Off the Loom: Perennials by Vincent Van Duysen
After the initial thrill of learning Vincent Van Duysen would be designing a collection with Perennials, the marketing team hit to the ground running on a campaign that could live up to the legend himself. Van Duysen is revered for his clean architectural designs, so the setting needed to complement his aesthetic. Minimal. Rustic. Tactile. Fortunately, the location that first came to mind was (kind of) in our backyard.
Marfa, Texas. A tiny little town in the middle of nowhere west Texas. A mecca for the artworld thanks to Chinati and Donald Judd, Marfa is known for artisanal shops and the iconic Prada Marfa. Looped into the Marfa scene is Terlingua, an old mining town that houses attractions for those visiting Marfa and Big Bend.
In Terlingua we discovered a new boutique hotel that perfectly mimics Van Duysen’s style: Willow House. Willow House is a twelve casita desert retreat on over 250 acres of private land. With unobstructed views of the Chisos Mountain Range and minimal spaces throughout, Willow House is ideal for photo shoots – a blank canvas if you will. With a side of insanely vibrant sunsets…
It was critical to find a location that artfully complemented Vincent’s collection: Natural yet refined. Elegant but not fussy. With a little luck and a lot of searching we finally found it in the breathtaking vistas and quietly sophisticated architecture of Willow House in Terlingua, Texas.
We can’t recap this shoot without mentioning the heat. West Texas in June is the offseason for a reason. The afternoon heat can be unbearable. For this reason, we primarily shot at dawn and dusk. Early mornings and late nights are worth it if you can avoid the outdoors at 3pm…
Our team enjoyed finding ways to showcase Van Duysen’s designs in such a powerfully quiet environment. Photographer Eric Petschek nailed the mood of the collection, mirroring the understated elegance. We strongly encourage a pilgrimage to Marfa for the photo opps alone… perhaps just not in June.
