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A person with bold blue eyeshadow and red lipstick leans against a large, ornate blue mask. They wear a white garment with purple and red patterns and have red sticks tied in their hair.

Tim Walker channels the occult in great new shoot for Vogue

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Date
17 April 2015

As It’s Nice That’s resident fashion expert (ahem) I know a strong editorial shoot when I see one, and this one for Vogue’s May edition is as good as they get. In it you’ll see Karen Elson wearing all manner of clothing by various clothes-makers – all of which look stunning. But stuff the outfits, this is all about the locations and the luxurious referencing of south Asian iconography. Tim, Samantha Bryant and Duffy travelled all the way to Bhutan to shoot Karen in the Himalayas alongside a supporting cast of masked imps and Bhutanese locals, weaving a surreal narrative of pagan mysticism and evoking an atmosphere akin to the hippie trail.

A person stands against an ornate, gilded wall wearing a long red dress and a matching red headwrap. A red and white patterned cape is draped over their shoulders, with the fabric of the dress pooling around their feet.
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Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person with long orange hair wears a wide-brimmed black hat and a floral dress over patterned trousers. They lean against a white wall with a traditional Bhutanese monastery perched on a rocky cliff in the background.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person with slicked-back hair and bold blue eyeshadow looks directly at the camera. They wear a black, red and white patterned kimono and hold their hands up to frame their face.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person in a voluminous, patterned gown stands behind a blazing bonfire in a hilly landscape. Beside them, a figure in a colourful striped outfit and a mask leaps into the air.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person sits against a green wall decorated with traditional Tibetan motifs. They wear a metallic silver dress with bold red and yellow floral patterns and a gold headpiece.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person wearing a long red dress and a red head covering stands in a misty landscape. They wear a white mask and look towards the camera, surrounded by sparse trees and rocky ground.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person peers through a gap in draped red fabric, their face partially obscured. They rest one hand on a matte black skull that sits on a red surface.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person stands in a field of tall, dry grass wearing a hooded, off-white cloak. The garment is decorated with black calligraphic markings and a silver ornament sits on their forehead.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person with long red hair stands in a field of dry grass under a clear blue sky. They wear a textured, beige dress with a plaid skirt and straw-like material protruding from the shoulders.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person with long red hair poses on a rocky hillside, wearing a structured red dress and matching platform shoes. They hold a wide-brimmed black hat above their head against a pale blue sky.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person with bold blue eyeshadow and red lipstick poses with several ornate, colourful masks. They wear a white patterned garment and have thin red sticks arranged in a cross on their head.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

A person stands in a field of tall, dry grass wearing a textured, beige dress. A crown of woven straw rests on their head, with long strands extending outwards.
Above

Tim Walker: Karen Elson for Vogue May 2015

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About the Author

James Cartwright

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James started out as an intern in 2011 and came back in summer of 2012 to work online and latterly as Print Editor, before leaving in May 2015.

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