Styled Product Photography for Alfred Dubois Millinery
This shoot was for Alfred Dubois Millinery, Sue Hardy’s own millinery label. Rather than photograph the hats as straightforward product shots, we styled them on a model so each piece could be seen the way it is meant to be worn.
Sue Hardy and Isabelle
Sue brought a set of handmade hats and fascinators, each with its own character, and chose outfits to match every piece.
Isabelle modelled. We have worked together many times, and that familiarity makes a shoot like this quicker and more relaxed: she knows how I work, and I know how she moves.
Styled, Not Just Photographed
A styled shoot gives each piece a mood and a context that a plain product shot cannot. Every headpiece was photographed in a setting that suited its era and character, so the craftsmanship reads at a glance.
Why Good Images Matter for a Small Brand
For a small label, photographs are usually the first contact a customer has with the work. These images had two jobs: show the detail in each piece clearly, and give Sue a consistent set she can use across her website and social media.
Working for Social Media
On social media the picture does all the work before a caption is ever read. A styled image stops the scroll in a way a plain catalogue shot rarely does, which matters when the product is as visual as a hat.
The Pieces
The pieces we photographed:
- “Flapper”: A 1920s-inspired headdress with black and white feathers and a diamante clasp.
- “Deco”: Reflecting 1920s elegance, adorned with pearls and diamante crafted from vintage jewellery.
- “Hannah”: A 1940s style cocktail hat in purple velvet, accented with flowers, feathers, and diamante studs.
- “Autumn”: A quirky fascinator with orange and pink flowers, leaves, berries, and green vintage earrings.
- “Trixie”: Vibrant and fun, featuring gold sparkly ribbon, flowers, and feathers on a black base.
- “Sophie”: Sophisticated, ideal for the races, with a large black net bow and red and white berries on a velvet base.
- “Beatie”: A 1930s style cloche hat in warm brown, adorned with satin ribbon, silk flowers, and leaves.
Wrapping Up
This was a satisfying shoot: proper handmade work, styled well and photographed with care. Sue’s hats deserve to be seen on a person rather than a shelf, and Isabelle gave each one its own character.
If you make something and need photographs that do it justice, commissioned product photography is booked through Foyers Photography.
