Don’t get us wrong—we’ve got nothing against a good lookbook. Pristine photos of a brand’s new collection, styled exactly how the designer hopes you’ll wear it, are like early Christmas presents when executed properly. But seeing super-polished, Photoshopped images day in and day out can get a little boring sometimes. That’s why we’re over the moon about Rag & Bone’s new approach. After settling in to the old MAC Cosmetics space on M Street, Northwest, the gritty-glam New York line asked some of our favorite DC fashion fiends (and a few former Washingtonian Style Setters!) to sift through the racks and style their own mini photo shoots. The resulting “DIY Project”—a collection of shots from each of the brand’s DC ambassadors—is currently on display at the Georgetown store, but you can also view our favorites right here.
Rachel Cothran
PR Manager, Corcoran Gallery of Art; Project Beltway blogger
Three words to describe your style: Classic, vintage, and elegant
About the photo: “I chose really bold, hard-edged pops of color. We shot in the alley right behind Irvine Contemporary and I love the way the photo turned out—me against a painted mural, and my pose is sort of offhanded.”
Photograph by John Edmonds, Corcoran Student
Pum and Jake Lefebure
Owners, Design Army
Three words to describe your style: Unexpected, minimal, and memorable
About the photo: “Our concept was to wear the rags and eat the bones. At Design Army, we are constantly directing photo shoots, so we wanted to do something that was more conceptual.”
Photograph by Dan Chung
Brooke Kao
Moohoop Blogger, Graphic Design Student
Three Words to Describe Your Style: Polished, yet clownish
About the photo: “My boyfriend and I were painting the walls of his new apartment, and it just so happened that the blue we picked matched the blue of a Rag & Bone jacket. The red top and chestnut-colored pants contrast well.”
Photograph by Brooke Kao
Kristin Guiter
VP Communications & Marketing, Corcoran Gallery of Art
Three words that describe your style: Eclectic, creative, and bold
About the photo: “This was shot at Meridian Hill Park—I always tell people that the Sunday night drum circle is one of the most special ‘happenings’ in DC. The drum circle was actually going on while we were shooting, which inevitably led to an impromtu dance party!”
Get the look: Rag & Bone Skinny Oil Stain jean, $198
Photograph by John Edmonds, Corcoran student
Aureta Thomollari
Aureta Blogger; President, DNA Luxury
Three words to describe your style: Eclectic, artistic, and modern
About the photo: “I do several photo shoots a month for my blog, so I knew that the Rag & Bone shoot had to be different. I thought it should be more provocative because, despite their practicality, Rag & Bone clothes are very sexy. The shoot took place along the Sea of Cortez; the image of a woman on horseback simply came to me in a moment of quiet reflection. I decided she should be wearing very little.”
Get the look: Rag & Bone red zipper jean, $198
Photograph by Teddy Kim
Nancy Koide
Co-Owner, Oya, Sei, and Sax
Three words that describe your style: Modernity, clean lines, and edgy-chic
About the photo: “The picture was taken at Sax Restaurant & Lounge, where I’ve spent a majority of my time over the past months. Great clothes are a bit like great food—they should be well-made using high-quality fabrics. I want them to be interesting and they have to work with my body and for my life, so I choose clothes that can take me from lunch to cocktails in comfort and with a little bit of attitude.”
Photograph by June Pascocello
Lukas Sieber
Public Diplomacy, Embassy of Switzerland
Three words that describe your style: Versatile, unafraid, and vintage
About the photo: “Anton Papich (also a Rag & Bone ambassador) and I discussed different options. He proposed to do it in the ballroom of the Fairfax Hotel in Washington to get a flavor of the 1920s. I was honored to work with Anton, a truly great photographer!”
Get the look: Rag & Bone knit chamber waistcoat, $325
Photograph by Anton Papich
Septime Webre
Artistic Director, The Washington Ballet
About the photo: Comet Ping Pong owner James Alefantis catches Webre perfectly prepped out—and three feet in the air.
Photograph by James Alefantis
Shirley Gordon
Hair Artist, Strand Studios
Three words to describe your style: Edgy, confident, and dramatic
About the photo: “I envisioned being in the midst of downtown, surrounded by statuesque buildings and evening rush hour. A lot of people thought we were shooting for a movie!”
Photograph by Tony Brown, Eye-C-U Photos
Philippa Hughes
Chief Creative Contrarian, Pink Line Project
Three words to describe your style: Artsy surfer chic
About the photo: “I love wearing beautiful clothes, but I also really enjoy my active lifestyle—and I love DC. I think I captured all of that in the pictures of me on the paddle board in front of the Lincoln Memorial. I was surprised at how few people seemed to take much notice of the fact that I was wearing a silk chiffon dress while paddling around the Potomac!”
Photograph by Max Cook
Anton Papich
Fashion Photographer
Three words that describe your style: Vibrant, daring, and autonomous
About the photo: “My shoot was part of a magazine spread I was photographing. As someone who likes being behind the camera and not in front of it, I thought it would be interesting to focus on the model and have myself be a secondary figure in the shadows. The image wouldn’t have worked without the subtly lit red jeans though.”
Photograph by Jeffrey Prehn, Anton + Prehn photography
Sarah is the Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and writes about weddings, fashion, and shopping. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bethesda Magazine, and Washington City Paper, among others. She is a Georgetown University graduate, lives in Columbia Heights, and you can find her on Instagram at @washbridegroom and @sarahzlot.
