The dull mauve-brown lipstick I love really doesn’t suit me that well. And what’s more, I’ve aged.

None of this is new to me, but I have decided to share in the wake of a fashion shoot with photog Simon Normand and makeup artist Julie Cusson.

The winning shot from Simon Normand. Makeup and hair, Julie Cusson, with blowout by Simon Bolton. Hair is just a little wild. Jacket by Marie Saint Pierre. Necklaces, Rada, and my mom’s opera pearls. Earrings, Anzie.

Despite 15 years of directing fashion shoots in my role as fashion editor at the Montreal Gazette, I had never submitted to anything more than a head shot.

Now, with the launch of my Constant Shopper blog, I called upon two pros whose work I admire for a logo shot. Cusson, the national makeup artist for Chanel in Canada, always gets it right and – BONUS! – is a joy to work with. We’ve worked on projects for Urban Expressions, including The Big Chill, with model Rachel MacKnight, a triple shoot on colourful gems, spring makeup trends and dancers in athletic-inspired styles, a summer shoot at the Bota Bota floating spa, Florence K., and many more over the years.

Normand came to my attention as a young emerging talent when I was scouting for the Bota Bota shoot. The pix he took were amazing. Here is a sample, from Normand’s website.

Model Bianca in a shoot at Bota Bota by Simon Normand.

As for the outfit, I played stylist for myself. (Ask anyone I’ve worked with – I am a total control freak when it comes to the clothes.) But it’s not that easy to dress yourself. (ATTENTION STYLISTS, I am ready for a closet cleaning.)

I headed straight for Marie Saint Pierre‘s atelier on Chabanel St., where it was not all that easy to choose. Of course, I wanted simple, unfussy and classic for the shot. The requisite white fashion editor’s shirt came oversize, in a scuba-like fabric, and fit the bill. Classic with a twist. Of course, wearing the shirt was almost a cliché and I hammed it up in fashion editor pose for the camera. Trouble is, when I ham it up my eyes go wacky, and let’s not even try to control my hair. Here’s the end result of that pic. Talk about an extra 10 pounds – looks more like 20 to me.

Here I am in a Marie Saint Pierre oversize shirt, playing classic fashion editor. Necklace by Rada, pearl earrings from mom, and bracelets from Anzie and Clio Blue are all my own.

A second choice was a stretchy blush redingote, long, lean and covetable. I also borrowed several black pieces, but rejected a white bubble dress that I posted on Instagram while at the atelier.

Trousers, little black top, shoes and bijoux were my own. Simon Bolton, who has been doing my hair for going on 20 years, prepped the mane with a blowout. Julie Cusson fussed and mussed and wielded the fan on set for “movement,” as they say.

And here’s an outtake – don’t know what to do with this shot, but it is kind of cute.

Some selfies below:

Mid-makeup selfie with Julie Cusson.

Post-makeup selfie with Julie and Simon.

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