Editorial shoot: Follow the blue line
Should you ever arrive in London for a short staycation, you’d be advised to disembark at Victoria mainline station then follow the blue line, helpfully taped to the floor. It leads to the rather unglamorous passport office on Belgrave Road at which point you veer off course for another five minutes, along Eccleston Square towards Cambridge Street. And there you’ll arrive at a secret little nook of delight – AKA the Artist Residence Hotel.
This is the route our model Maddy took, arriving in a typical London torrential downpour to the comfort of the Grand Suite, where we had commandeered the bed, chairs and bathroom for my latest Disneyrollergirl fashion shoot. The hotel is the third in the Artist Residence chain of boutique stay-overs and its period rooms are a masterclass in eccentric but luxurious London charm. They’re furnished with reclaimed gems from some of London’s best secret sources, juxtaposed with contemporary artworks from art fairs and independent galleries. To make you feel really at home there’s the downstairs cocktail lounge, all velvet sofas, rustic logs and table football, and the 64 Degrees restaurant (think proper cooked breakfasts and inventive tapas-style sharing plates).
And although it’s not immediately obvious, the location is in fact, the height of fashion, a stone’s thrown from the London HQs of Burberry, Tom Ford and Jimmy Choo. Position yourself just so by Ebury Bridge, and you’re afforded an unexpected vista of Battersea Power Station.
Allow us to take you on a little tour – just follow the blue line…
Faux fur coat, Carven at Matches Fashion/// Sequin skirt, No 21 at The Shop At Bluebird/// Houndstooth sweater, Paul Smith menswear///Brogues, Church’s///socks, Falke///Necklace: Stylist’s own
Faux fur coat, Carven at Matches Fashion/// Houndstooth sweater (just seen), Paul Smith menswear///Necklace: Stylist’s own
Patterned sweater, Stella McCartney at Matches Fashion /// Black turtleneck (underneath), Cos ///Rings, Delphine Pariente at The Shop At Bluebird
Oversized coat, Toga Archives /// Patterned sweater, Stella McCartney at Matches Fashion /// Black turtleneck (underneath), Cos
Oversized coat, Toga Archives /// Patterned sweater, Stella McCartney at Matches Fashion /// Black turtleneck (underneath), Cos
Patterned sweater, Stella McCartney at Matches Fashion/// Black turtleneck (underneath), Cos/// pleated skirt, Toga /// Buckled boots (just seen), Toga Pulla /// socks, Falke /// Rings, Delphine Pariente at The Shop At Bluebird
Oversized coat, Toga Archives /// Patterned sweater, Stella McCartney at Matches Fashion /// Black turtleneck (underneath), Cos
Houndstooth sweater, Paul Smith menswear/// Sequin slashed skirt, No 21 at The Shop At Bluebird/// socks, Falke///Rings, Delphine Pariente at The Shop At Bluebird/// Faux fur coat (in background), Shrimps at Matches Fashion
Faux fur coat, Shrimps at Matches Fashion/// Jeans, MIH Jeans at Matches Fashion/// Rings (just seen), Delphine Pariente at The Shop At Bluebird
Faux fur coat, Shrimps at Matches Fashion/// Jeans (just seen), MIH Jeans at Matches Fashion
CREDITS
Photography: Vanessa Jackman
Styling: Navaz Batliwalla/Disneyrollergirl.net
Hair: Patrick Forini using Bed head by TIGI
Make-up: Emma Broom
Model: Maddy Elmer at Storm
With thanks to the team at Artist Residence London, 52 Cambridge Street, SW1V 4QQ
SHOP THE SHOOT BELOW
