The Cannes Life

When you’re offered an all inclusive free holiday it’s pretty normal to think, hang on this can’t be real. But it is.

Probably once of the best perks of modelling is this incredible opportunity to travel around the world with promoters. Hands down the best in the Business are Matteo Garzia and Alessandro Brioschi. Thanks to them I have partied to my hearts content in Cannes, Paris and Milan.

The best parties I have ever been to in my life were at Gotha nightclub during the Cannes Film festival. Our glasses were constantly flowing with Cristal and Dom Perignon, whilst we danced to live performances from Tyga, Busta Rymes, Trey Songz, Akon, Calvin Harris, Bob Sinclar. The list goes on and on.
Just see for yourself…

Even though we were hardly around during the day, we were always awake for the most beautiful sunrises. Take me back!

Lavish Alice

I have been modelling for Lavish Alice since the beginning of time. Well, since they launched about three years ago. I’m always excited when they ask me to shoot because I know it will be amazing. I thought I’d take you all on a magical journey down the rabbit hole and show you what we’ve been getting up to all these years!

I was 16, slumped over a computer in my 6th form workroom, staring blankly at the screen ‘working’ when I got an email from Lee who pitched me this brand asking me to model. I sat up straight immediately interested thinking, “why the hell am I writing an essay about a pointless linguist theory when I could be Alice in Wonderland?”

Soon enough I was shooting in some woods, which is without a doubt the coldest shoot I have ever done. Note everyone is wearing massive duffle/fur coats, gloves, ear muffs and I’m in a chiffon shirt. Yeah.

The final images for the first Lavish Alice campaign shot by James Melia:

The next campaign we did is hands down one of the best modelling experiences I have ever had. We did a fashion video, collaborating with Mob Films, which was Alice falling down the rabbit hole. This was basically me jumping on a massive trampoline for 10 hours straight. The best workout I have ever had. But believe me, it is quite a challenge to look elegant whilst jumping for that length of time.
It was all worth it for over 50 thousand views!

http://vimeo.com/31534986

 

The following campaign was shot in The Midland hotel in Manchester and was a lot of fun, I am still thankful to this day I did not slip on the marble table in killer high heels and break my neck.

In Look magazine:

After this shoot my ginger hair was lost forever, and it was all brunette from then on! Photos by Matthew Stansfield!

The Christmas campaign launched a week ago, which prompted me to write this post. It was set in a boudoir bedroom hotel, which made me have to reassure my parents we were actually shooting clothing! You can see some of them now on www.lavishalice.com

I just had to include the last one because the photo-bomb has me in stitches every time.

Lavish Alice is run by some of the loveliest people I have ever met in this industry and they deserve every success. Everyone now please go check out lavishalice.com and drool over all the velvet and sparkles to get in the festive mood. I hope you all get what you want for Christmas and look out for my next Wonderland adventure!

Jeffrey Campbell

One sunny afternoon I was sat with a vodka cranberry soaking up the (rare) sunshine in the northern quarter when my friend Matt casually said “we’re shooting for Jeffrey Campbell next month. You up for it?”. Yes. Yes. YES. YESSSSS I AM. Was my reaction. The thought of modelling for my favourite shoe designer felt like a dream. Also the free shoes gave me a mini heart attack.

A month later we were all on set, a huge team of amazing people. Instead of me rambling on, you’ll get a much clearer idea by watching the behind the scenes video:

Here are a few behind the scenes photos as well:

The final shots:

And of course, My beautiful babies.

The lunch at Jamie Oliver was pretty special too. I would of taken a snap, but it was all devoured so quickly!

You should all check out http://www.matthew-comer.com/ and http://www.allsole.com

Model: Sophie Bailey @ Boss Model Management
Photographer: COMER
MUA: Krystle Ann Clayton-mua
Stylist: Ana Ferreira

Production: Lavinia-May Anders
Manager: Lee Barber.
Crew: Josh Woods & Adam Mugridge

A Series Of Fortunate Events

First off, I just want to apologise for the lack of posts this past month. In four weeks a lot has happened and I don’t really know where to begin. After 9 months being with Next model management London, I received an email saying with immediate effect I was being removed from the agency as I couldn’t live in London 100% of the time for financial reasons. When I was living there I had £2 to spend on food per day. I was living in poverty. I lost a stone. I couldn’t afford fresh milk or a loaf of bread. My daily meal was either a portion from a 74p value pack of rice or pasta with some cheap sauce. I felt like I hit the jackpot if I found a reduced ready meal in the tiny supermarkets.

The thing with the fashion industry is, you can work on a big job and earn the money, but you won’t see that money for at least 3 months. I have been waiting a lot longer. Anyway, I moved back home and travelled down whenever there were big castings or I was booked directly, but in the end it didn’t work out and that was it. And I have never been happier.

4 days later, I was signed to Boss Model Management, here’s my profile – http://www.bossmodelmanagement.co.uk/models/main-board/women/sophie-bailey.htm

Then I ran away to Rhodes for a week so didn’t have time to blog in the pool (Sorry but it was worth it)! But now I’m back and ready to work and blog all about it on the way!

I have been working on some amazing shoots with awesome clients in the past month and I can’t wait to share them with you, but all in good time!

