Behind the Scenes - Stacia Spring/Summer 2011 Photo Shoot

Another beautiful day in LA, and a perfect day for a photo shoot at the beach. Thursday, September 9th I loaded the mini van (my newly acquired Swagger Wagon) with the latest Stacia collection and lots of great beachy accessories and cruised on down to Playa del Rey. The sleepiest of beach towns here on the Westside, tucked between Marina del Rey and Manhattan Beach with the low flying LAX planes overhead. Just the place for an under-the-radar fashion shoot - no tourists and no crowds or on-lookers.

First stop, the serene Ballona Wetlands. With a backdrop of natural wildflowers and the gorgeous blue sky, my Landscape group of bamboo/tencel space-dye knits photographed beautifully. A few quick shots in the wildflowers and then off to the Inn at Playa Vista - a quaint, white-washed bed n' breakfast pretty much in the middle of no where, but could have easily fit in on the Nantucket coast. A perfect setting for my Pelican cool cardi and fringed scarf.

Next stop, the Destini Cafe. A charming little yellow-hued storefront selling an array of exotic teas. Our model perched on one of the outdoor bistro tables for a sip and wore the Zinc bamboo/tencel shrug in true effortless style. Try the Ginger Apricot iced tea - delicious!

For lunch, we breaked at the Bistro du Soleil for some yummy French sandwiches. Another little yellow storefront where we got some great interior shots of our playful model, Monique, dressed in the Lapis puckered dress, part of the colorful bamboo Prism group. A new stitch technique I've experimented with that creates a puckered/ruched effect by pulling ribbed rows together and tacking to form diamond shaped motifs - a beautiful, subtle detail I'm sure you'll love next Spring.

Next stop, a little lake-like waterway near a neighborhood playground, just adjacent to the beach. A rickety dock and sandy beach filled with ducks was a great spot to shoot The Cove collection of earthy bamboo/cotton space-dyed sweaters and my new solid bamboo jersey collection (feels like butter!)

Finally, to the beach! The beach in Playa del Rey is sort of a hidden treasure. Not too many people know about this little cove of a beach tucked behind the Marina and off the beaten path of crowded Dockweiler beach. And the parking is free! That alone means it's totally under the radar. Thankfully the beach was completely deserted so we had the run of the place. The newly painted lifeguard stands in vibrant greens and oranges were just the right accent for my new Retreat collection - two toned space-dyed "pop" colors accented with solid contrast trim. Perfect beachy attire for any coast!

What a fun day! Thanks to our fabulous Venice photographer, Erika Seress, her assistant Sabrina, hair-makeup by Jacqueline, and of course, Mar Vista's own, model Monique - another great team. Check out a few of my favorite shots...