05/13/2025
The scent of freshly brewed Ethiopian coffee mixes with hairspray as we slip into Maxime’s cavernous Studio 3. In the center of the organized chaos stands , barefaced and wrapped in a silk kimono, analyzing mood boards with the intensity of a chess master. This is where magic happens before the world sees it.
The Unseen Rituals
Between takes for Maxime’s upcoming couture campaign, Elise’s pre-shoot routine reveals why she’s become the photographer’s secret weapon:
The Breathing Drill: 4-7-8 inhalations to "reset her angles"
Shadow Play: Practicing expressions using the studio’s lighting rig
Fabric School: Memorizing textile weights to predict movement
When Disaster Strikes Artistry
Mid-morning, the vintage Dior gown’s hem tears during a dramatic turn. Without missing a beat, Elise transforms the accident into gold – improvising a liquid-like fall that has the creative director frantically scribbling notes. "Most beautiful mistakes start as problems," she later confides while stitching the delicate fabric herself.
The 17-Hour Secret
As golden hour fades, the crew’s energy wanes – until Elise emerges from makeup with a second wind. Her trick? A hidden playlist of 90s hip-hop in one AirPod, Baroque concertos in the other. "The rhythm contradiction keeps my body guessing," she laughs during a sushi break, showing no signs of the day’s grueling pace.
At 11:23 PM, we catch her last Polaroid – not of the final look, but of the exhausted yet exhilarated crew. "These are my real cover stars," she writes on the instant film. In an industry obsessed with surfaces, Elise Benson remembers what lies beneath.