Take the Heat

Has the first hint of cooler temps got you dying to break out your boots and cardigans? Well, imagine donning those cozy garments in mid-July. That’s exactly what America’s Next Top Model alum Annalaina Marks did for the fall fashion feature, “Brave New World,” in our September issue. Carting racks upon racks of clothing and accessories, style director Ayoka Lucas and her crew headed out to Wadmalaw Island in the all-enveloping heat that only mid-July in the Lowcountry can deliver.

There they met photographer Sully Sullivan, with his own team of helpers. Heat and humidity aside, he was ecstatic about the historic plantation location, where the homeowners let them “take over their property” and “use their cool props.”

But it wasn’t all fun and games. In behind-the-scenes shots taken by photo intern Drew Castelhano, you’ll see the crew squinting at the sky waiting for the clouds to shift exactly so, Sully taking to new heights (ahem, the top of an SUV) to capture a Mamie Ruth maxi dress-wearing Annalaina, makeup artist Ashley Brook Perryman popping into the picture to touch up runny mascara and sweat-smeared foundation, and much more. We’ve put the entire photo gallery online here, so that you can get a peek inside all the not-so-glam (but hot, hot, hot) goings-on.

After a 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. workday—made possible by fans, sun-shielding umbrellas, and bug spray galore—the team captured the strong but sexy, earthy yet refined looks that made it to our pages. And after months of sweat and swelter, it’s finally time for the rest of us to start thinking about wearing them! Three cheers for fall!

To check out “Brave New World,” click here.

To read Ayoka Lucas’ New York Fashion Week (NYFW) Photo Diary, click here.

For fashion writer Cator Sparks’ take on NYFW, read his latest blog on our sister site, charlestongrit.com, here.