Meet the Creative Ninja Behind Modern Citizen’s Spring Lookbook

Therese Jacinto is on the pursuit of all things creative. With her love for DIY, fashion, and design, Therese decided to give her freelance interior design business a voice — now known as Craft and Couture.   

On top of managing her blog, Therese is also Modern Citizen’s “creative ninja.” She shares what that job description entails, saying, “it requires creativity and efficiency — a mastery of working quick and smart under pressure (hence, creative ninja).”

Alongside her small but mighty team of four, Therese used her ninja abilities to produce Modern Citizen’s Spring ’17 lookbook — all in less than three hours. We talked to Therese to see how she made it happen.

Background

What was your “aha moment” when you decided to turn your passion project into a business?

In 2014, I was approached by a major international beauty company and was commissioned to style and photograph images for their social media channels for a month. This was my “aha moment” — I realized, I should be doing this for a living!

Now, my blog remains a personal passion project — a place where I can explore and experiment with my skills, and express my personal style. Long story short, I made sure to constantly learn, improve and stay curious over the years. I believe that in this day and age, it pays to explore and hone skills beyond what’s required and what you’re comfortable with.  

Who is Modern Citizen for? What is your role at Modern Citizen?

Modern Citizen is for today’s woman — she’s ambitious, forward-thinking and a dynamic citizen of the world. Her style isn’t defined by trends — it’s a balance between what is classic and what is current. She’s a savvy shopper that appreciates elegance, quality, and comfort at an accessible price point.

 What is your role at Modern Citizen?

I’m currently the digital content director and creative lead at Modern Citizen. I wear many hats in this role — from managing and planning our social media accounts to translating our brand’s story through strong visual content.

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Creative Process

As the “Creative Ninja” behind Modern Citizen, can you walk me through your creative process?  

After getting a peek at the items we’ll be working with, the marketing and creative teams work together and start conceptualizing the story. Depending on the season, what pieces we’ll be highlighting, and how much time we have — we decide on whether we do a studio or a location shoot. Since we launch new pieces frequently, we typically have very little time to plan and execute. Everything is considered to maximize efficiency in all areas — from the day (chances of rain?) and time (chasing the light!), to props (what can we set up quickly), to the model (more experience = much faster).

What was the concept for this Spring ‘17 lookbook?

The Spring ‘17 lookbook features classic silhouettes with interesting textures, thoughtful details and a refreshing neutral palette. We wanted to highlight the comfort, ease, and versatility of the pieces.

Location

The drew you to this garden studio for your shoot?

The light and overall aesthetic! The wood tones, color palette and minimal features perfectly reflect the vibe we were looking for. We wanted to utilize natural light to highlight the new season, and this space had a lot of it!

 With so many different styles and looks, how did you utilize the space?

There were so many perfect little corners and walls throughout the space that created mini “moments”. We made sure to pair each outfit with a spot that would complement the overall look. The furniture and plants were used as props to add some texture and interest.

The Day of the Shoot  

How did you go about choosing the model?

We’ve been working with Tracy for a while now. She has such a beautiful, fresh face and is a dream to work with.

What was your goal for the shoot?  

Our goal was to capture the sense of ease and simplicity of the collection. We wanted to use  natural light to celebrate the onset of the season and highlight the beautiful textures and tones of the pieces.

What are your tips on capturing BTS moments?  

I like to capture as many videos and photos as possible so that I can tell a cohesive story. Knowing the day’s schedule, I take note of points where I can sneak in shots that would be interesting. It helps to have both my phone and a compact camera with me at all times. When I catch a little break, I start selecting my favorites on the camera roll, and quickly stitch together snippets from the day. I find it interesting when there’s a suggestive approach to the details, the mood, and general aesthetic — a quick snap of a buckle being fastened, a shot of the flash going off……It’s about giving followers a glimpse — just a little something to pique curiosity.

What does creativity mean to you?  

Creativity means being resourceful and utilizing talent to produce something unique, inspiring or innovative. I find inspiration in everyday, simple things, books, old magazines, and museums!

Hair and Makeup: Jill Mlynczyk
Model: Tracy Kristine
Photographer: Miranda De Lay
Creative Direction, BTS Photographer: Therese Jacinto

 

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Fun facts!  

I can’t start my day without: Making our bed and having breakfast

When I feel uninspired: I take a walk, research places I want to travel to,  browse through Pinterest or visit a museum

If I could describe my style, it’d be: Luxe minimalism — easy modern elegance 

Last thing I read: Charlotte’s Web (my daughter’s class just finished this book)

Favorite Instagram accounts I follow: Too many! The last one’s I’ve taken a peek at today: @_roomonfire, @whowhatwear, @pernilleteisbaek

My favorite designer: Phoebe Philo (clothing), Joseph Dirand (Interiors)

Guilty pleasure: Doughnuts

Life motto: Have courage and be kind!

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