This shoot with Mary Jayne began as a conversation. It grew into a study of how fashion breathes outdoors, how it rests against water, sky, and sun. Four designs. Four locations. I have already written about the finale, where elegance met graffiti and grit. Today, the focus shifts to the other three looks, where the dialogue with nature turned softer and elemental. Riverbed. Lake. Golden hills.
The fashion came from BRAXTON. His designs have appeared throughout several features and runway coverage, including shows like Summer Breeze. Structure and drama are always present in his pieces, but they never resist movement. They invite it, making them perfect companions for wind, water, and open ground.
The jewelry, as often in our projects, came from Butones Jewelry, a label I have photographed for both editorials and magazines. Butones is personal and handcrafted, with textures and forms that celebrate transformation. They shine in sunlight yet feel rooted in story. Worn in natural settings, they feel inevitable, as though they belong to the land as much as to the model.
This is a story of transformation. Of strength and intimacy. Of fabric and form finding their voice in place.
Whispers of White at the Riverbed
We began where the creek slowed, the canopy breaking light into golden coins. Mary stepped barefoot onto stones. The gown was white, pleated, sheer as water’s breath. Sleeves unfurled in the wind, ribbons she could paint the air with. Her silhouette was long, fluid, surrendered to the current.
Her arms extended like branches. A crown of petals and pearls echoed the river’s own jewelry. When she knelt, the gown pooled in folds that mirrored ripples. The necklace caught light, a glint that tethered detail to the portrait.
Fire and Gold Beside the Lake
A short drive changed everything. Wide sky. Dry air. Afternoon light over a restless lake. BRAXTON’s black-and-gold piece arrived as a statement. Patterned fabric revealed itself only when light angled just right. Cutouts at the sides, an opening at the legs. It demanded long lines and confident stances.
Mary stood against water and willow. The dress absorbed sun, then flashed gold when she turned. I exposed for skin and metallic seams, allowing blacks to sink deep. Her portrait became heat and light: glossed lips, wet hair, gold highlights across cheekbones. Jewelry stayed minimal, a glint at the collarbone to punctuate the look.
Earthbound Elegance in the Golden Hills
We closed in the hills. Dry grass, earth tones, light holding heat in the air. BRAXTON’s brown lace design belonged here. Corseted bodice, delicate patterns, skirt trailing like a desert veil. Feminine, but never fragile. Grounded in confidence.
Close, the jewelry warmed against the brown palette. This is where Butones sings. Not ornamental, but intentional. A piece that holds memory as much as shine. In past shoots I have seen Butones anchor both minimalism and grandeur. Here, it balanced rustic and refined, like the land itself.
Why These Designers, Why This Story
BRAXTON’s work lives at a crossroads I love to photograph: structure, courage, movement. His designs resist fragility. They hold presence, indoors and out, runway or hillside.
Butones Jewelry meets that energy with intimacy. Pieces are stories, hand-shaped, transformative. They belong equally in city grit and natural expanse.
Together with Mary Jayne, their work became a narrative of strength and vulnerability, presence and transformation. A story of fashion woven with place, and of beauty that feels inevitable.
Three looks. Three moods. One thread. This was fashion as dialogue with the land, captured through collaboration and trust. BRAXTON’s designs carried strength and drama. Butones Jewelry gave intimacy and resonance. Mary Jayne brought presence and grace. Together, they told a story of transformation. Of how fabric, form, and spirit can belong to one another.
Photoshoot Credits
- Model: Mary Jayne
- Fashion Designer: BRAXTON
- Jewelry Designer: Butones Jewelry
- Photographer: Paul Tocatlian
For brands, designers, models, and other creatives looking to create compelling visual stories, I would love to connect. Let’s collaborate on future photoshoots and runway coverage, and keep exploring how fashion and storytelling intersect.
© Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved.
Kisau Photography 