Growing up with three younger brothers I've seen my share of fireworks. They'd always manage to acquire a dufflebag full of 'em...and yeah, they had to be smuggled across statelines...legal in Pennsylvania, but illegal in Jersey. Of course they loved whatever blew up the biggest and the loudest. My fave were always the friendly fireworks. Sparklers and Smoke bombs. No explosion, no noise...just shimmery sparks or a whole lotta smoke.
I've been pinning a lot of pics featuring smoke. Its a good thing that photographs are odor-free, because wow! I remember how stinky those thick colorful clouds were.
I love the extra layer that smoke adds to a photo or video shoot. Taking the air, the atmosphere, and making it tangible...part of the decor. Billowy clouds of pastel bring an other worldly feel...the presence of an apparition. There was a great Chanel campaign recently and prior to that was Santigold's awesome video. I was a huge Lost fan and if you were too then you know how scary the smoke monster was. It was so simple but so effective. You just thought "jeez! what the heck is it?!
Fashion always seems to find it's muse in military motifs. There's always a correlation between the runway and whatever military action we're currently engaged in. It has to do with the imagery that's in hearts and minds...like it or not. You'll see lots of camo, olive drab and military style cuts to clothing. Turning a scary thing into an embrace-able thing...a sort-of sugar coating of current events.
There's a bit of that in smoke. Smokebombs were certainly first developed for military purposes...for covert tactics. But turning them into beautiful pastel apparitions turns that purpose on its head. In place of a stealthy entrance...they announce a "Ta-dahhh!" arrival.
I love any effort that's for turning a frown upside down. But even if you don't feel like getting all analytical about it...a fluffy pink smoke cloud looks soooo cool.
Here's to a great week!
xo Jenny
