We premiere the photographer's plant-loving film for the Other shop
b Store is dead, long live the Other shop. We were all sad when we heard the news of the retail empire's demise but we also knew that Matthew Murphy and Kirk Beattie can be relied on to come up with an even more inspiring and satisfying concept. With a brand rooster that includes Christophe Lemaire, Our Legacy, Sophie Hulme and MM6 by Maison Martin Margiela, the Other shop is set to maintain its status while conquering new ground at the same time. To celebrate its opening, Other invited photographer Luke Stephenson to make them a short film, premiered on Dazed Digital today. We spoke to the Jerwood Photography Prize winner about plants and what he'll buy next from the Other shop...
I bought quite a lot of these types of plants to photograph so when i finished it I gave a lot away to friends and keep a few for myself since one has died and the other two are still going although I do forget to water them sometimes and only remember as they start to look sad
Dazed Digital: Where did the inspiration for Foyer Fauna come from?
Luke Stephenson: A few years ago I started to notice these plants in receptions and shops and once you start to notice them you see them every where. I found them quite curious that these sad looking plants were placed into these locations in a strange attempt to breathe life into these dull spaces, as if they were their own unique type of fauna, so I wanted to document these plants.
DD: Do you have lots of plants in your flat? Do they live for long?
Luke Stephenson: I never had before I did this project but I do now. I bought quite a lot of these types of plants to photograph so when i finished it I gave a lot away to friends and keep a few for myself since one has died and the other two are still going although I do forget to water them sometimes and only remember as they start to look sad.
DD: What's your favourite plant and why?
Luke Stephenson: I don't really know much about plants and don't really have a favourite, I like their names though - Weeping Fig is a good one, it looked so sad.
DD: How did the Other Shop collaboration come about?
Luke Stephenson: Quite out of the blue, Matthew Murphy, Creative Director from Other, got in touch as he'd seen my bird pictures. I met him and we chatted about doing something, while meeting him I noticed that in the shop and in their offices were lots of these types of plants I'd been thinking of doing the Foyer Fauna project for a while so it made sense to do it with them.
DD: What's your next buy from the Other Shop, which ones of their brands do you like?
Luke Stephenson: I quite like the Other Charles Shirt but it will most likely be some socks. I like Our Legacy, they make nice shirts.
DD: Any other projects coming up?
Luke Stephenson: I always have a few things on the go, I just went to a giant Vegetable competition which was interesting so I might do something on that.
Other Shop, 21 Kingly Street, W1 London
