Desert Tempest — Shooting a Sustainable Fashion Editorial in the Desert for Luxiders Magazine

A Story Written by the Wind

Sustainability was at the core of this editorial, which made the desert the perfect location. The minimal environment naturally supports a more thoughtful approach — fewer distractions, fewer unnecessary elements, and more focus on storytelling.

We worked with a selection of forward-thinking fashion brands, bringing together textures and silhouettes that responded to the wind and movement of the landscape. The styling was designed to feel fluid and organic, almost like the garments were evolving with the terrain.

From a production perspective, shooting in the desert always comes with challenges — shifting winds, changing light, and unpredictable conditions. But that’s also what makes it exciting. Some of the best moments came from embracing those variables rather than trying to control them.

I recently shot Desert Tempest, a sustainable fashion editorial for Luxiders Magazine, and it’s one of those projects that really reminded me why I love working in the desert.

There’s something about the environment out there that strips everything back. No distractions. Just light, texture, movement, and the elements. It forces you to work differently — and that’s exactly what we leaned into for this shoot.

The concept behind Desert Tempest was simple: let the landscape lead. We wanted the fashion to feel like it belonged in the environment rather than sitting on top of it. Wind, sand, and natural light became part of the story, shaping each frame as we shot.

You can view the full editorial here:
Luxiders Magazine Article

My Approach to Editorial Fashion Photography

For me, editorial shoots like this are always about creating atmosphere. I’m less interested in perfectly controlled images and more focused on capturing something that feels real and cinematic.

With Desert Tempest, we kept things minimal. Natural light, open space, and movement did most of the work. The desert becomes a kind of natural studio — constantly changing and impossible to replicate.

It’s also why I enjoy working on sustainable fashion editorials. There’s a shared mindset around being intentional, whether that’s in the creative direction, the styling, or the production approach.

The Team Behind Desert Tempest

This was a strong collaborative effort with a brilliant team:

Photography & Direction — Ross Perkins
Model — Negar Mirzadeh
Producer — Manon Brouant
Styling — Shadi Shay
Make-up — Evgeniya Kurpitko
DOP — Alireza Yahoozadeh
Assistant — Sacha Maroud
BTS Film — Maria Lashmanova
Poem — Belvis Soler

Everyone brought something unique to the shoot, and that collaborative energy really comes through in the final images.