out of the box

Out of the Box: Lounging in the Season’s Most Beautiful Clothes

Imagine a Hollywood actress off duty, lounging in her hotel room, and you might picture a glamorous scene like the fashion shoot below. Photographer Cornelius Käss staged the platonic ideal of chic relaxation for this portfolio — the latest edition of the Cut’s “Out of the Box” photography series, in which our fashion editors send artists to a location of the photographer’s choice with a box of the season’s most luxurious clothes (with the creative freedom to photograph them however they’d like).

In these portraits, Käss creates drama between model Juliana Schurig’s surroundings and the sumptuous fabrics. He transformed an East London photo studio into a hazy hotel room, where knit-textured walls and soft blankets showcase the metallic-blue sheen of a DVF dress or the pastel threads on a black velvet wrap by Josie Natori. Colors pop and textures react to the rare presence of light, spotlighting pieces like a silky Gucci pajama top, or a bold red jacquard skirt by Alexander McQueen.

“I wanted to portray a certain loneliness,” Käss says, explaining his cinematic use of the setting. “A special moment, which Juliana feels within a small, intimate hotel room. I wanted to play with light and color and find the best possible setting to make all ingredients work together.” The result is a story with no narrative. The woman just exists: alluring, independent, and alone, wearing all the clothing we’d like to own. —Carolyn Twersky

Lead Image Credit: Alexander McQueen bra, $1,195 and jacquard skirt, $4,195 at Alexander McQueen

Production Credits: 
Photos by Cornelius Käss
Styled by Luiza Cirico
Hair by Mirka Mysicka at Saint Luke Artists
Makeup by Rebecca Wordingham at Saint Luke Artists
Set Design by Thomas Bird at Bryant Artists
Model: Juliana Schurig at Viva London Model Management
Photography Assistant: Pillip Papadis, Set Design Assistant: Josh Parker
Editors: Rebecca Ramsey, Biel Parklee

A Cinematic Take on the Season’s Most Beautiful Clothes