By Anna Griffin, Editor in Chief
I’ve known eco-friendly fashion designer, Deborah Lindquist, since Coco Eco’s early days in 2008, and have always admired her creativity, talent and commitment to our environment. Recently joining forces with underwater photographer, Justin Lutsky, and model/performer, Hannah Fraser, who specializes in underwater and ocean-oriented free diving performances, the team set out to create a dreamy shoot to inspire us all during these difficult times.
Deborah says, “I’ve worked with Hannah Fraser a lot over the last couple of years as she traveled to beautiful, faraway places for underwater shoots. For dramatic shoots like those, the first thing she wore was a parachute gown and then I started making flowy, colorful gowns using my bustiers as a starting point, but I was never on location with her. Our photographer, Justin Lutsky, reached out to me this summer as he noticed several models were coming to shoot with him wearing my gowns. We decided to collaborate and meet in person, and I reached out to Hannah to see if she wanted to join us - she said yes, and for the first time we worked together, in person.”
Justin interjects, “The key to creating great imagery underwater is surrounding yourself with brilliant collaborators, and it doesn't get any better than working with amazing artists like Hannah and Deborah.”
Hannah adds, "It feels super weird to put on a gorgeous designer gown and jump into the water. I feel more like a drowned rat than a model, but then once I am under the surface it all comes to life. I am eternally grateful to Deborah for trusting me enough to let me dunk her creations. I always joke that her clothes will come back cleaner than any other shoot, because I’ve hand washed them every time they get used!"
When asked about the inspiration for the shoot, Deborah says, “Because I felt that many of our worlds had become upended with Covid-19, I wanted to make the theme transformative. I decided to do simple things. What do I like? What do I like to do? How do I take it from basic and make it dramatic in a new way, to show transformation? I think we’re all figuring this out so I felt it was relatable. My yoga/swim/dance pieces were the starting pieces to keep it focused on the body and a healthy lifestyle, which is all our focus right now. We threw my hula-hoop in there, which was a lot of fun and a good prop. Back to basics and then adding on for some drama!”
She continues, “Butterfly wings were for a link to real transformation; a little dance skirt for a bit of flow; disco pants because I love to dance and used to dance competitively with a partner back in the days of disco, and finally a white lace wedding dress to illustrate the beauty of reflection and bring a sense of peace during these transformative times.”
Photography by Justin Lutsky
Styled by Deborah Lindquist
Model – Hannah Fraser
Makeup by Christen Hiller