Then…

It’s hard to imagine that when in-demand actress/singer Cynthia Erivo and Kingston-born, New York-based photographer Amber Pinkerton teamed up for The Cut’s October 2021 cover story, anyone could have predicted, that, five years later, the shoot’s striking high-fashion looks — including standout Schiaparelli creations — finding a place in Schiaparelli: Anglomaniac, a book celebrating a defining chapter in the maison’s history.

Photographer and visual artist Amber Pinkerton gave followers a first look inside Schiaparelli: Anglomaniac, sharing a TikTok unboxing of the publication in which she is featured as one of the contributing artists.TikTok/@crybabyether

“I was offered the opportunity to shoot Cynthia Erivo in Paris in October 2021 when I was around 23 years old. We wanted to do something with a slight burlesque theme, and Cynthia was quickly in and out of set, but very committed,” Pinkerton tells SO2.

Introduced by a foreword from singer/songwriter Dua Lipa, Schiaparelli: Anglomaniac features close to 50 UK artists, photographers, performers and designers celebrating the fashion house’s bold 21st-century transformation under Creative Director Daniel Roseberry. .

The inclusion of the editorial in Schiaparelli: Anglomaniac came as a welcome surprise. “To celebrate Schiaparelli’s major exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, they published this lovely book,
Schiaparelli: Anglomaniac, featuring previous editorial stories that celebrate the brand’s legacy, as well as Daniel Roseberry’s vision,” she shares.

Pinkerton’s contribution extends beyond photography. “I also had a lovely interview with co-editor Thierry-Maxime Loriot, which evolved into a semi-biographical piece accompanying the images at the beginning of my chapter. What an honour!” she adds.

Amber Pinkerton’s semi-biographical piece begins on page 184, accompanied by an image of actress/singer Cynthia Erivo taken from the October 2021 issue of The Cut, an online publication that, as part of New York magazine, covers a wide range of topics.

Edited by art curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot and introduced by Dua Lipa, Schiaparelli: Anglomaniac features a critical essay by Loriot and a text by Robin Muir examining the historic collaborations between Schiaparelli and photographer Cecil Beaton. The publication includes numerous previously unpublished images and artworks presented for the first time, alongside interviews with Nick Knight, Stephen Jones, Dame Pat McGrath, Guido Palau, and Nadia Lee Cohen, with additional contributions by Trino Verkade. Since Daniel Roseberry’s arrival at Schiaparelli, his singular creative vision has inspired a wide network of British talents across photography, illustration, performance, fashion editing, hair, and make-up. In the spirit of Elsa Schiaparelli’s original collaborations with artists, the book highlights the work of nearly 50 creatives spanning several generations. Featured figures include historic photographers Cecil Beaton and Norman Parkinson; established artists such as Nick Knight, Tim Walker, and Pat McGrath; and a new generation including Nadine Ijewere, Campbell Addy, Felix Cooper, Nadia Lee Cohen, Jack Davison, Tom Craig, and Harley Weir. Together, these collaborators reflect the evolving cultural landscape surrounding the House.

The spread continues on pages 186 & 187.

Now based in New York City after several years in London, Pinkerton says the move marks an exciting new chapter in her creative journey. “I feel I’ve reached a ceiling in London, and I believe New York will provide greater opportunities in terms of scalability, and also more nuanced understandings of my work. It is certainly reviving my creative energy,” she tells SO.

Pinkerton is currently immersed in a long-term photobook project centred on Jamaica. “Stay tuned for this!” she teases, adding that her days are typically split between printing photographs in the darkroom and travelling to Jamaica to capture new subject matter.

Pages 188 & 189 spotlight Cynthia Erivo as captured by Amber Pinkerton for The Cut. In the striking editorial, Erivo embodies Schiaparelli’s signature theatrical elegance, wearing a sharply tailored jacket with exaggerated shoulders and a satin collar, paired with high-waisted wool-and-silk trousers, a sculptural wool hat, and coordinating shoes that complete the dramatic, couture-inspired look..

She also reveals that another editorial project is in the works and shares that images from her acclaimed
Jamaican Style series will be exhibited at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Philadelphia Museum of Art later this year.

CREDITS  The Cut October 2021

Cynthia Erivo covers The Cut October 2021 issue, lensed by Amber PinkertonAmber Pinkerton

Photography by Amber Pinkerton

IG/@ambercashmere Styling by Jessica Willis Hair by Coree Moreno

The book’s table of contents.

Make-up by Sir John

Set Design by Céline Corbineau

Produced by Mona Perron at White Dot Paris