FTER months of persistence, hundreds of phone calls, three photographer changes, two postponements, negotiating, rescheduling and 12 days in Los Angeles, I finally completed this month’s cover shoot with Miss Nicky Hilton.

I arrived at the spacious Solar Studios in Glendale, Calif. with two assistants, a car full of clothes, shoes, jewellery and accessories, praying I wouldn’t get a third postponement. In the industry I’m in, I’ve taught myself to expect the unexpected.

As my crew set up the clothes and steamed them, I was prepping Nicky’s looks for the shoot.

Solar Studios (www.solarstudios.com) is a facility that looks like a location with a ‘Soho feel’ and has the convenience and qualities of a stage or studio, making it ideal for the shoot. On five lots, Solar’s Studio One, all 8,000 ft², is the largest daylight studio in the western United States.

While it can accommodate TV commercials and film locations, we needed it for our still photography, by none other than Richard Reinsdorf. Richard is based in California but does work all over the world. Right after our shoot, he was off on a Levi’s campaign. His portfolio (www.richardreinsdorf.com) features Sarah Jessica Parker and Leonardo di Caprio. Coincidentally, he has a second shoot in this issue of Lucire.

Shortly after, along came Nicky Hilton in her oversized sunglasses, and sweatsuit by none other than her own Chick label, touting an empty bag of McDonald’s and a cup of OJ. I offered her some Krispy Kreme doughnuts and she couldn’t resist. Everyone loves them!

After that, I went ahead and briefed her on the look for the shoot and showed her what she was going to be wearing. When the make-up artist arrived, we immedately started hair and make-up. Our photographer was last to arrive with his crew and set up faster then Nicky could get dressed.

After working with many celebrities, I was apprehensive about how Nicky was going to be to work with, so I was very surprised at how sweet and humble she is. Being that she and her sister are icons all over the world, I was assuming this was going to be a difficult one.

To my surprise, Nicky was the sweetest celebrity I have yet to meet. She is very open-minded when it comes to fashion, which I fell in love with. Anything I wanted her to wear, she wore, and made it look hot! We had a lot of fun trying on crowns and jewellery.

Thanks to Randy Olsen of Celebrity Events International for the wonderful catering on this shoot: it was greatly needed. The previous night, Nicky had returned from New York on a red-eye and on top of that, she wasn’t feeling good at all.

Six looks and five hours later, we had an amazing shoot. I commended Nicky on her determination and dedication to finish the shoot. She is definitely a Lucire girl, a beautiful person inside and out and a talented designer and businesswoman. And the proof of the pudding is in the picture! Thanks again, Nicky, for being our cover girl and a wonderful sport. •

Brad Batory is New York director of fashion for Lucire.

Above: Nicky Hilton on the cover of Lucire. Left: The original photograph. Below: Nicky Hilton with Brad Batory of Indashio, fashion director at Lucire. Bottom left: Nicky wears items from her upcoming Chick by Nicky Hilton label.

Produced by
Fashion director, Brad Batory
(www.indashio.com)

Photographed by
Richard Reinsdorf
(represented by Winston West/
winstonwest.com)

Make-up by
Natalie Miller/
Cloutier Agency

Hair by Robert Steinken/
Cloutier Agency

Clothing by
Chick by Nicky Hilton

Jewellery
All gold and silver ring with pink stone by
Indashio Fine Jewelry
available at www.indashio.com;
Platinum necklaces and earrings by
Karat Platinum
available at www.karatplatinum.com

Catering by
Celebrity Catering

Limousine transportation by
Diva Limos

Location
Solar Studios, Glendale, Calif.