Shooting Tilda Swinton in the desert

Taken from the winter 2014 issue of Dazed:

For his recent Chanel cruise show, Karl Lagerfeld swept us away 
to a manmade island in Dubai, amid a backdrop of ancient sand dunes and sharp, mirror-shine skyscrapers rising out of the desert. Much like the setting, the collection spoke to both past and glittering present, with exotic silhouettes, mosaic prints and 3D beaded embellishments all featuring prominently. There to witness the show was Lady Amanda Harlech, Lagerfeld’s longest-standing muse and confidante. Here, the influential British tastemaker offers an insight into her world.

EXTRAORDINARY BEING
“I was lucky enough to do an impromptu shoot with Tilda Swinton after the show in Dubai, which was magical. She’s an extraordinary being; so intelligent, sensitive and beautiful that she virtually composes images for you. I wanted to convey a sense of the city’s past and present, so I photographed her next to the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, which is in the desert. It was pretty lo-fi, but she was very generous with her time and so patient with me.”

KARL-ISMS
“Karl has this visionary way of sensing what’s about to happen and he nails it every season. He’s also very funny – visual punning is something he’s brilliant at because he sees the truth. I thought his cruise collection was elegant, sensual and quite emotional in the fact he was thinking about the future of women. I was especially drawn to the mosaic-inspired tile prints, desert flower embroideries and amazing, Ali Baba-style trousers.”