SCHUH ADVERTORIAL — EAST LONDON, 1997
Handheld 645. Ektachrome 200. New faces board.
These are original tear sheets from a 1997 advertorial shoot for Schuh, photographed in East London behind a warehouse loading bay.
Medium format 645. Natural daylight. No set build—just concrete, brick, and whatever the location gave back.
The model was new—second shoot. She went on to be a success.
What mattered here was placement. Letting the shoes carry the frame. Letting the film do the colour work. Slight softness, that Ektachrome palette, and just enough edge from the location to stop it feeling polished.
No digital safety net. You exposed properly or you didn’t.
Credits (as printed)
Alex: Blue sequinned dress: Solo Soba at Speed Queen, £195 & Sign of the Times fluffy blue jacket: Top Shop Black patent 3 strap mule shoes £34.99
Kristen: Stripey skirt and top by Mac And Magee Skirt £17.99, Top £20.99 Black and white patent ‘Tulip’ bar court shoes, £34.99
Alex: Stripey dress: Mac And Magee, £29.99 Orange mohair jumper: Karen Millen White leather ‘Emma’ zip knee boots, £69.99
Kristen: Black and white mod dress: Miss Selfridge, £29.99 Black and white patent ‘Tulip’ bar court shoes, £34.99
Alex: Black velvet jacket: Name Workshop, £249 Orange crushed velvet hipsters: Karen Millen, £75 Black patent ring sandals, £49.99
Black satin shirt: Miss Selfridge, £32.99 Black and white pinstripe hipsters: Name Workshop, £70 White patent stiletto cross vamp shoes, £49.99
All sunglasses: Name Workshop, £58 All boots and shoes: Schuh Bags from a selection at Poshat at Sign of the Times Tights: Jonathan Aston Hair accessories: Miss Selfridge, £2.99 Satin bags: Shu-Uemura Liberty in London, £30
A loading bay. A roll of film. A new face.
That was enough.
