How I love the way we found this riverside palace and created the magic. I’d seen it from the river when we went boating one day, and watched it takes months to build. My stylist Sallie was with me having a sneaky wakeboard, as you do!, when we finally saw it finished. We both fell in love with the colours and unique style this mansion has. Sallie was adamant we should do a shoot there.
A few weeks later we were out scouting locations with our model and they suggested we go check it out. It was more amazing than we thought with just its mosaic tiling of the front gate and entrance, let alone what we had seen from the water. We just had to make it happen.
The girls convinced me to ring the door bell, “Sure” I say, thinking we are going to have security ask us to leave any second and they may even call the police! Luckily we were greeted by an incredibly polite young man, who gave us his mums phone number as she wasn’t home and said call her! OK, did that also and I could not believe that the lovely Russian owner said sure, come over anytime, talking to me like I was a long lost friend.
A week later with a stack of blinging jewels and some borrowed chic dresses, off we went to explore the mansion. We were given the run of the house for the day after the hot tennis coach let us in and showed us around as the owner was out!! We got to meet beautiful owner mid shoot and she could have been a model herself. Their warm and wonderful hospitality and the uniqueness of this place made a day I will never forget.
Model: @brittniewing
Pics: @allybarba
Styling MUA @salliejane
Tan @bellabronzetans
Jewels @grace_bijoux
Playsuit @amytaylorcollection
Black dress @grace_loves_lace
Bone dress @onenightstanddesignerhire
