PACT Magazine - Where Art & Design Meets Weddings & Love
Words by August Lentell-Nash
Photo Credits: Lisa Jane Photography
“WE TURNED THIS PHOTOSHOOT AROUND VERY QUICKLY AND SOMETIMES I THINK THAT CAN LEAD TO THE MOST DYNAMIC CREATIVE MOMENTS - BECAUSE YOU JUST BLAST IT OUT!”
- BECKY HOH-HALE, PACT AND MOST CURIOUS FOUNDER
Friends, do not panic. It is here at last. PACT magazine has hit the world and we have only two words for you:
OB. SESSED.
Just a recap for anyone who hasn’t been staring at Instagram in anticipation for months, PACT is a new magazine from the creatives behind A Most Curious Wedding Fair and we cannot get enough of it!
With a focus on the intersection between art, design and weddings, it’s one of our fav resources for anyone looking to plan a style-forward, design-led wedding.
However, this is a spoiler-free zone. You want to get in on some of the awesomeness? You gotta go and get a PACT magazine for yourself. (Don’t worry, the link will be at the bottom of this post).
What are we all doing here then, we hear you ask? We’re here to talk about the absolutely dreamy campaign shoot that launched the magazine and the absolutely amazing team behind it, PLUS an EXCLUSIVE look at the full PACT launch video! Can we get an ‘oooh’ and an ‘ahhh’?
But first, we chatted with founder of PACT & A Most Curious Wedding Fair and all-round style genius, Becky Hoh-Hale, to get a better understanding of how this to-die-for shoot came to life!
“Everyone went above and beyond, again because it was a tight lead time, I think people thought, well, this intense, distilled creative and prep phase is only gonna last for two weeks so they could sustain an obsessive level all-in approach!”
We wanted to know everything. What was the vision? What was the vibe? What was the aesthetic aim? We NEEDED to know it all!
“The puffy, pouffy, padded, creamy and quilted vibes of the shoot is something I’ve always tried to express […] So this was its chance to totally shine and run with that aesthetic. With current trends of scalloped edges and chunky stripes thrown in, but mainly it was about things feeling wrapped and bound and swaddled and softened and all in a spectrum around ivory, hinting towards buttery yellow and over into a tan sort of colour on the other side.”
It’s all so luxurious and chic, but also fun and joyful. It’s somehow hitting our fav minimalist notes whilst also tugging at our maximalist desires. It’s a true celebration of style.
Have we mentioned we are OBSESSED?
Ok, you only have to look at the campaign for a second to know that Lisa Jane Photography is more than a pro. She’s ICONIC.
We wanted to know more about the style choices for the shots—so we asked, duh.
“Bringing her usual inquisitive, attentive eye to proceedings and coming back with hundred upon hundreds of photos shot on film (we both knew this was a given and a massive part of the final look we wanted to achieve) , of varying format, polaroids and digital as well.”
In short, she’s absolutely—actually, we’ll just let Becky say it!
“There is so much variety and the breadth of what she captured is wild - and the actual beauty of the imagery is really quite sublime. A word I don’t think I’ve ever really used but this is definitely the right time!”
It was also Lisa who suggested the incredible venue, Studio Jones - which really set the scene for the magic to happen!
“[Studio Jones was] perfect for us to set up three areas to shoot in and the industrial warehouse vibe - with light flooding in and textured wooden floors and metal beams - make it such a cool place to shoot.”
You can even have your wedding reception there, you know?
“It was a total dream to cast Ga Young.”
Oh, and we totally agree! Ga Young brings the most incredible energy to the shoot that truly had us mesmerised from the first moment we laid eyes on her. We just HAD to hear how this match made in heaven came about.
“It just so happened she was in town from Korea for a couple of weeks, including the date of the shoot and I thought it must be the universe telling me it had to truly be her! And she was so incredible to work with. Aside from the fact her look was just totally gorgeous, I knew we needed to make strides with plus sizing and it just seemed so natural with her. Not forced or contrived - it was always meant to be her.”
Don’t mind us, we’re just swooning.
We’d spot Suss Cakes a mile away with their clean aesthetic and focus on not just the baked goods, but the way they’re presented as well. And is there anything more important on a hard-working set than cake?! We didn’t think so!
“[Julia at Suss] went above and beyond with her tablescaping concept…a lot of cream and white tones and all the creamy, buttery soft scoop textures with meringues, madeleines, iced buns, a butter mound with baguettes and some little pink jellies to keep the cute, childlike feel that was coming through too. Display boards, shelves and tablecloth were also wrapped in fuzzy fabrics and soft linens to keep tones and textures all encompassing.”
Yes, we are currently calling in an order of meringues, thank you for noticing.
”Styling wise, Fluoresse knocked it out the park; Jess flitted between prop maker, set designer and florist.”
In our humble opinion, Fluoresse was the florist born for this shoot. I mean, we would also be clutching that vase of flowers to our chest if we could! Don’t worry though, we asked the important questions like, is that vase wearing a teeny-tiny jumper? The answer is yes!
