ET OCHS dress and SAINT LAURENT shoes. Photographed by Greg Swales for the March 2025 Issue of Vogue Philippines
The Hollywood actress was photographed in downtown Los Angeles.
“This being her first Vogue cover shoot, Hailee was thrilled to be part of such a milestone moment, especially for Vogue Philippines,” says the styling duo Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn of the shoot with Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld. Having worked with the likes of Pharrell Williams, Jennifer Lopez, and Rihanna over the years, they were tasked to supervise the main story editorial photographed by Greg Swales.
Regarding the shoot, “I was very excited to work with Vogue Philippines since their launch; the work has been consistently thoughtful,” confessed Greg, who equally has an elite roster of celebrities and brands in his portfolio, from the Kardashians to Versace. “After my conversation with [fashion director] Pam Quinones and discovering Hailee’s Philippine heritage, I realized how special this project is for everyone involved.”
According to Pam, the genesis of the shoot was inspired by Hailee’s newsletter, ‘Beau Society,’ which was released a month before the story was put together. “It’s a deeply personal approach to her life, controlling her narrative and creating real connections through a two-way newsletter.” In this month’s cover story, Hailee shared that the newsletter’s name came from her family’s nickname, Beau. “Beau Society naturally morphed into its initials, BS, which evolved into ‘This is BS,’ my mom coined that expression during a fitting, and it stuck immediately.”
Using this pearl of wisdom as a foundation: ‘IT’S (NO) B.S’ is “a series of fashion portraits revealing a quiet force informed by Hailee’s evolution… discerning and empowered, all grown up and secure in her skin, to be photographed in her hometown LA.” For fashion direction, Rob and Mariel were “inspired by the idea of a shapeshifter, aiming to celebrate and highlight the best of the body.”
Motivated by the spring 2025 shows, with the ’90s intersection of the ’60s style that underlined many of the collections, the chosen final looks were simple yet impactful. “There’s an exaggeration of hips via peplums, tutus, or panniers,” as seen in the chocolate brown Et Ochs look. Tory Burch and Cong Tri demonstrated “technical draping and suspended volume, “showing the body with cutouts and sheer layers via full Gucci, Max Mara, and Prada looks.”
The pièce de résistance in everyone’s eyes was unmistakably the runway look from Jonathan Anderson’s final collection. “The Loewe jacket was a standout piece,” remarked Rob and Mariel, with its feather-like detailing of “almost armor-like quality.” Endorsing it further, Pam spoke about her relationship with the design. “When the team saw it in Paris last September, we were drawn to its couture-like craftsmanship. It celebrated Jonathan’s propensity for doing high craft, which is utterly modern in silhouette and sensibility. In a way, the mother of pearl material is close to home with the Philippines being an archipelago with an abundance of pearls.”
A touch of Filipino design was present in the works of Michelle Ochs and Chris Habana, and Hailee’s choppy bob haircut was fresh off the set from her new movie Sinners, and embodied the same energy as a young Milla Jovovich in Pam’s view. Above all, it was “the perfect recipe for success,” in Greg’s words. “I have collaborated many times with her styling and glam team, and they have all spoken very highly of both Hailee’s personality, but beauty and ease on set. It felt like a day with friends.” On reflection, Rob and Mariel’s final words were, “With her Filipino heritage, this shoot felt particularly meaningful, and we were so proud to have been a part of it.”
Photographs by GREG SWALES. Styling by ROB ZANGARDI & MARIEL HAENN. Makeup: Ash K Holm. Hair: Gregory Russel. Executive Producer: Anz Hizon. Producer: Alexey Galetskiy. Nails: Tom Bachik. Production Assistants: Ivan Shentalinskiy, Grace Sundarathiti. Photographer’s Assistants: Juliet Lambert, Maya Sacks, Stephen Krajeski. Digital Tech: Toma Kostygina. Stylist’s Assistants: Hannah Margeson, Elliot Soriano. Tailor: Oxana Sumenko. Cinematographer: Chevy Tyler. Management: Maggie Bryant, Caroline Imhoff, Jill Demling. Catering: Haute Chefs. Shot on location at AGP West
