Project Live Your Life Back to School 2013 Cast. Photo by @hurricanekatrinac.

The Back to School photo shoot was inspired by the place where American style thrives—New York City. From SOHO to the Meatpacking District to Brooklyn, the NYC landscapes—and the literally thousands of photos that were captured during the week!—will be the backdrop to the cast for the marketing you see in stores, on AE.com and on our social media channels.

All of our cast members also filmed a confessional style videos, where they talked about their inspirations, passions and personal style. The videos were especially fun to shoot because they were able to experience things that are quintessentially New York, including riding a water taxi from Brooklyn to Manhattan, skateboarding down the cobblestone streets of Brooklyn and eating the best slice of pizza in New York (Joe’s Pizza, according to video director Jenner).

Seth, Leanne and Jacob eating Joe’s Pizza. Photo by @americaneagle.

When they arrived at the airport on Saturday, winners received the star treatment. Each one found his or her name on white boards held by private drivers. They were then whisked off to Hotel Rivington in the Lower East Side of Manhattan to get ready for a meet and greet with the cast and crew.

Arriving at JFK in style. Photo by @brandoncastrox.

The photo shoot began on Saturday with hair styling for each cast member. They received haircuts, color treatments and some of the girls were even given hair extensions. Everyone (guys and girls!) had their hands pampered with manicures and were then fitted for their outfits. Being a part of the photo shoot gave the cast a special sneak peek at our Fall line that will be in stores and online this July.

The cast showing off their manicures. Photo by @abbeyforddd.

After their fittings, the cast had the opportunity to explore New York City together before shooting began on Monday. They hit up famous NYC landmarks, including Katz’s Delicatessen on the Lower East Side, our flagship store in Soho and the bright lights of Times Square. All of their Instagram feeds were full of pictures with new friends all over the Big Apple.

Luke captured this Intsagram pic of the Back to School cast grabbing sushi together after a day of fittings.

On Monday, the real work started. Shoot days began early at base camp, which was located at Highline Stages in NYC’s historic Meatpacking District. Our cast and crew fueled up on breakfast each day at the studio before the cast went in for hair and makeup. Food is never at a shortage on photo shoots, since craft services always offer meals and snacks throughout the day.

Project Live Your Life Back to School 2013 Catering. Photo by @brandoncastrox.

The shoot consisted of four sets, which meant being bustled throughout the city during the week to capture photos and videos. Cast members were afforded the opportunity to work with renowned photographer, RJ Shaughnessy, and an all-star video team including Jay Silver, Jenner Furst and Julia Nason. Every cast member worked with our creative team and stylists and experienced a peek behind the scenes of one of their favorite brands.

On the last day of the shoot, the teams all wrapped the only way you can in New York City—with a rooftop dance party! The cast exchanged tearful goodbyes with the crew before heading into the city to spend their last hours together before leaving the next day.

Project Live Your Life winners with photo director Sean at the wrap party. Photo by @brigittemichelle.

After the shoot wrapped, two of the cast members shared their thoughts on the life changing experience.

Brigitte, Lauren and Elora pose while on set. Photo by @laurenarielday.

“Shooting with AE was one of the best experiences of my life. Not only was working with the photographers and crew a blast, but getting to know the cast members was absolutely incredible. I had no idea we would all get as close as we did. I just want to say thank you to everyone who was involved in the trip, cast and crew. Without each and every person there it would not have been the same. You all are amazing and I hope to see everyone again soon! Love you guys!” – Brigette, ballet dancer from Rochester Hills, MI

“When I first got off the plane I was so petrified. I had no idea what this experience was going to be like. I had never really modeled for any big brands before so I was pretty nervous. Literally five minutes after arriving at the hotel, I ran into a cast member who was actually staying in the room next to me. As soon as we started talking we couldn’t stop… and that goes for everyone I met. All of our personalities really meshed well. I honestly fell in love with each and every person I had the privilege of meeting during this experience. All of the people who were involved in the creation of this campaign were incredibly kind and caring and it was nothing like I expected. Everyone was real, really real, and got along so incredibly well. All of the shots you’re about to see during this campaign were full of honest emotion. We loved being around each other and that will definitely show.” – Lauren, writer from San Diego, CA

Keep checking back to learn more about our Project Live Your Life winners and learn how you can be part of our next campaign.

