Fashion Films: Designer Georgina Chapman's Directorial Debute

Chapman (center right) with Stone, Longoria, Howard, Foxx and Murphy

From Designer to Director

Marchesa's Georgina Chapman Set to Direct a Short Film

Written By: Schatzie Miller

Stretching her artist limbs past creating one of Brittan's hottest  labels, designer and Marchesa co-founder, Georgina Chapman will embark on a new stylish outlet- film. Chapman’s next endeavor is directing a short film for Canon’s Project Imaginat10n -- a user generated photo contest to inspire short films.  

Chapman's ultra feminine aesthetic and draping expertise are a favorite here at The Stylist Handbook and have become a red carpet mainstay -- being regularly featured in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. She recently starred as a guest judge on Project Runway: All Stars.

Legendary film director, Ron Howard, will serve as mentor to Chapman and additional celebrity directors including: Eva Longoria, Jamie Foxx, Biz Stone (co-founder of Twitter) and James Murphy (founder of LCD Soundsystem) on their creative journey as they develop films inspired by 10 photos selected from a pool of 91 winners representing ten pillars in storytelling.

Winner: "Discovering Limits" By David Saylor

"As a designer there is nothing more exciting than having the opportunity to narrate a specific vision exactly as you imagined it," said Georgina Chapman.

A consumer vote helped narrow down the photographs, where one of the selected winners’ photos was chosen by Ron Howard in the “Discovery” category to be a thematic tie across the celebrities’ films. In addition to “Discovery,” the themes include Character, Mood, Goal, Backstory, Setting, Obstacle, Relationship, The Unknown and Time. The celebrity directors had to choose additional photographs to help shape and inspire each of their artistic visions. Chapman choose Brooke Shaden's photograph, "The Sharing Game," from the Obstacle category.

 In 2011, Ron Howard and digital imaging solutions provider, Canon U.S.A. partnered for a similar creative endeavor, “Project Imagin8ion.”  Eight photos were selected and influenced an award-winning short film, “When You Find Me,” directed by Bryce Dallas Howard.

 "The Sharing Game"  by Brooke Shaden

“I am so passionate about the integrity and user-generated process of ‘Project Imaginat10n’ where our celebrity directors can be directly inspired by photographers from all across the country,” said Ron Howard. 

“As we selected the photographs, I was blown away by the beauty, perspective and intrigue that they conveyed, and was thrilled that so many people wanted to once again take part in this exciting artistic experiment.”

For year two of Canon’s “Long Live Imagination” campaign, “Project Imaginat10n,” will continue to mentor  celebrity directors as they begin the film making process to prove that “we’re all creative.”