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Three people pose in floral satin pyjamas and blonde wigs against a backdrop of a McDonald’s restaurant. They wear oversized jewellery and white gloves, with one person holding a brown paper bag.

Nadia Lee Cohen depicts distorted suburbia inspired by Edward Scissorhands

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Date
30 November 2017

Nadia Lee Cohen has shot the latest Olivia Von Halle campaign, and it’s as surreally cinematic as you’d expect from the British photographer. Featuring a cast of mannequin-like female models draped in the brand’s high-sheen silk pyjamas, the series of images paints a picture of distorted suburbia.

“I wanted to achieve the feeling of secrecy in a suburban setting,” Nadia tells It’s Nice That. “The shoot was centred around the idea of gossip in a small town. I wanted these women to have anxious, concerned expressions and exert a general concern with what the other women might be saying about them.”

The scenes are explicitly retro, from the plastic-covered sofas, old school phones and giant wooden tv cases, to the women sunbathing with a metal reflector. Nadia says her references were Hitchcock and an iconic depiction of American Dream domestic life – Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands.

“The images feel very emotive, I really love this campaign,” Nadia concludes on the triumphs and trip-ups of the project. “Olivia Von Halle are a dream to work with as they allow me complete creative freedom. Perhaps the biggest challenge was persuading the girls to bleach out their eyebrows.”

A mannequin with a blonde bob and red lipstick wears a blue patterned silk pyjama set. They sit at a table with a half-eaten grapefruit, glasses, and a handwritten letter.
Above

Nadia Lee Cohen @DMB Represents for Olivia Von Halle

Three people pose in a sunny garden beside a clothesline draped with white linens. They wear coordinated pale pink and cream loungewear, with one person kneeling by a laundry basket and another draped in a white sheet.
Above

Nadia Lee Cohen @DMB Represents for Olivia Von Halle

A person in magenta satin pyjamas lies on a carpeted floor, reaching for a remote control. They rest their head on a floral cushion in a room with a vintage television and a plastic-covered armchair.
Above

Nadia Lee Cohen @DMB Represents for Olivia Von Halle

A person in a green satin robe and white gloves poses in a sunny backyard. Behind them, another person in pink loungewear reclines on a sun lounger, reading a magazine.
Above

Nadia Lee Cohen @DMB Represents for Olivia Von Halle

A person in a striped robe and white heels stands in a mid-century living room. Their reflection is visible in a freestanding oval mirror to the right.
Above

Nadia Lee Cohen @DMB Represents for Olivia Von Halle

Two mannequins are posed in a sunny backyard in front of a single-storey house. One figure stands in a long, shimmering green dress and white gloves, while another reclines on a lounge chair reading a magazine.
Above

Nadia Lee Cohen @DMB Represents for Olivia Von Halle

A person with a blonde bob and shimmering earrings sits on a white ornate garden bench. They wear a glossy pink satin pyjama set and hold a vintage mobile phone to their ear.
Above

Nadia Lee Cohen @DMB Represents for Olivia Von Halle

A person with a blonde bob hairstyle sits in a worn armchair, talking on a cream-coloured corded telephone. They wear navy and red patterned pyjamas with a dark satin trim.
Above

Nadia Lee Cohen @DMB Represents for Olivia Von Halle

Three people sit on a sofa covered in protective plastic sheeting. They wear matching leopard-print robes, blonde wigs, and high-heeled shoes.
Above

Nadia Lee Cohen @DMB Represents for Olivia Von Halle

A person wearing a blonde wig and teal satin pyjamas sits in a floral armchair. They hold a phone to their ear and a cigarette in their other hand.
Above

Nadia Lee Cohen @DMB Represents for Olivia Von Halle

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About the Author

Jenny Brewer

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Jenny oversees editorial output across It’s Nice That. Get in touch with writing pitches for features or opinion pieces, big creative story tips, or questions about all things editorial. jb@itsnicethat.com

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