styled stories for Kelly & Jones NYC

This project is extra special to me, as Kelly of Kelly & Jones was actually my very first client!

Back when I went to school in Tucson, AZ, Kelly owned the loveliest DIY spa and scent studio, Salud. I was obsessed and in there all the time! So much so that we became friendly and she trusted me to capture her studio before I even owned a DSLR camera. It was with this very first “real” paid job that my mom forwarded me the money to afford the camera so I could shoot the gig and launch my career. For both these women I will forever be grateful. <3

It is many years later and Kelly now lives in my favorite NYC neighborhood Greenwich Village, the home base of her wine-inspired perfume line, Kelly & Jones (read her story here).

As her business grows, Kelly wanted to create new images that tell the story of these scents, beyond just the ingredients in them. To show how the perfumes enhance not just the wine you may be drinking while you wear them, but also your adventures around New York and beyond. To hit this point home, we developed the tagline “What’s Your Pairing?” and incorporated NYC ephemera and Kelly’s personal belongings to illustrate the experiences that inspired them.

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Notes of Sauvignon Blanc | Pairing: The Long Island Sound

“I took a sip. He took my hand and we dove off the boat into the cool Long Island Sound. My lips could still taste grapefruit and green apple from our Sauvignon Blanc, blended with his kiss. The New York skyline floated on the horizon, cast in pastel light from the sunset.”

Notes of Riesling | Pairing: A Manhattan Fire Escape

“I pulled the curtains and climbed out onto the fire escape balcony. It was hidden bliss above city noise and busy sidewalks. My glass of Riesling sparkled in peach sunlight as I bit into a sweet pear and looked into the city. Petals fell from the sky, between the ladders and into my glass.”

Notes of Cabernet | Pairing: A West Village Wine Bar

“Butterflies. I turned the corner of 4th Avenue and into the wine bar. Dark leather and wood contrasted with candlelight and I saw him, waiting with two glasses of Cabernet. The wine revealed our stories and he held my hand on his knee. Spicy peppercorn and black cherry stained our lips.”

Notes of Merlot | Pairing: A Brooklyn Dinner Party

“We rushed underground and onto the Brooklyn-bound train. The stop was just outside an ordinary rowhouse, and a friend’s kitchen table. We uncorked bottles of Merlot and city stories. Red Currant and Rhubarb were velvet on our tongues. All we needed was good wine and each other.”

Notes of Chardonnay | Pairing: Tuesday Night, a Perry Street Apartment

“New York minutes pass by outside the window. A blanket warms my shoulders and slows time. I pour a glass of Chardonnay, break the burnt caramel on a crème brûlée, and savor his letters. The words bloom into sweet lessons of life and love.”