We keep on exploring the present while fantasizing about the future, but every once in a while, the past catches up, disarming us with a romanticized version of the good-old days and suddenly it is all about “then”, and a little less about “now”. It only takes a luxurious backdrop, some gold accents shimmering in the decor, a couple of striking floor-length dresses and a…

Black and white is the new colour. No, really. For a long time now desaturation has been the enemy of fashion, with black in particular being equated to unphotographable and boring. But tides always turn and the shades at either end of the spectrum are waging war against the brights in between. Black needs white though, and white black. It’s about balancing the two, creating…

There’s something surreal about elegant evening styling juxtaposed against the backdrop of an abandoned building… Like one of Koray Parlak’s (korayparlak.com) shots of model Rose Botman draped across a velvet lounge wearing a feather-trimmed frock, wine-glass casually in hand while the mist shrouds the crumbling walls behind her and the light filters through from where a roof used to be. In another brilliant and surreal…

Every time you think you’ve seen it all when it comes to swimwear – every strappy black monokini, every white one piece with gold hardware, every gathered goddess bikini – someone comes along and executes it all a little differently. Moeva sees the classics with fresh eyes. The London-based brand (yes, rainy London can produce amazing swimwear designers too. Someone has to cater for all…

Ravens, coffins, candelabra… If we had to hazard a guess, Koray Parlak’s latest shoot is channeling fall 2012 fashion‘s love of the Gothic, awakening dark thoughts and reminiscing on grim childhood tales in the process. The blonde milkmaid braids and graphic white-on-black eyemakeup – matched with deep red lips – are brooding evil queen all over, but Cristina Cosentino’s fashion direction makes sure that this…

“A realist, in Venice,” Arthur Symons once remarked, “would become a romantic by mere faithfulness to what he saw before him.” And that romanticism has captured the hearts and imaginations of many poets and artists throughout history. We might well add photographers to that list, too. For the photographer, Venice is a subject that needs no makeup, no styling or fancy lighting tricks to enhance…

As thematic trends dip in and out from season to season, one of the most fascinating things is seeing how different creative minds go about interpreting them. With a rookery of strict black and white outfits from various designers turning the fetish-in-fashion trend from spiked and studded to Helmet Newton-esque, this season it’s all about the balance of liberation and restraint. A new take on…

With loose fitting capri pants and chunky heels, Jessica Cook wears some superb pieces as captured by Koray Parlak. A golden jacket with black floral trimmings is a stand out item in this shoot. Ebru Korkmaz emphasises Jessica’s blue eyes by using golden shades of eye shaddow, her makeup also matches the earthy overtones of the setting.