This is my new favourite picture taken by Steve Robertson at his studio in Keighley. The amazing adornments are by accessories designer Finch, make-up by Natalie Tobi.

Steve captured the detail of this collection with such gorgeous lighting, and the albino-like make-up by Natalie Tobi added to the strange & ethereal look. I have admired Finch’s work for ages and was ecstatic to hear we’d be working together. When he emailed me pictures of the collection he wanted to shoot I was bowled over – fascinating amoured pieces that strapped to the body, gleaming with silver jewels and horn-shaped structures, twisted and beautiful. Right up my street.
They reminded me of the Skeksis – strange creatures, part-bird, part-dragon, from fantasy film ‘The Dark Crystal’, made in 1982. They dress in elaborate costumes and jewellery, concealing their twisted, boney bodies underneath.

Finch say that his designs were influenced by Victorian mourning jewellery.
“My the idea behind this collection was to produce accessories that were to be worn when someone has died. Usually the jewellery associated with death is black and I wanted to steer away from this, producing work that was protective in some way and to show loss but in a manner that wasn’t in any way fashionable of a particular time. This range shows enlarged bee-sting and rose thorn shapes held in armour-like sections which are worn defending the face, chest and arms and areas that are vunerable. Pearls and glass beads were used to soften harder edges and lining the pieces with cream fakefur gave more comfort against the straps and buckles which are used to hold the pieces to the body. Still a heavy collection both physically and emotionally I wanted to potray loss visually so to be recognised and the wearer ultimately left alone. Loss is blank, a nothingness without colour, and cannot be seen only felt thus the large horns and spiked silhoettes.”