Times have changed and so have we. Not only have we changed our logo and our brand name we have also introduced new products and amended fits on our products to ensure that all of our garments are “engineered essentials”.

Our 2011 brochure planning started at the beginning of 2010 with a quest to find a location that would fit with the new SF image.

It had to be colourful, lively, fun and youthful and with great light to ensure bright, colourful photographs.

There were lots of ideas, but when our designer suggested the Spanish city of Seville, it really could not be beaten.

You might think that photoshoots are glamorous, but in reality, they are the opposite.

Choosing a location and a photographer is one thing, but you also need good models.

The look of the model is really important when planning a brochure. Secondly is organising flights, accommodation and getting everyone to a different country and location, organising hair and make-up artists, identifying shoot locations and arranging photography permits.

The most important thing is preparation – ensuring that we had every garment in every colour, complete with accessories, hangers, rails, steamer, and most importantly bum bags for those essential bull dog clips and necessities to ensure the garment looks perfect on the model.

On arrival in Malaga (unfortunately there were no direct flights to Seville) van and car hire were our first priority a requirement with all those people to move around the city.

Equipped with with walkie talkies we headed up into the Spanish hills to Seville. The sat nav decided it didn’t like Spain and kept trying to take us back to the airport.

Eventually we found the office and the boxes that had been sent ahead of us. Now it was off to find the apartment – by now it was the early hours of Sunday morning. 

Day 1, Sunday

To Seville, looking for locations and hidden gems off the beaten track, as well as sorting out the photography equipment. We were unable to gain a permit to shoot in one of the main parks but luckily for us there was another park further out of the city with lots of fantastic buildings, bridges and ponds with frog fountains! The central area and cathedral were also at the top of our list, as well as the hotel nearby with its rooftop overlooking the city providing the perfect backdrop. Once the shoot plan was in place it was back to the apartment to press and steam the garments. 

Day 2, Monday

Up early to prep the final garments for the day. Temperatures started to soar and the models arrived from London and Barcelona, the makeup artist from Seville and the rest of the team, design director, photographer and the Skinnifit team from the UK. The makeup artist set to work as we sorted garments and accessories in a quiet shaded area in the middle of the park. The favourite shot of the day was when we encouraged our poor model to allow the feeding doves to land on her. She didn’t love the experience but the pictures were excellent. We had a local guide on hand to help out with shoot locations and suggest some well-earned tapas at the end of a long day. 

Day 2, Tuesday

Two more models arrived, one from London and one from Madrid taking the model count up to four. Temperatures soared into the 40s making it almost unbearable to work. They don’t call Seville the “frying pan of Europe” for nothing! In the morning, we headed to the undercover market and in the afternoon, to the streets of the south bank. The changing tube (which everyone laughs at but really is an essential part of the kit!) certainly came in useful in the streets of Seville as the models hid to change before re-emerging in the next Skinnifit look. 

Day 4, Wednesday

We secured a wonderful hotel near the cathedral, with rooftop bar and pool, to shoot our fitness range. Our final model arrived from Barcelona and we said goodbye to one of the male models. The afternoon took us back on to the streets and we attracted lots of attention. 

Day 5, Thursday

For the final day, we headed back to the park as there was just too much potential to do it justice in one day. We knew we had to get the front cover shot and we had perfect image up our sleeve – which a trip to the local balloon shop. Not the easiest of trips as we tried to manoeuvre 10 massive shaped helium balloons out of the shop, into the car and back to the park. Sadly the best pink one didn’t make it as the heat was too much and on arrival back to the dressing area it decided to pop. 

Day 6 Friday

With the shots in the bag and the models safely on flights home, we were left to pack everything up. Exhausted, it was time to reflect on the week’s events, excited at the thought of all the hard work ahead to pull the shots together for the 2011 SF brochure.

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