”[Jess was] sourcing and wrapping vases and plinths in neoprene, woolly jumpers and carpet! And then the flowers emphasise the look with rounded blooms and puffy, frilly, pretty textures - all in ivories and yellows. With bright reds and tonal taupes as a cool accent to ensure we were still keeping an editorial edge. Especially as this time it truly would be an editorial in print!“
Here comes Chloe Designs Things with one of the most unique, interesting tablescapes we’ve ever seen - and we’ve seen a lot!
Her tablecloth, cocktail sign, screens, menus and place names were all handmade - yes you heard that right, HAND. MADE! - focusing on a palette of yellows and pinks lifting the vibe for this more playful section of the shoot.
“She had a special and considered approach to the brief we set for her to create art work, almost like wallpaper repeats, from inclusive pairings. One of her signature motifs…is hand painted torsos and we wanted to play on this and develop it with couples together but with a very fluid feel of both who was with who and the feeling of their identity.”
We all know hair and makeup can make-or-break a shoot and if you couldn’t tell, Melinda Bridal MADE IT.
”Melinda Bridal Make Up and Hair had a clear focus too once I set the brief, we even sent each other our follow up inspo pics after chatting and they were basically the same pictures!”
Oh, don’t you just love a collaborative vision?!
“We loved the tones she chose, very natural, light and blushy but with cool moments like the ice white eye shadow, stronger coral lip as the day went on and the slicker hair for the final evening look.”
And we adore it. It’s the striking softness that’s really doing it for us, both editorial but feminine. We could stare forever.
Let’s just go ahead and start off with this quote from Becky about these looks.
“sigghhh….”
Same.
“Cheryl of Velvet Johnstone was definitely the co-stylist when it came to the fashion - working out the looks with me and literally creating them from sketch to creation to dressing Ga Young in them on the day. Cheryl’s whole ethos is making her wearers feel so special and pampered and their best, chic selves.”
We want these outfits. We want the mood they inspire, the vibe, the feeling of…
“innovative and fashion-led, voluminous and striking, but also very chic, feminine and luxurious.”
Thanks Becky, couldn’t have said it better ourselves!
“We just went bananas with our Lydia Made look! “
Well then BRB, we are off to buy bananas!
“I have always wanted to show Lydia Made pieces in our shoots and we’ve chatted a few time, so I shot her a DM and she was like, well I’m just finishing up a harness and little knitted horns - but I’m not sure what to put as the writing on the harness, so what would you like?
YES! Talk about the stars aligning. Love those moments - as we both just got really excited about it and that’s where the best creativity lies! “
We are so glad the stars brought this look to life. We’ll take a horn hat in every colour, please.
Glamour, elegance, luxurious, expensive, sensual - can you think of any better words to describe this unreal look?
No, we didn’t think so. We needed the low down on this look, immediately.
“So often with casting bigger models there’s a feeling that the looks should be ‘fun’ / ‘quirky’ / bubbly’ / ‘alternative’ / ‘conceptual’. [..] it was important to make sure she was also a beautiful, elegant, style-savvy bride too.”
We are here for it, sign us up, tell us more!
“For a suuuper elegant look we called in the luxe and delicious Rolling in Roses who are intentionally great with their sizing, and Ga Young looked every bit the dreamy blushing bride, with her daisies and soft AM Faulkner veil, toned down and no ‘quirky’ bubbliness in sight.”
“IT WAS A WHOLE MOMENT”
- Becky Hoh-Hale
OK, THE MOMENT WE’VE ALL WAITED FOR. THE EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK AT THE FULL PACT LAUNCH CAMPAIGN VIDEO BY HUSHABYE FILMS. GET YOUR SNACKS, GET COMFY, IT’S TIME FOR THE PREMIERE! JUST PRESS PLAY AND SOAK IN THE BEAUTY!
“[Hushabye Films] creates…the coolest wedding videos we’ve ever seen, full of vibes, dynamism and colour that make your heart race. You can see that she’s made that very much happen for us here.”
GO RIGHT NOW AND GRAB YOUR COPY OF PACT. WE’RE SERIOUS. CLICK THE BUTTON. GO NOW. YOU WON’T REGRET IT.
CAMPAGIN CREDITS
Video: Hushabye Films
Photographer: Lisa Jane Photography
Floral Styling: Fluoresse
Cakes & Food Styling: Suss Cakes
Hair & Make Up: Melinda Bridal
Wedding Wear: Velvet Johnstone, Rolling in Roses, What Lydia Made
Veils & Hair Accessories: AM Faulkner Bridal
Earrings & Bag: Mother Tongue, Lou Clarke Design
Wedding Rings: Corinne Hamak
Paper Goods, Painted Boards & Tablecloth: Chloe Designs Things
Art Direction, Styling & Set Design: Most Curious founder Becky Hoh-Hale
Fashion Styling Co-Conspiritors: Velvet Johnstone and What Lydia Made
Venue: Studio Jones, Hackney
Graphic Design: FATBOYZINE
