From the Mall to Montreal

BSL headed to Montreal recently with our longtime client Place d’Orleans Shopping Centre, as we staged a full day shoot for their new fall campaign. Together BSL and Place d’Orleans have spent the last two years building on a fresh, new brand image for the shopping centre – one that reflects style, sophistication and a real focus on fashion.

This particular photo shoot gives a behind-the-scenes look at what’s coming hot off the racks this season. Place d’Orleans is enticing shoppers to make all of their own custom looks for fall, so what better place to draw inspiration from than backstage at a fashion shoot?

Taking place in a Montreal loft-style studio, the shoot brought together a dynamic group of people who were all after the same thing – getting that perfect shot. Or shots, rather. And this team was a definite testament to the small world that is this business. Our Art Director Tim happened to work with Stylist Patricia Coté over a decade ago, and he also went to school with and even modeled for Photographer Patrizia Castiglione – this extra dash of chemistry surely contributed to the success of the shoot.

These ongoing, branded campaigns always feature one model that embodies the style of the season. Since the launch of these campaigns, the new Place d’Orleans brand has been represented by a hot mix of subjects, each with their own unique look. After taking inventory of these past looks, it was decided that the fall campaign was destined for a brunette. We flew the lucky recruit, Pamela Bernier, in from NYC but are proud to note that her talent is in fact homegrown, right outside of Ottawa. Her career has recently hit it big and we managed to snag her while she tours the globe.

Armed with some big talent and an arsenal of eclectic outfits, the team was ready for success. You put a group of creative people in a room with an espresso machine and anything’s possible. In fact, the shoot called for a series of backdrops, all to be constructed in the same location. This was seen as a welcome challenge. The events of the day were actually so inspiring that before the day was done, the team had already done a few test shots of their vision for the 2010 holiday campaign.