While visiting Deutschland back in March, I had the privilege of spending the weekend with omni-talented artist, seamstress, and muse Méli Melancholia. Internationally renowned across many alternative subgenres, her enchanting aura consistently captivates. A long-time admirer, my appreciation from afar has blossomed into a wonderful friendship, and it was a delight to go on an impromptu photo shoot the morning after the gig.

Spirited into the wilderness with a borrowed camera, she joyfully brought grace, poise, and especially the “Méli Look” that first drew me to her work. I am grateful for her patience as I got to grips with her camera, even though it led to more restrained compositions than my usual askew perspective.

To celebrate her birthday today, and with the embargo lifted, I’m pleased to finally reveal the results: A fashion shoot featuring a home-sewn folklore ensemble, previewing the ‘Lantana’ pattern created by Ilka Matthiessen at Erbsuende. The fine embroidery on the sleeves required careful capture, and overall it turned out very well – with a bit of post-processing to make things pop.

I look forward to more collaborations in the future. A solid reminder to get myself behind a proper lens more often!

Shot mostly with a Canon 400D camera, plus a couple of phone snaps.