Shoot days begin very early, especially during the Fall and Winter months when sunlight is limited (we shot our Spring campaign in November). Call time was typically around 6:00 a.m. depending on how far we had to travel to a location and how many shots were planned for that day. We shot  all over Los Angeles -  Malibu, Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, San Pedro, Venice Beach, and Santa Monica, so getting to some of our locations would take over an hour and a half of driving time. If you have ever been to Los Angeles, you know that it takes three times as long as you expect to get anywhere because of traffic!

I snapped this Instagram photo of downtown LA from Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area.

Breakfast is served on set while the cast members are in hair and make-up. The one thing I learned really fast about a photo shoot is there is a lot of food all the time… my Jeggings started feeling a little tight by the end of the week! Aside for the big meals of the day snacks are always abundant and I suddenly found myself having to try everything.

Ronnie grabs a bite of breakfast on set before the shoot begins.

Megan has her hair styled by Jayson Medina and make-up done by Jenna Menard.

After hair and makeup, the cast goes into wardrobe. The wardrobe team consists of stylists, stylist assistants, and the AE Business Strategies team, specifically Sarah L. and Lauren R.. There are stylists on every set, so if we are shooting multiple places at once, the stylists and their assistants are nearby to make sure everyone’s look is perfect from the placement of a necklace to the rolled cuff of a jean. I loved watching the stylists in action and was definitely making mental notes on how to wear some of our cute Spring pieces at home!

Our home office senior stylist Erin perfects George’s shirt.

Once shooting begins, things get really hectic, so I did my best to stay out of the way. We  had four different sets running simultaneously during the shoot – a video set and three photo sets to capture everything we need for marketing such as Looks to Live In.

The video set was my favorite to be on for a few different reasons. One was the first day I arrived when we were shooting at a house in Malibu. The grounds at the Malibu house felt like a secret garden because there were so many little trails and beautiful places to explore. I always fly in heels to save room in my bag (for more heels, of course), so everyone was laughing at me walking around on the uneven paths and in between trees and bushes in heels since I went straight to the set from the airport. Lesson learned – wear flat, comfortable shoes while on set!  The second was shooting on Venice Beach for Malia and Jarett‘s video. Watching them surf inspired me to put add ‘try surfing’ to my bucket list. Plus, I had my first celebrity sighting in LA - Pink rode by on a bicycle with her husband! (The second was Whoppi Goldberg when she walked past me in the hotel lobby!).

Malia and Jarett surfing in Venice Beach.

Another really fun day on set was when we were shooting Ronnie and Jason‘s video in San Pedro. While I was driving out to San Pedro, it was beautiful and sunny, but after lunch, the fog started rolling in. We kept shooting, but before long we could barely see each other because there was so much fog. As quickly as the fog came, it left. Visiting San Pedro was especially cool for me because it is where my grandfather was stationed before he left for the Pacific during World War II.

Being on set, I had the opportunity to get to know the cast personally. I spent the day wtih Tonikali while she was shooting her video and they had a beautiful outdoor area set up for her to paint. Watching her mix media to create a unique piece of art in about twenty minutes was amazing.

Tonikali poses by the painting she made for her video shoot.

I had my first run in with Jarett the next day. I was instantly blown away by his energy – it was still pretty early in the morning and he was doing flips and jumps that would make Gabby Douglas jealous.

Jarett showing off his moves.

The cast got to do some really awesome stuff on the shoot, from driving vintage Broncos and station wagons to spending the day showing us what they love to do. Eager to have a little fun myself, I took a quick bike ride around the set one afternoon to explore and have a little me time.

