Hello hello❤️
Spend a few days in my life with me, shooting the latest campaign for ZOEVA cosmetics in Frankfurt, Germany. This is a little glimpse into model life, behind the scenes, from travel to early mornings, long shoot days, and exploring a new city.
I was faced with a tough decision on this one; I had 2 global beauty brands wanting to confirm me on the same day. Model life for you. Those that get it, get it. To even write this is a dream come true, as I used to dream about those days. I am so unbelievably grateful to be in this position. ZOEVA Cosmetics was actually the first makeup brand I purchased. It was an eyeshadow palette back in the day, and wow, did that see me through fun times. I remember I used to get home from school and practise makeup techniques just out of interest, so when the time came where I could wear makeup, I’d be epic at it. Lol, that time came, and now I hardly wear makeup!
It’s funny because I wrote a goal for the start of the month to get a campaign. At that point I had no campaigns lined up. Then 3 days into the new month, this option came in, and I was super happy when it was confirmed. And since then, this has happened again. Let this be a reminder to never aim small even if it doesn’t seem realistic at the time. Always have hope. Create space for the magic to happen. And by space, you must all know by now I mean mental space.
Travel day
I was flown to Frankfurt, really excited because I haven’t been to Germany before. Once I arrived, I checked into the hotel in Offenbach. It was a business hotel, which was perfect because they had a lovely working area. I arrived around 5pm, so I freshened up and went out in the area to find a dinner spot. I stumbled across this burger place. Now, I’m not a huge burger person. But this place. NO WORDS! It was a small family-owned restaurant with the most incredible burgers I’ve ever had in my life. So if you happen to be in the area, make sure to try it! It wasn’t a super fancy place. It was a local restaurant with genuinely tasty food and friendly prices. The restaurant is called Der PR Burger.
After food, I made my way back to the hotel, and I had some work to do for my Model Mindset Workshop. Then before you know it, it was time to have a pamper and self-care evening and get some rest before the big days ahead of me.
Shoot day 1
Morning stress…
Typical, I woke up with a few breakouts. Sometimes travel can do that to me. I was a little stressed knowing the client needed clear skin. So, I woke up earlier to make sure I had time to do my morning rituals. I could have spiralled and gone into the day feeling self-conscious. But no, I reminded myself that skin is skin and it’s constantly changing. You can have the clearest skin in the world, and it can break out in a second. Thankfully, we live in a world with less pressure to be ‘perfect’. A huge part of the Model Mindset is learning to stay confident regardless of what’s happening. So I walked into my job feeling confident and didn’t let this dampen my mood or energy because, after all, it shows.
I arrived at the ZOEVA HQ; it was snowing like crazy outside! I may or may not have slipped coming out of the taxi (but we don’t need to talk about that LOL). Team clumsy, where we at?
3 looks, 3 personalities
There’s an in house studio at the HQ. I was briefed on the campaign and shown the products we were shooting. We were shooting eyeliners and lipsticks. It was all on video with lots of movement. The colours were so vibrant and bold. It made me want to start practising cool makeup on myself again. I had about 3 look changes, each embodying a different personality and energy to match the shade. There was a bright lavender purple, a dark metallic brown, a softer shade of brown, and so on. I love this part of the job. It allows you to bring out your alter ego and play with different expressions and emotions. And the best part about video is that it’s okay if it looks off, because you have a chance to move around. You can really channel your inner diva here.
It was a really nice day with a fun team. The energy on set was amazing, and I was just reminded of how grateful I am to be there.
I wrapped for the day and was debating going into the city centre to explore because, of course, I can’t help but explore in a new place. But I was so knackered and had another shoot day, so I decided to do the most sensible thing and head back, grab some dinner and get to sleep.
Shoot day 2
I had 3 more looks, playing different characters. We did one of my favourite looks, which was a more fierce, bold look, and used the product as a cigarette. It was a lot of fun for a non-smoker! I wasn’t really sure how to hold it, lol. It was this day that I discovered my new obsession, other than that burger… FRITZCOLA! Sorry, but how have I never heard of this before? Adding it to the obsessions list. I always love a 2-day shoot, as it gives you time to properly mix with the team. Especially when you’re working in a new market. Again, it was a relaxed day, which was so nice, as sometimes with campaigns there is immense pressure to work within a timeframe, especially if the production is big. This was well thought out so there was none of that.
Exploring Frankfurt
I finished a little earlier, and this was the day I decided to explore Frankfurt. So I took a cab into the city centre of Frankfurt and walked along this bridge to the other side of the city. It was gorgeous, looking at all of the high-rise buildings. It reminded me of mini New York. I had my ‘whimsical queen’ playlist playing, trying to romanticise the fact I was shivering. Girly did not pack for the snow. I then went to the main square and shopping centre area, which was so beautiful. The colourful houses and streets. It felt so safe and clean. I then stumbled on a rooftop bar and made my way there. I sat outside, still shivering and sniffling but warming myself with a peppermint tea. (Who goes to a bar and orders a peppermint tea? A baddie does).
And I just took a moment to breathe and be present. These moments are so important to me because this is what allows me to stay grounded and really FEEL on a deeper level. Frankfurt was another destination ticked off. And to think I had just done a campaign for a huge company too. I was overflowing with emotions. After my movie moment, I went back to the hotel and decided to get that burger again. Now, I am not one to keep going back to a place unless it’s top of the top. And I really felt I couldn’t leave Frankfurt without having this specific burger again. So I went back and ate; I was in a state of heaven and then headed back to the hotel, as I had a crazy early-morning flight back home.
Moments in between
The campaign is finally out, so here are some of the pictures and BTS from my time in Germany.
One thing I love about model life is that it allows me to experience places and opportunities. Frankfurt is another place ticked off on my travel list, and the best thing… I am travelling while I get to do what I love.
Thank you to the ZOEVA team for trusting me and to my incredible agents for always giving me the coolest opportunities.
This is one to remember!
Love,
Discover more from Asha Rakha
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