project. extraordinary by Ryan Wohlgemut & Lulu McArdle
Art & Photography / 2026 /
- Photography
- Lulu McArdle
- Styling & Fabrication
- Ryan Wohlgemut
- Hair
- Karen Bradshaw
- Makeup
- Faye Bluff
- Model
- Charlotte Siddons
- Makeup Assistant
- Yong-Chin
- 1st Lighting Assistant
- Martin Eito
- Production
- Emily Lowe
- Production
- Francesca Albarosa
- Production Assistant
- Emma Navabi
- Studio
- Myrtle Studios.
- Special thanks
- COMMUNITY KIT HIRE
- Editor-at-large
- Czar Van Gaal
- project. extraordinary curated by
- Shibo Chen
The most surprising part of transforming candles into wearable pieces was discovering that wax adheres to nothing quite as well as it does to itself. Working with ribbon, light, and candles, we were drawn to the idea of illumination. The reflective metallic ribbon, the flames, and the lights each created their own distinct glow, building a layered sense of radiance throughout the piece. Alongside this, there was an ongoing conversation around the absence of sensual imagery today. We became interested in the idea of bringing light to that space, approaching sensuality in a way that felt intentional, considered, and quietly powerful.
The candles also hold a deeply personal reference point for me. When I was 11, there was a fire in my childhood home, an experience that left me with a lasting fear of flames. Working directly with fire to mold and shape the crown, bra, and skirt pushed me far beyond my comfort zone. In many ways, this project became a way of confronting that fear, and I’m proud of what it allowed me to move through.
“Working with ribbon, light, and candles, we were drawn to the idea of illumination.”