Traded in the rental car for two wheels of my own.

On the last day, I attended the Student Conservation Association service project in Solstice Canyon where the cast come together to do some much-needed conservation work. Their energy and camaraderie on the service project was so infectious and they left me feeling excited about our partnership with the SCA.

Photo shoot weeks are long, but definitely fun. But before I knew it, I was packing my bags to leave sunny Los Angeles for Pittsburgh on a red-eye. The most gratifying part of the trip overall was getting to know the cast and crew of our Spring 2013 photo shoot. The social part of social media is why I love my job! I loved being able to introduce and profile the amazing people you chose for our Spring 2013 Live Your Life cast.

If you have any questions about what else goes on at an AE photo shoot, be sure to leave them in the comments and I’ll respond.

The concept and ideas for the photo shoot begins in Pittsburgh, headquarters for American Eagle. Our creative team works across all areas of the business – from design to merchandising to marketing – to determine the story behind the season. For Spring 2013, the theme is color, individual style, and showcasing the story of our cast. Prior to the shoot, I also worked with these teams to brainstorm cool content ideas for social media and how to celebrate the real individuals in our campaign.

The Spring 2013 photo shoot took place in Los Angeles, CA so the journey began with a cross-country flight. Between my iPad, fashion magazines, Luna bars and coconut water, I was fully equipped for four hours of self-entertainment. This trip also marked my first time in LA, so I was extra excited to see a new city. I was a little nervous because like most of our cast, I did not know what to expect!

Jet lagged but excited to get to work, day one of the photo shoot starts with fittings for all the cast members. I arrived at the suite where fittings were taking place bright and early so I wouldn’t miss a thing. The room was overflowing with clothes, shoes, hats, scarves and accessories. Key looks were chosen by the merchandising teams prior to the shoot, but once they see someone’s personal style, they may adjust the outfits to better reflect it. Clothes are also tailored to look their best, so while the merchandising teams are checking out the looks, tailors are pinning and altering everything. I loved watching the casts’ reactions to their outfits and seeing our Spring styles before anyone else. I could see parts of my style reflected in our cast, but I definitely loved Emily Beth’s laid-back classic vibe and Malia’s beachy, surfer cool style.

The AE Business Strategy team and AE Stylists check out Emily Beth during her Spring 2013 fitting

After everyone agrees on the outfit, shoes, and key accessories, the outfit is photographed so the stylists can quickly build the look on set. Everyone has one or two main outfits for a season and then additional looks are built out for our web guides that include Looks to Live In and the seasonal Outfit Your Fit.

Malia during her Spring 2013 fitting.

During fittings, the hair styling duo of Jayson and Tuan will perfect everyone’s ‘do. Girls may get highlights, extensions, or a quick trim, while the guys may get a completely new hairstyle. Jason was in Tuan’s chair for over an hour! During downtime, some of the AE crew might even pop by for a haircut. After being on two photo shoots, Jayson and Tuan have definitely helped me perfect my hair styling!

Malia and Jason get hair cuts from Jayson and Tuan, our hair team, during the Spring 2013 photo shoot.

Guys and girls both receive manicures. Typically if the manicurists have time the girls on the AE crew get their nails done too! Unfortunately during this shoot I did not have time to get mine done (but I did pop into a salon one evening to check out the LA nail scene!). This was also a really great time for me to hang out and talk to the cast to find out more about them. I play journalist, asking questions and jotting down their response. Everyone always asks about my job because it seems so cool (and let’s be real – it is), so it makes talking and forming a connection really easy.

Marisa shows off her manicure and red hair extensions.

While our cast is in fittings, our creative team is scouting the locations where they plan on shooting. During a location scout, they also think about what props they could need or use to make the shots look their best.

