Behind the Scenes: A Harper's Bazaar Photo Shoot

I was extremely honored when the editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar, Glenda Bailey, asked me to be on the cover of the newly redesigned magazine. The whole experience was great, culminating in a very thoughtful interview with the wonderful novelist Justine Picardie who has written a definitive biography of Coco Chanel and a heart-wrenching account of the loss of her sister to cancer. Here's a look at the inner workings of a magazine photo shoot.

The issue hits stands on the 14th, check it out.

Love,
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This is just one of many clothing racks, jam-packed with options.

Lots of shoe options.

Clutches, bags, purses...

The looks for the shoot are all black and very dramatic, so Emma Lovell goes for it with the red lips.

Marc Lopez complements the look with hair that could be from a
film noir.

Andrew Richardson, the stylist for the shoot, told us a bit about his concept for the looks that were photographed: "We were going for that Helmut Newtonesque power woman quality in the look - graphic black pieces that highlighted Gwyneth's body, a little more sexy than we're used to seeing on her. She's a gorgeous woman who is confident in her body, and I think it's much sexier to see these looks on her, rather than a 19-year-old model. The concept was perfect for Terry Richardson, who's brilliant at capturing that type of provocative fantasy."

1st shot

I almost fit into this jumpsuit.

I'm not used to this look so it takes a minute to not feel like a dork.

I send a few emails during a break.

On the other side of the set, the digital team reviews the images throughout the shoot.

Another shot, this time in a very sexy Anthony Vaccarello.

One of the last ones is this incredible dress.

Yet another round of hair and makeup before the last photos.

The runway looks for some of the other dresses I wore.

We've gone out and tracked down a few excellent alternatives that are in keeping with the theme.

All Saints

All Saints is always a good place to start if you're looking for something particularly goth and glam.

Jumpsuit, $295 Click here

Leather dress, $247.50 Click here

Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters has tons of options in the vamp department. Here are just three particularly good ones. Loving the cutouts!

$79 Click here

$59 Click here

$99 Click here

Asos

Another good lookalike.

$57.30
Click here

Topshop

Some perfect platforms to go with any of these looks.

$200
Click here

Court

An ideal, super-sexy wedge from Court.

$110
Click here