New York Times
Dec. 1, 2010
"A Look That's Worth a Million Hits"
by Catherine Saint Louis
ON the afternoon of what has come to be known as Cyber Monday, Alissandre Martines, 23, a French Polynesian with high-arched eyebrows, was making a color-blocked scarf by Me & Kashmere look like a must-have.
Mindful of the tiny rectangle she would inhabit on Gilt Groupe, the designer discount Web site, Ms. Martines flashed a little personality as she moved in front of a softly illuminated white backdrop, to the sounds of Prince playing on Pandora. There was a smirk. A hand on the hip. A mischievous, close-mouthed smile. But Ms. Martines didn’t bring a hand to her face (that would hide the neckline), nor did she do any fabulously contrived poses.
“You’re doing straight catalog shots, but still need some expression,” said Philip Attar, the art director in charge of the shoot at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, explaining the challenge of modeling clothes online. He was sitting in front of a computer as images of Ms. Martines popped up. “Got it,” he called, when one satisfied him. The process involves “selling clothes to people who can’t touch anything,” Mr. Attar said, “so even if only for one second, you want to have some connection with her.”
Rest of the piece here:
http://www.nytimes.c...ref=todayspaper