Christopher Gatt is a London-based session stylist whose experience spans across fashion shows, music videos, editorial as well as commercial work. As the world slowed down and one cancellation after the other poured in, Gatt knew it was going to be a strange time, “When all jobs where cancelled and no shoots where going ahead, I instantly thought ‘this will be a completely fresh page and chapter in my path’, but I definitely need to keep busy, and proactive.”

On the lookout for a new project to keep his mind well-oiled and the creativity flowing, Gatt found a piece of wood which he, over the course of three weeks carved into a mannequin head. He challenged himself, firstly to style his wooden head with anything he already had in the room, and secondly, to “keep to a concept purely inspired by music (which has been playing non-stop at home) and NOT looking at any references.” The light setup was his living room window, the backdrop a dark curtain, and the photographer was his wife Svetlana standing by with a phone camera. It doesn’t matter how DIY a project seems, as long as you’re actively using your brain to come up with concepts and solutions. As Gatt puts it, “Shooting this made me think of how important it is to train our brains to keep flowing with new ideas, and not just do the same old techniques that our hands can do subconsciously.”

During this time, Gatt misses being around other people and working collaboratively, but he sees a silver lining in using this situation to revitalise, and push himself; “perhaps this time allows me to be true to myself, and when we restart, I can go in with a keen and fresh mindset.” But he has hopes for the future and thinks people will feel motivated and grateful: “I think this industry will adapt like it always has, and people will find different ways to style, express or consume in a new appreciative era. I just hope that we will remember this for a while and learn our lessons whatever they might be.”