Around 25 years ago I worked a lot with a makeup artist called Adrian. At some point he wanted to cast someone of Bridget's age and paint all the lines and wrinkles of her face with real gold. To show them, to value them and to compare them to gold. Something precious. Unfortunately we never got to do the story, and Adrian stopped working in the industry because he wasn't appreciated.
Back then I thought it was a great idea. But he had a vision. I only saw the visuals. A quarter of a century later I get him.
I haven't shot new pictures for my skin series for a long time, and I haven't entered a competition for even longer. The times are challenging, a lot of clients are turning to AI and the world is changing a lot faster than anyone predicted. I'm not complaining, I use AI every single day. But I needed a statement. Not against AI but for craft. For real people. For stories. So finally I pushed myself and just went for it.
Who would be better than Bridget to make a statement? She's been an activist all her life. "I've been through feminism, racism, all the prejudices," she once said. Ageism is the last bastion.
Well, 88 years in itself is a statement. Her energy, presence and openness take it a few levels up.
On my skin project I ask the hair and makeup team to do what they feel on the day, when they see the models. My concept is not having one. No limitations, just inspiration. Look at the amazing hair Kei created and the bold blue eye shadow Julie Jacobs painted on. I couldn't have planned that. It happened as a result of a conversation, time spent together and the energy in the room.
Bridget's love of everything bright, colourful and striking did the rest: the yellow top, the earrings and the shell ring she brought back from Fiji. I mean, how many people do you know who lived in Fiji? Funny enough, the yellow surprised me, which it really shouldn't have. She's been telling people to wear orange, pink and yellow, "sometimes all at the same time", for years.
The result is simple, unretouched, bold, confident and all about Bridget. And it won Beauty at the Production Paradise Spotlight Awards 2026.
Adrian wanted real gold on those lines. Bridget didn't need it.