The day wraps up with a team dinner so everyone can get to know each other. Everyone attended including the cast, the photographer and his team, the AE staff, and the key hair and make up team. The atmosphere was lively and everyone was having fun and looking forward to the days of shooting ahead. I was so busy mingling and taking photos, I barely had time to eat.

Jarett, Paul, and George during our introduction dinner in LA.

Check back tomorrow for part two of our ‘Behind the Lens’ series – what goes on at a photo shoot!

Simple & Fresh – Emily Beth

Emily’s Spring Makeup Look: Face - Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer & Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Iced Lotus; Eyes - Lid Smoothie in Pinkgo Biloba & Naturally Glossy Mascara in Black; Lips - Long Last Gloss Wear in Clearly Pink

For Emily Beth I wanted to focus on her eyes that were as bright as her personality without taking anything away from them. For shadow, I used a soft cream pink shimmer on the lid (top and bottom), a few coats of mascara, cream blush in a violet pink, and for the lips I created a custom mix of a gloss with a hint of the cream pink eye shadow on the bow of her lip.

Lip Pop – Lindsey

Lindsey’s Spring Makeup Look: Lips – Chubby Stick INTENSE-Mightiest Maraschino; Foundation – Even Better Makeup SPF 15 & Soft-Pressed Powder Blush-Honey Blush; Eyes - Quick Liner for Eyes Intense-Intense Plum and Intense Chocolate & High Impact Mascara-Black 

Lindsey was up for experimenting with different looks so we had fun with some color. She is a fellow makeup artist, so I worked with her on what she was interested in trying for the shoot and she was up for anything! I decided the main event for her was the pop of color on her lips, but didn’t leave the eyes natural. I used a semi-natural finish lip crayon with intense color and blotted it down to get that perfect worn in lip look. On her eyes I used a bit of liner smudged to a shadow to create definition and also add another element of color on the face. I layered 2 shades of soft liner and blended them together, dragging them upward and stopping before reaching the crease of the lid. On her cheek I dusted a warm toned blush just below the cheekbone to create some shape.

Effortless Warmth-Malia

Malia’s Spring Makeup Look: Eyes – Colour Surge Eye Shadow Beige Shimmer; Face – Up Lighting Liquid Illuminaton Bronze

For someone who is on the beach and catching waves most of the time, I wanted to stay true to Malia’s lifestyle and overall vibe. This look was all about her bronzed skin and slight definition around the eye with no signs of hard lines or bright colors. I used a taupe shadow around the eye – the key was to not over think it, just swipe the color on and make sure it is blended into the lid. I then accentuated her sun-kissed glow with liquid bronze highlight on her face and lips. Only two products and she had the ultimate surfer look!

Natural Elegance – Marisa

Marisa’s Spring Makeup Look: Face – BB Cream & Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Cupid; Eyes – Instant Brow Lift, Quickliner for Eyes Intense in Chocolate, & Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo in Coffee Shop; Lips – Chubby Stick Lip Balm in Mega Melon

Since Marisa is a ballet dancer, I used soft neutral shades keeping her look naturally elegant. I played off of who she was as a person- sweet and uplifting.

I stated by drawing more attention to her brows. I used a brow pencil to naturally fill in her brows to frame and draw more attention to her eyes. Since attention was drawn upward, I used a brow liner around the eyes topped with a combination of two neutral taupe shades on the lid, keeping the shadow just above the crease of the lid. I couldn’t resist applying a pale pink blush classic of what I think of when thinking of ballet dancers! It was subtle. On the lips I used a tinted balm to bring some natural coloring to the lips.

Define and Glow – Megan

Megan’s Spring Makeup Look: Eyes - High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara & Cream Shaper for Eyes in Starry Plum; Face – Superbalanced Powder Bronzer & Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Aglow; Lips – Chubby Stick INTENSE in Curviest Carmel

Being a photographer herself, Megan was intrigued by the entire atmosphere of our photo shoot. She embraced each step of the process. For Megan, I went for a monotone bronze look focusing on her amazing lashes. For a hint of color and definition around the eyes, I used a plum eyeliner and blended it so there was no sign of a line. For even more definition I used a volume mascara and applied multiple coats. I combined both bronzer and a warm shimmer bronze blush to create a warm glow on the skin. Lastly, I used a nude lip color to create the monotone feel.

