Fashion royalty Kate Moss, Sean O’Pry and Karmen Pedaru become Russian aristocrats in a former residence of a Tsar for Ferragamo’s campaign inspired by the country’s extraordinary heritage. Russia’s history is famously dramatic and tumultuous. This whirlwind mix became the inspiration behind Ferragamo’s Autumn/Winter 2013 campaign, styled by the unparalleled Anastasia Barbieri. The all-out opulence of Tsarist era ornaments, silks, hussar coats and lace creates a truly unusual mix with the strict forms and reserved colour palettes of post-revolutionary Russia, and the brand’s collection reflects this contrast.

To match this feel, we shot in the Russian embassy in Berlin, a building that is steeped in this history: serving as Tsar Nicholas the First’s residence in the 19th century, it then became an embassy and was rebuilt after World War II, adding quirky Soviet design to royal grandeur. In a place like that, Kate, Karmen and Sean really did look like royalty, as captured by the striking images that are permeated with the unique atmosphere of the setting.

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