Huxley students collaborated with one of Australia’s leading bridal designers LUV Bridal in class at Huxley School of Makeup.
Students created sleek and elegant makeup looks on the models before the studio photo shoot commenced
The Bridal Photo Shoot by Lauren Eisentrager
It’s a warm October evening on the Gold Coast and music can be heard from the Huxley warehouse. It could be ‘Fade’ by Kanye West but I can’t quite tell. Wait…yes that’s definitely ‘Fade.’ Students assemble like a criminal line up in the school, angled brushes at the ready. Although the only crimes being committed tonight are the blinding highlights on these models.
The models with their beautiful faces and their beautiful highlights eye off the wedding gowns scattered around the room. I haven’t even told you about the gowns yet, what am I thinking? Picture something you desire right now. It could be anything. A puppy? A new car? Now, instead of that, picture a snow white garment of layered glittering material with a smooth, curling neckline, spilling a trail of glistening lace longer than this year’s presidential election. Are you intrigued yet?
These gowns are the life and soul of LuvBridal, a bridal and formal dress company based all over Australia who have kindly lended their newest collection to our students for their bridal photoshoot. It is our student’s job to coordinate a makeup look that compliments a wedding scenario and also looks bomb on camera.
In every intake, students are required to create a bridal look, preparing them for real life weddings with real life dresses that may or may not look as good as these ones.
Back to our students. One of them calls for Michael as she finishes her look. He strolls over, inspects the look, is impressed. Success!
Now for the hard part. If you’ve never attempted to dress someone else in a wedding dress before then count your blessings.
These things weigh a ton and keeping them from getting caught under foot while also getting the model to slip into it unnoticed is not an easy task. We’ll leave them to it. Meanwhile, some of our models are in the process of getting their hair done. The theme this intake is New York fashion week, so the hair is all about ‘sleek and stylish.’
As the music continues to energize the warehouse and Michael flails in a desperate attempt to keep any makeup from touching these dresses, our photographer Sunny gets ready to shoot. The backdrop for our brides is simple, but beautiful. Michael has put together a well coordinated assortment of greenery, concrete bricks and ladders to create a chic industrial feel. Over the course of the night, the students finish their looks, dress their models, and help Michael and Sunny to achieve the look they want on camera. It’s a combination of angles, expressions, lighting and the right amount of enthusiasm.
All of the ‘brides’ come together for a final photoshoot, scattered amongst the backdrop, looking more like a commercial for Australia’s Next Top Model than anything else.
The students practically crawl back to their workstations to clean up, and ten pizzas are promptly ordered. Undoubtedly the most important part of the evening. The dresses are hung far above the floor and any trace of makeup, ready to be sent back to LuvBridal, and our models leave the building, blinding anyone they happen to come across at this time of night. Overall, it’s been a success. The student’s are buzzing with anticipation and the general consensus is a positive one.