Peachy Sheen – Tonikali

Tonikali’s Spring Makeup Look: Face – Stay Matte Oil Free & Blushwear Cream Stick in Peachy Blush; Eyes – Lid Smoothie in Gingerly; Lips – Almost Lipstick in Spicy Honey

Tonikali shined on the inside so I brought it to life with her makeup look. With a few hints of peach and some sheen on the lid, Tonikali was set. I used a cream shimmer shadow all over her lid, fading gradually all the way to just below the brow. On her cheeks I used a cream stick that was a peach tone to bring a pop of color to the face. For her lips I used a very sheer wash of a deep raisin color to create a naturally healthy lip tone.

Jenna Menard, Aerie Makeup Artist

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was raised in a small town between Philadelphia and New York City called Doylestown, Pennsylvania and I have been in NYC for almost 10 years now. I also went to college in PA, so I lived the small town girl life and then decided I wanted to move to NYC and pursue being a makeup artist.

I love being outside and I am so lucky that part of my work takes me there. It is not just showing up at the studio everyday, it’s about getting on planes, traveling far and being able to be outside in nature and really just enjoying life while working – which is rare for people to be able to say that they get to do.

I like to get out around NYC and ride my bike along with doing yoga to stay active while I am in the city living my normal day-to-day life.

How did you get your start as a makeup artist?
My story has a lot of pieces that come together and bring me to where I am today. My mom is a hairstylist, so I grew up with a hair salon in my basement as a child (and she is still doing it to do this day!) I have three sisters, so you can imagine in a house of all girls with a mom that is a hairstylist presentation and beauty were a big thing. I didn’t ever think I would be a makeup artist growing up but slowly things all started to connect.

When I was in college I studied psychology because I knew I wanted to work with people and interact with people, even though I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do yet. I had an internship while I was in college for a small cosmetic company and that prompted my interest in makeup. I didn’t have any formal training before that internship. I graduated and moved to NYC for an internship on the set of the feature film, The Stepford Wives. I landed this internship through meeting Ann Roth, an academy award-winning costume designer, and she introduced me to Bernadette Mazur who was the head of the makeup department for this film.  I was able to be on set and watch makeup artists for three months. As soon as the film was over I decided to begin my career freelancing and I began assisting other makeup artists from different agencies in NYC. This is when I was introduced to Dick Page, a world renowned makeup artist and ended up assisting him on and off for about three years while also pursusing my own career. I was so lucky to meet someone like Dick Page and work so closely with him and learn the art and the business.

My career growth was more of an organic process and one thing led to another. When I started working on my own, I started working with an agency and started shooting bigger things. Everything seemed to just work out- I worked hard at it, but it really just flowed in a way that one thing led to the next.

Where do you find your inspiration?
I pull from a lot of different things, mostly from what is around me living in NYC just walking around the city during my daily life. It is really amazing what you see when you stop and look around. I have been lucky enough to travel so much and I come back with tons of pictures from trips and those images in general act as my inspiration. It is not as literal as using the color of the sky for eyeshadow, but it is the beautiful things around me that inspire me to be more creative. Nature, colors, cultures, faces, and everything that I experience whether I am in NYC or traveling, I absorb that and take that and use that as inspiration.

You have worked with everyone from Sofia Coppola to Taylor Swift to Kate Winslet and of course our Aerie girls – do you have an all-time favorite person to work with?
I feel like in moments of my career there has been shoots that I have been like “wow this is a really great point in my career” or maybe just a job and location that I am traveling to, but I really feel so lucky to have met  the women that I have worked with. All of the celebrities that I work with are extremely talented and inspiring on many levels. It is not just the work that they do; they are a really good example at how to balance everything from career to family to personal time. Every time I am working with these women I realize that they have this balance that I always try to strive towards.

