Rachel Riemersma

Styling brief — NABA Milan

King Kong vs

BAZAAR

One long white dress, styled for two magazines that want opposite things from it.

Role

Styling

Brief

One garment, two titles

Location

NABA Milan

Frames

Eight

The long white dress styled for Harper’s Bazaar — bias-cut satin with a draped train and long white opera gloves, shot full length on a pale studio backdrop
Figure 01 — King Kong vs Harper’s Bazaar, lead frame

The brief

Part of a styling course at NABA Milan, exploring how a single garment can be transformed to serve two opposing editorial identities. The same long white dress was styled for Harper’s Bazaar and for King Kong, responding to each publication’s distinct visual language.

For King Kong the dress was reimagined through a surreal, clown-inspired narrative — theatrical make-up, exaggerated accessories and balloons, reflecting the magazine’s alternative, offbeat aesthetic. For Harper’s Bazaar the styling embraced elegance and restraint, drawing on old Hollywood glamour to create a mood that feels refined, untouchable and timeless.

One dress, two identities
The King Kong styling — kneeling on a studio floor with one arm thrown out, knotted horned hair, theatrical clown make-up and a bunch of pale blue balloons
Figure 02 — King Kong
The Harper’s Bazaar styling — seated at a white table, white opera gloves framing the face, pearl choker and gold drop earrings
Figure 03 — Harper’s Bazaar
The King Kong styling against a pink ground, balloons crowding the top of the frame, a corset worn over the white dress and painted features
Figure 04 — King Kong
The Harper’s Bazaar styling with one gloved arm raised across the face, a gold cuff at the wrist and a pearl choker
Figure 05 — Harper’s Bazaar

On location

Both identities were then taken out of the studio. The Bazaar styling crosses an empty Milan street at the zebra crossing; the King Kong styling carries the balloons up a teal municipal stairwell and into a red-walled doorway.

The King Kong styling crouched on a teal municipal staircase behind glass, balloons above, dark layers over tights
Figure 06 — Stairwell
The Harper’s Bazaar styling crossing an empty Milan street at a zebra crossing, parked cars either side and an archway in the distance
Figure 07 — Milan, crossing
The King Kong styling standing in a deep red doorway holding balloons, the white dress under dark layers
Figure 08 — Red doorway

Credits

Models

@alexis_christensen, @mckaylamurchison

In collaboration with

@babuskat

Location

@naba