Nicole Miller Summer ’13 shot by Lauren Teslia in Barbados

And it’s finally here! My Nicole Miller Summer ’13 campaign, shot in Barbados!! Shooting on location is like a dream…especially when you get to shoot in the warm tropics of Barbados right smack in the middle of the NYC winter. And everything was so full of color, brightening and warming my heart. The green lush, the bright blue waters, the collection. I fell in love with the beautfiul form-fitted dresses, hugging in all the right places. Perfect to pick flowers in. I could easily blend in with the palm trees…the bold leaves taken from this gorgeous place were planted directly on my dress like a work of art. Then there’s the little beach cover-ups and lightweight rompers. I fell in love. This was one adventurer’s dream shoot. In between takes, we’d take breaks on the back patio of The Monkey house (yes, there were monkeys at our house!) or end the day taking dips in the pool during sunset. I could lie back and stare up at the sky all day. Barbados is such a beautiful island… quiet, and just so full of relaxation. I could spend hours in the go-carts just trying to get a monkey to come to me…or by the water, digging my toes into the sand. And I finally got to swim with the giant sea turtles. Talk about liberating. Arriving on the island from the airport, beer in hand, music blasting, it’s a trip I’ll always remember! Everything from discovering old boats in the sand, to peeking into old, brightly colored desolate buildings. This island is so full of colors so rich, and everyone’s on a slower, calmer pace. Our campaign shoot just being a postcard of a place I’ll never forget. 

(True Religion leather jacket, Vintage tee, American Apparel sunflower shorts, original Hunter Boots, Jenny Bird “netted bucket” bag, Vanessa Mooney necklaces and ring)

See those crazy clouds hovering behind me…yep, a thunderstorm was underway! My friends and I were huddled on the roof, all dressed like some crazy British rock girl band, and we felt like we were high in in the dark deep clouds. We panicked as it started raining just above the neighbor’s roof, until seconds later, we were soaked once it made it’s way to us. I don’t think there’s been a girl running in wellies so fast! And it’s actually quite fun to see the storm making it’s way across the city. Fun, but quite dangerous. We luckily found shelter in the stairwell…with rain drops hard as rocks knocking on the ceiling. We were literally squeuling inside like little girls. The windows in the apartment were open, wetting the lit candles on the ledge. Shutting everything from the outdoor world, the only thing we could do was watch the Flood Warnings from our phones, and turn on the TV. We were antsy and with no patience to wait it out, we were outside walking in the rain 10 minutes later. There’s always that excitement with the NYC rain. You never really know what you’re going to get. Thank goodness for these navy blue wellies..I love them on hot rainy afternoons with nothing but some short, shorts, and a band tee. I brought the sunflowers out this day, you know, only to give the dreary East Village some life. Someone’s gotta do it. 

Dolce & Gabbana shot by Mark Iantosca

Take a peek inside my latest shoot for Dolce &Gabbana, just in time for their Dolce & Gabbana flagship store opening here in NYC! This is one iconic fashion house in Italy I’ve only dreamt of working with. Can you say #DGNYC?! The new store is absolutely beautiful! Giant glass windows, lush vevlet cushionings, and of course, some of the most beautiful pieces of clothing I’ve ever seen lining the walls. I got to meet with the Milano Dolce & Gabbana team just the other week for our fitting and I  fell in love with the Sicilian inspired looks. The stripes, the prints, the extra large earrings. Even the stilettos felt good on. I tried on everything from a super tiny floral mini, to a stripe on stripe matching bustier and skirt. I ended up falling in love with blue ensemble…it’s very Italian, very colorful, and most of all, it fit like a glove. The minute I had it on, the whole team knew this is what we’d shoot in. They wanted me to share my NYC story…and lord know, lots of crazy things happen in a short amount of time here.

We ended up shooting by the Brooklyn Bridge, a place that holds so much meaning to me. Fresh faced from LA, I moved to DUMBO, Brooklyn…living in an artist’s loft with 5 other people. Everyone in the house wasn’t originally a New Yorker, yet was here to make something of themselves…whether it be making art, or becoming an actor. Yoga happened in the living rooms, and the brick walls were covered in beautiful splashed paintings. I’m happy I had somewhat of a family to introduce me to this crazy place. I was just moving my modeling career to NYC, and was just adjusting to the humid summer heat. It wasn’t until I crossed the bridge over to the place to where it’d all happen, to the place I’d soon fall in love with, MANHATTAN. I remember walking from the West to the East Village and thinking…”how can this place be real?” It felt like a movie set. The energy, the beauty, sucked me in. The parks so picture-perfect always was so calmingly alluring, a place to stop and breathe in the midst of the neverending go, go, go. I never wanted to stop moving, and I couldn’t close my eyes. I craved to learn more about this beautiful place. To this day I remember this feeling, and I never ever wanted it to go away. When you’re so excited and visually stimulated you don’t know what to do! NYC suddenly wasn’t that scary and intimidating place I thought it was, but rather a place full of beauty and love. There were endless possibilites and doors just waiting to be opened. My sister and I would spend morning till night in the city on the weekends, before we ended up walking the Brooklyn Bridge back home late at night. We’d get ice cream to cool us down as we got back to the loft, just to laugh over our full day’s adventures. I never knew how quickly I’d be over that bridge, living in the city full time. I think I’ve moved 5 times since I’ve been here, but it’s worth it. All the little baby steps have led me to where I am now, and I couldn’t feel stronger or happier. I’ve met so many interesting people here, and people I’ll spend the rest of my live with. I’m so thankful for how everything’s worked out. It’s almost like a fairytale now that I think of it. It was at first just a summer in NYC for work…now it looks like NYC for life.

Read my entire Dolce & Gabbana story, and see more images, here on Swide.com