Jenna preps Nina Agdal during the Aerie Back to School photo shoot.

Can you tell us a little bit about the process it takes to come up with the look & feel you want for each photo shoot/event?
One of the really great things about being a makeup artist is the collaboration. For the most part it is a lot of creative individuals that all have the same goal and that goal in the end is to create images that will make an impact to people around the world. We all come together and the art director shows inspiration on what they are going for and who the “girl” is (I hear that a lot.) It is a lot about who we want to bring to life in the campaign or a particular beauty and fashion story. With all of these images put together on a mood board you can see where they want to go and the feeling of a particular shoot. If you work with the same team often, it takes less and less time to get all on the same page. It is a great feeling when you work with a team that has trust in you and trusts you to do your thing.

You had the chance to work with famed photographer Arthur Elgort, tell us about that!
Arthur Elgort is a photo legend! He has been around for a long time and taken some amazing photos that a lot of people know. I met him while assisting Dick Page and I will never forget the day I was working with him. We were talking and he asked me to send my book over sometime. I willingly sent my book over and the first job booked with him was the cover of Teen Vogue. For someone like Arthur who has been around a long time and could work with anybody he chooses, it meant a lot for him to choose me. To think my first shoot with Arthur was a cover-it amazes me . I knew I was capable of it, but usually photographers don’t start on a cover as your first job. This was the March 2009 issue of Teen Vogue and still to this day I think back to that point in my career and think about where I was then and where I am now. There are certain moments in my career I really kind of feel nostalgic about. I think to myself, “Wow I was really lucky to be able to work with him and work with such a legend.” He is an amazing person and photographer and that is definitely one  moment that is a strong memory of mine.

What is the one piece of makeup you cannot live without?
I would say Clinique High Impact Mascara. It is something for my kit that makes a huge difference for the people I am working on whether it is a model or celebrity, but also I love it for myself. It is something that will make your eyes look more open and awake, but it doesn’t have the overpowering effect that makes you think “Oh my gosh that is too much makeup.” Mascara is the perfect way for someone to look at you and say “Wow your eyes look really pretty today!”

What is your number one makeup tip/trick for keeping that Summer glow all year long?
Summer is always the perfect time to focus on keeping your skin looking flawless and experimenting with a single element of makeup. It’s not time for full face of make up – eyeshadow, liner, lipstick, blush – it’s more about focusing on one thing that you can bring out that is easy for summer and easy to withstand the heat. Foundation is great for keeping the skin light and simple. Try adding a liquid highlighter to make your skin more radiant. I would recommend a playful, bold lip shade (try Clinique’s Chubbystick) or a colorful eyeliner that will withstand the summer months but also make a statement on your face. Don’t go for anything serious or heavy.  Fresh, clean and beautiful is what I strive for when doing summer makeup!

A playful list of products to get that perfect summer glow:

Super City Block SPF 40

Clinique Broad Spectrum SPF 50

Even Better Makeup

Uplighting Liquid Highlighter-Natural or Bronze

Super Balanced Powder Bronzer

Chubby Stick in Pudgy Peony

Blushwear Cream Stick in Glow or Blushing Blush in Aglow

Brush on Cream Liner or Quickliner for Eyes Intense

Lidsmoothie in Pinko Biloba or Cashew Later

Check out all of Jenna’s work on her website!

We love all the summer dresses and guy’s graphic Ts.

Our Summer looks are perfect for any music festival or concert you’re heading to this summer.

We love all the pastels for Summer – especially the pink denim.

Rompers and colored shorts for guys are two other key trends.

Spring Break or Bust

Camille tries hitching a ride out of town

Marcell gets styled for the shoot

Keith, Creative Director for AE, tests drives the vintage convertible used in the shoot

You can find more of Rodrigo’s photography on his Tumblr.