Monochrome Muses

Suzie McGill shares the story behind her 2023 collection, Monochrome Muses

What do you love about this collection?

I absolutely adore the different shapes and variation in techniques used to create these beautiful images. When creating this collection, it was important to make the looks stand out and make an eye-catching statement. What I love the most is that every image has its own individuality and its own story – something we wanted to incorporate throughout the collection as a whole.

What was the inspiration for the hair?

We wanted the hair to appear like a silhouette and the fashion to work fluidly within the outline of the hair. It was all about statement hair and statement pieces. Empowerment also inspired the collection. I wanted the looks to have a French feel. Monochrome Muses came from the idea of using muses to create a beautiful, fantasy silhouette in the hair that matched the clothing.

How did you go about setting up the shoot?

Organising a shoot is one of my favourite parts of collection planning. It’s great fun and really opens your eyes to new ideas and new individuals. Throughout my career I have been fortunate enough to work with the most amazing teams and for this collection, I knew straight away that I wanted to work alongside Michael Young for the photography, Clare Frith for the styling and Jak Morgan for the make-up. Together we discussed the overall concept and the looks that we wanted to achieve. Having your team on the same page is incredibly important for me. Don’t underestimate the importance of having the correct team so you can envision the end result together. When it came to the models, I was very open minded with the process; I love working with models that I know can really grasp attention and have hair that I can work with. The process was seamless and as a result, this is one of my favourite collections I’ve created.

Did anything go wrong or surprise you on the day?

Nothing went wrong - the shoot was a dream, and everything fell into place naturally. I would say the biggest surprise on the day was the way the looks turned out. They exceeded all expectations and really ignited a passion in all of us.

What’s a stand out memory from the day of the shoot?

I just remember the sense of achievement that every individual felt. When we had shot all the looks, it was such a proud moment for me and the wider team – seeing our vision come to life was something I felt extremely proud of.