The studio for the 'Aurum & Ash' jewelry campaign was a cavernous, industrial space in the heart of the capital's art district.
The air was thick with the scent of expensive hairspray, ozone from the high-voltage lighting rigs, and the frantic, nervous energy of the assistants scurrying like ants.
Sarah, Chen Ying's new manager, walked beside her with a tablet tucked under one arm, her heels clicking rhythmically on the concrete floor.
"Listen to me, Yingying," Sarah whispered, her voice low but firm. "The photographer is Pierre Vane. He's brilliant, but he's also a temperamental nightmare. He likes to break his models down to find 'vulnerability.' Since this is your first real high-fashion shoot, just follow his lead. If he tells you to look like a lost child, look like a lost child. We need these shots to be perfect to cement your luxury status."
