair, make-up, and styling at the shoot.

Local designer Camille Goodman graciously allowed us to use her sleek, chic Yuki dress for this shoot.  I had first seen this when she wore it at the NYFA Fashion Show at SAM, and it was a jaw-dropping, audible gasp moment, and I’ve been wanting to photograph it ever since.

Katherine Boury of Seattle Goodwill  also graciously allowed me to pull garments and shoes, and Kim Merrikin & Gary Foy were extraordinarily helpful with insightful suggestions/pulls as well as the logistics.  What a great team of people!

Alyssa came to the studio about a week before the shoot, and we went thru the garments & shoes together.  We settled on a shoot order that made sense for both lighting choices and the appropriate sequence of hair and make-up changes suited to each look. The set was next, and I worked in the studio over the course of the week to get the set in place, some lighting dialed in.  Alyssa came to help the night before the shoot, and we worked long hours together getting the backdrop draped ‘just so’ (getting things ‘just exactly right’ is one of her specialties), as well as tuning the lighting to work with the somewhat trickier than usual backdrop.  She stood in for light tests, pulled in some of the various garments so we could be sure the variety of textures and sheens would play out nicely in the light.  [She modeled a separate fully-styled look which will appear on the re-styled Viva site in the near future — stay tuned!].  We knocked off about 1am, knowing we had the studio fully ready for the shoot, which made the next day easy and relaxed from start to finish.

We started the next morning with some coffee and some review of the additional looks and accessories that Alyssa had brought along to give us even more options during the shoot.  Michelle arrived, hair and make-up commenced, and the shoot was underway!

Some of the images and behind the scenes shots are posted here.

Alyssa Cave doing a quick touch up for Michelle on set

Michelle Green modeling Camille Goodman’s navy Yuki dress

An ‘in between’ moment as Michelle models the Betsy Johnson LBD

Michelle in the Betsy Johnson LBD

Michelle in makeup for a new look

some of the shoes we pulled from Seattle Goodwill

Get Camille’s stunning design:

Yuki Dress in rayon/lurex blend by Camille Goodman/Millie Vixen: $150

A series of dresses initially inspired by Yuki-onna, snow woman, this design is available in both knit and woven options. This version was made for a great night out and adding some sparkle. Great as a versatile, layering piece as well, always made of natural fibers, and a fun silhouette to that exudes confidence.

Contact Camille Goodman, millievixen@gmail.com for questions and custom requests

Limited Edition reversible knit options currently available at Sassafras in Belltown, Seattle WA

More information about Millie Vixen’s “Yuki dresses” at www.millievixen.com

Camille is a graduate and former faculty member of Seattle’s own New York Fashion Academy.