Meet the real glam team of SJP in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Given the relative secrecy preceding SJP’s arrival, top management and a small team within the SM Retail group worked quickly and quietly to make arrangements for the campaign’s advertising, event, and publicity requirements. Working without much fanfare, they were both amused and appalled at how others brazenly hitched onto the SJP bandwagon and made outrageous claims, mostly on social media.

During her brief stay in Manila, SJP spent a full day working on the SM Store’s Love to Shop campaign, which broke out recently in print and broadcast. Befitting her fashion icon status, SJP’s look for the campaign was pulled together by a glam team she brought along with her.

Here are some behind-the-scenes highlights on how photographer Daniela Federici, stylist Tracy Cox, hairstylist Andy Le Compte, and make-up artist Leslie Lopez worked together to come up with SJP’s Love to Shop look for the SM Store.

Daniela Federici, Photographer

“Sarah’s enthusiasm for clothes is fun and playful,” New York-based international photographer Daniela Federici takes about her inspiration for SM’s Love to Shop campaign. â€œThe idea was to maintain a spontaneous feel that was never posey or stiff.”

She adds that, “the layouts kept evolving from a full set to something as simple as a plain background.”

Daniela, who has worked with Sarah on previous projects, describes SJP as “a professional with a very kind and amicable personality. She is effervescent and extremely clever, which makes her a delightful subject. Sarah is always up and happy and warm and gracious to everyone.”

As such, Daniela always looks forward to working with SJP because “she takes directions easily.  We worked together before, so we have a mutual respect and appreciation.”

Daniela says that working in Manila “was a wonderful experience for myself and my production team. Our first task was to find a shoot location that benefitted the scale of the shoot we were about to undertake.”

It was, she adds, more than a shoot set –– it was an event. I am fortunate that my team from Nomad Media Industries led by my Asia producer Guy Venables has local experience, so we were able to work well with the local production and equipment company.”

Tracy L. Cox, fashion designer and stylist

Tracy L. Cox is a New York City based fashion designer, multimedia artists, and exclusive wardrobe consultant best known for his collaboration with fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker, which began in 2003 on the set of Sex and the City Season 6.

He has known SJP as a “style chameleon, and have seen her ability to adjust to most situations gracefully.  She is the same with clothing and fashion. Her looks and attitude enhance accordingly to each event.”

Known for keeping a bionic ear to the streets, high art, and high fashion, Tracy makes sure that style wise, SJP stays ahead of the curve while making her style accessible to a lot of women. â€œMy occupation is to create epic compositions,” he says. “SJP’s looks inspire women to take risks and be bold.”

In styling her look for the SM Store’s Love to Shop campaign, Tracy highlighted “classic. These are silhouettes you’d find in your local mall accented with bold accessories and shoes for editorial appeal, in a way that women or young girls would desire and could obtain.”

Andy Le Compte, hairstylist

As the Style Award’s Hairstylist of the Year 2012, Andy Le Compte’s work has appeared on the covers of internationally renowned publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and W. Vogue.com named his eponymous LA salon one of the city’s “most appointment-worthy-and celeb-heavy beauty spots.”

His style secrets for working with stars like SJP? â€œI often spend time working and studying images of them to see what looks are the most flattering, and what may not work.”  Andy shares with us. “I also watch a lot of old movies and study hairstyles so I have lots of ideas and references. This helps communicating with my clients and understanding their style.”

Leslie Lopez, makeup artist

Andy’s tips on how Filipinas can channel Hollywood glamour?  “Maintaining your hair is key,” she says. “Using quality products will reflect in your hair style.”

Around the globe, Leslie Lopez has established herself as one of the most renowned makeup artists in the industry.  Known for creating beautiful faces for the most beautiful people in the world, Leslie’s luminous glowing skin has become a coveted red carpet look.

Leslie, who came to Manila as part of the SJP team, has been responsible for Sarah’s unique brand of glamour since 2005.

“Sarah saw work I had done on different people and looked me up.” Leslie talks about how she got to be SJP’s so called face painter.  Since that time, she has become “her makeup artist for any event and advertising she does, as well as for premieres and talk shows.”

For her glam look, Leslie says that Sarah “likes a smokey eye, so I always try to work with her eyes.  I like gray tones on her.”

Off the set and off the red carpet, Leslie describes SJP as “a very casual person, and very down to earth. In real life, “she doesn’t wear makeup,” but when she goes out, “she just does herself and does a great job.”