The Republic: Banana Republic from the Inside Out

We recently chatted up the star of our Holiday gift card campaign, Lily. She graciously agreed to answer a few questions about her photoshoot in San Francisco. Check out our Q&A and behind-the-scenes photos below.

BR: How did you enjoy shooting with Banana Republic?
Lily: It was doggone amazing. I enjoyed meeting everyone and working with such a fantastic team. They were very good at giving direction but also allowed me to experiment and try my own thing. I had a lot of fun on set and everyone was willing to give me a belly rub.

BR: What’s your approach to modeling?
Lily: I try to give a range of emotions when I model. I think it’s important to give a lot of looks and poses so the client has a lot to choose from.

BR: How would you describe your personal style?
Lily: Without a doubt, I am a minimalist. My go-to uniform is a simple-chic collar. I like to change things up depending on my mood— sometimes I go for a pop of color or studs. When I’m feeling adventurous, it’s spikes all the way.

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Look no further for the gifts you can’t wait to give— or get. InStyle magazine’s style ambassador Annabel Tollman has chosen her favorite sparkly, cozy and colorful pieces from the Banana Republic Holiday Collection. The result? A very merry, easy-to-shop gift guide for all the (naughty and nice) guys and girls on your list. Ready, set, G-I-F-T.

‘Tis the season … to chat with our favorite redheaded muse, model and star of the Banana Republic Holiday 2011 campaign. Thank you, Karen Elson for giving us your take on the most festive time of year. You always make our spirits bright—in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Check out the Q&A below.

BR: What are your must-haves this holiday?
KE: Hermes blanket, Serge Lutens perfume, Diptyque candles and Tabitha Simmons shoes.
 
BR: What were you wearing during your favorite New Year’s Eve moment?
KE:A floor-length Anna Sui dress, worn with fake fur gilet and adorned with tons of necklaces and bracelets.
 
BR: Be honest – are you more of a giver or receiver?
KE: I’m more of a giver. I love to find a gift that has meaning to the person I’m giving it to.

BR: What keeps you cozy in the winter—fashion or otherwise?
KE: What keeps me cozy? Over-sized Marc Jacobs sweaters, blankets, and knee-high stockings!

BR: What’s your favorite color and why?
KE: My favorite color changes every year.  At the moment, it’s all shades of purple – from mauve and lilac to the darkest indigo.

One of the best things about the holiday season is the preparation — obsessing over how to decorate your favorite outfit (or tree) with the perfect accessories. No one knows this better than the creative geniuses at the COVETEUR, a divine fashion site that specializes in sharing the personal spaces of style’s chicest names. That’s precisely why we invited their crew to document our holiday photo shoot. Get ready to fall in love.

For our Holiday 2011 campaign, we snuck off to one of our favorite locations in NYC’s Greenwich Village. With Carter Smith behind the camera shooting Karen Elson and Andrew Cooper, it was a very merry shoot.