Portrait by one9photography

The time I dressed up in Chanel all day

Friday 18th May 2012 I awoke at 4am for another early morning commute to London to shoot a Chanel spotlight editorial for Laha magazine in Dubai. I arrived at the studio at 8:30am and sat down imagining it was my brand new apartment and started decorating it in my head. Just look how amazing this would be for an apartment! (The bedroom is up the stairs on the left)

After a couple cups of coffee it was into hair and makeup where I was transformed from a tired northern teenager into a Chanel woman. Daaaarling I felt divine! So, when I finally emerged after 2 or so hours, the studio was all set up ready to shoot!

Of course I never write a blog post without details of the food of the day – and it was delicious. The pictures speak louder than words!

I was really surprised that we actually finished the shoot on time! 9/10 times on a shoot it goes over schedule. It’s just how the fashion industry is! The team I was working with were very lovely and professional and had everything planned out so we were out on time. At 6pm I was skipping along to the train station heading back to Manchester! My favourite type of shoots 🙂

Anyway, onto the pictures! I really love the lighting and simple posing. And the Chanel. Of course.
If you’re in Dubai you can pick up a copy now!

Please Don’t Feed The Models

I saw a T-shirt when I was 15 or 16 with the phrase “Please Don’t Feed The Models” em blazed across it. I thought it was pretty funny and kinda wanted one just so I could binge on fast food and laugh hysterically in it. Unfortunately, I never got round to doing it.

This blog post is just about my own experiences I have encountered about my size/weight in the industry and how I dealt with them. Whilst I was still doing my A-levels, I sent some photos to a couple agencies just to see how far I could get and hopefully take it further once I left school. I sent one email to a very established agency in New York and within an hour a very camp american man rang me. I don’t remember the conversation word for word but it went something like this:

Hunger TV

I mentioned previously that the editorial for Hunger Magazine also included a fashion film which came out recently. I always enjoy doing fashion films as it gives me a chance to act. I know I’m a terrible actress, I learnt that in high school, but just to be filming is on a different level to having photos taken. It’s a rush of adrenaline and out of my comfort zone of the click of a camera – which I love.

Anyway here’s the video on the Hunger TV website –
http://www.hungertv.com/fashion/feature/welcome-to-oddity-park/

Youtube –

Hunger Magazine Issue 2

As I mentioned in my previous post, I shot an editorial for the new issue of Hunger Magazine which went on sale 4 days ago and can be purchased online or from WHSmith. I know it’s sold in other places but I’m not entirely sure where. Oh, I should warn you all it is a very heavy magazine, with about 23,000 pages (but no adverts so well worth £4.95), and this caused me to sprain my hand as I had to carry it for 2 miles home!

Rankin’s studio was incredible, when I first walked in I saw about 40 people rushing around doing things before he arrived. The set design looked like it was for a movie. There were caravans on a lawn of grass with 70’s furniture everywhere. There was a huge flashing “Welcome” sign and 2 chickens clucking outside as props. I love modelling with animals, they make shoots much more exciting! I still think my favourite was modelling with the cutest rats on a shoot last year.

The other models at the shoot were lovely, there were 3 other girls and 3 guys. We were supposed to be a trailer trash family, each with a character we had to act not only for pictures, but a film as well which should be coming out soon! Can’t wait to see it and share it with you all. My character was a shy geeky girl with glasses and greasy hair, kinda how I look when I’m lounging at home on my laptop for 8 hours straight (like today). Also the food was insane. I have never eaten so much in a studio ever I felt quite sick afterwards! We even had victoria sponge cake, jaffa cakes, a tonne of biscuits, a selection of cheese and grapes for dessert. I had to unbutton my pants. So attractive, I know.

I will always remember this shoot.

I will leave you with the shots of me from the editorial and the link to the teaser trailer –  http://www.hungertv.com/issues/1/video/4610/

 

 

Hunger Magazine Teaser

In March I was lucky enough to shoot with Rankin for the biannual issue of Hunger magazine which is available on sale from May 10th. For anyone who doesn’t know, Rankin is a renowned fashion photographer worldwide and has shot pretty much everyone from Kate Moss to the Queen. You can see his work here – http://rankin.co.uk/

So a couple days ago I noticed Hunger TV were releasing daily teaser videos from what to expect in the next issue, and I came across one from our shoot! The shoot was called “Welcome To Oddity Park” and included seven models, four girls and three boys. I’ll talk all about the details of the shoot in my next post, when I can show you all the pictures!

For now, here’s the preview…

P.S I’m the one sat down with the glasses and the book

http://www.hungertv.com/embed/issue-2-teaser-oddity/1/

Mina Boutique

During my time in London throughout January, February and March, I modelled for Mina boutique every couple of weeks. The shoots took place in the Packshot Fashot  studios in Camden which was a great location as it only took me 15 minutes to get to from the model flat meaning I didn’t have to get out of bed at an ungodly hour. They also served the best lunch ever, including dessert every time! They even had toad in the hole once, it made me feel like I was back up north in rainy ol’ Lancashire.

The team were so lovely I forgot I was working most of the time, the days passed so quickly. It also helped that I was wearing beautiful clothes. You should all check out the website here: http://www.minauk.com/
and their facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/MinaUKClothing