PICTURES: Glamis Road dogs make cover of Harper’s Bazaar accompanied by supermodel
Three deerhounds from Wick have celebrity status as they grace the cover of this month’s Harper’s Bazaar along with a supermodel outside the Castle of Mey.
The glitzy fashion magazine, on shelves now, features top model Jourdan Dunn outside the Caithness royal residence accompanied by three elegant dogs owned by Ian and Laura Swanson from Glamis Road in Wick.
“Myself and my husband Ian went to the Castle of Mey on April 6 for the photo shoot for Harper's Bazaar Magazine with top UK model Jourdan Dunn and photographer Richard Phibbs,” said Laura.
“He was flown in from New York, especially for the shoot. This was the first time that a magazine was given access to the Castle of Mey by the King’s Foundation who now manage the castle and gardens. Our friend Evelyn Munro works there and when the photographer was looking for deerhounds for the shoot, she knew exactly who to ask.”
Laura said it was an “incredible experience” but dogs Briar, Barra and Beulah took it all in their stride. She added that the hairy trio loved the event and being made a fuss of.
“It was fascinating to see how the modelling world works. There were about a dozen people helping to dress the model in Chanel, Gucci and Prada outfits, to name but a few, and the most beautiful jewellery from Van Cleef and Arpels.”
There was a funny story to relate when Beulah the deerhound saw supermodel Jourdan change into a Prada jacket with a crown of fresh flowers in her hair.
“I knew Beulah would try to get the flowers, so right on cue, up she jumped to sniff them. Poor Jourdan was concerned for the expensive Prada jacket so said, ‘Oh no! Not the Prada!’ but the photographer said ‘That's the shot, get her to do it again!’. It was a lovely shot.”
Laura continued: “Of course, we have known since then that it would be in Harper's Bazaar’s June issue and we were waiting on tenterhooks to see if it would make the front page and were not disappointed.
“I could go on for hours describing what I saw, it really was the most surreal experience. I mean who comes from a council estate in Wick and gets a photo of their beloved pets on the front page of a worldwide magazine like Harper’s Bazaar?”
The kennel name the dogs are registered under is ‘Altimarlach’, the site of the last clan battle in Scotland which took place just outside Wick in 1672. The deerhounds’ formal names are Cotherstone Dallas Dhu of Altimarlach (Barra), Altimarlach Archangel (Briar) and Zeldini Oren of Altimarlach (Beulah).
“Barra is a UK show champion. We travel all over the country showing them, Crufts included. The three of them were all placed in their classes at Crufts this year being shown against dogs from Germany, France, Italy, Sweden and Romania.”
On her experience shooting at the Castle of Mey, the late Queen Mother’s Scottish retreat and now used by King Charles, model Jourdan said: “The place was so beautiful. All seals, and water, and sands – it was a wonderful escape.
“I understand the attraction, to be so far away from everybody. My gran loved the Queen Mother – they shared the same birthday – so this would probably have been her proudest thing.”
On why this cover shoot for Bazaar is special to her, Jourdan added: “Getting this cover – I feel a bit emotional about it.
“Three years ago, I’d have thought, ‘Why would I get that?’. This time, that little voice did try to pipe up, and I was like: why wouldn’t I be best of British? I’ve learnt to quieten those doubts.”
For more info on the magazine visit: www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/jourdandunn
The current issue celebrates the ‘Best of British’ and the supermodel talks to editor-in-chief, Lydia Slater, about why this shoot is so special to her, embracing her own creativity and power, and her future ambitions.
