Carlijn Jacobs and Imruh Asha join forces on a festive fashion shoot

Fashion and Christmas don’t typically go hand in hand. While fashion has a reputation for being chic, elusive and exclusive, Christmas is garish, loud, sparkly and well, often ugly – in a fun way, of course. When compared to other festive periods, Easter or Halloween for example, Christmas is by far the least fashion. After all, there’s only so much you can do with tinsel. Until now.

This year, celebrated Dutch photographer Carlijn Jacobs has given Christmas a high fashion makeover with a festive photo story. With the help of Dazed’s fashion director Imruh Asha, hair stylist Laurent Philippon, make-up artist Sam Visser, set designer Olivia Aine and models Marie-Bella and Viktoria, Jacobs has managed to make Christmas cool (baubles, tinsel and tree included). Below, we catch up with the photographer and discover the motivation behind her crimbo-inspired shoot.

Why did you want to do a Christmas shoot?

Carlijn Jacobs: I was thinking of making Christmas cards this year and I thought, why not create new ones?!

Aesthetically, what do you love about Christmas, why is it inspiring as a topic?

Carlijn Jacobs: It’s all about dressing up, so kind of similar to a fashion shoot. Instead of dressing the tree we dressed the model.

What did you want to get across in the shoot?

Carlijn Jacobs: It was really just about being creative and ending the year in a good, inspiring, creative way where the whole team could celebrate their own expertise and wrap up the year in the best way.

Best ever Christmas gift?

Carlijn Jacobs: Anything personal. Poems, sweaters with photos, paintings, mugs with photos. Make it about the message!

How are you spending Christmas this year?

Carlijn Jacobs: First family and hopefully after some travelling (which I still need to book). 

Photography CARLIJN JACOBS, styling IMRUH ASHA, hair, LAURENT PHILIPPON, make-up SAM VISSER, models MARIE-BELLA and VIKTORIA via HOLLY CULLEN