A few months ago, Tilda Swinton, Waris Ahluwalia and Paul James walked into a London restaurant. As meals among friends are wont to do, talk turned to favorites. Travel was a common denominator and the trio swapped stories of memorable hotels. With an actress, an entrepreneur and the Global Brand Leader of The Luxury Collection hotel group (James) at the table, it's no surprise their conversation went from general musings to a specific project.
Spearheaded by Ahluwalia, it was decided their collaboration would be a short film which would echo the essence of their chat: the simple, unbridled joy of traveling. The next step was amassing a team to make this happen, which Ahluwalia and Swinton deftly accomplished. From director Luca Guadagnino to stylist Heidi Bivens to musician Jason Schwartzman, a first rate group of creatives were assigned to the project. The crown jewel in this group was British model Agyness Deyn whose fresh faced beauty juxtaposed with sophisticated carriage was key to the project. Together, the group traveled through three of the Luxury Collection's breathtaking hotels, the Equinox in Vermont, the Phoenician in Arizona and the Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu.
The completed film was viewed last week when Ahluwalia, Tilda, and James once again entered a room. This time, it wasn't for a private dinner but a public viewing of the Swinton and Ahluwalia produced shot titled, Here. As a chic crowd of friends and fans shuffled into the movie theater the air was electric with anticipation.
They were not disappointed.
The 30-minute video is a stylish, subdued and silent exercise in beauty. From the first scene of a solitary Deyn reading a letter to the last of her meeting a lover, it's a symphony of symmetry. By the end you feel transported, not only to scenic settings in the film, but to the moment that started it all: three friends, a cozy dinner and quiet musings on travel.
Experience the video here.