Behind the Image is an ongoing MODELS.com series taking a more personal look at both established and emerging creative talent.
Mila Taylor-Young| Image courtesy of CLM
Mila Taylor-Young, Set Designer
Hometown/country: London/Oslo/CT
Based: New York / Paris
Representation: CLM
How would you describe your work? What’s your trademark?
It’s a bit rough around the edges and makeshift.
What led you specifically into the world of set design?
I always considered set design. My mum is a set designer for the theatre, and her job was the best. I accidentally fell into set design within fashion; I applied for an internship at a set design studio, Mary Howard’s. I interned there for a few years until I got my first job through a friend of a friend. I was very lucky to meet people who gave me a chance when I had no book.
What considerations do you take into account when designing sets for different types of shoots, such as studio versus location shoots?
A lot of this is determined by very practical factors: access to the space, how much space we have, and how much time we have to set up or break down. Ideally, I prefer to set up a space that can be approached from many angles so that the creative team can move freely around, rather than working set up to set up and shot by shot.
How do you approach collaborating with creative teams to ensure your set designs complement the artistic vision?
After looking at the creative deck, I start with broad research that goes beyond the project’s scope, exploring as many avenues as possible. After talking it through, I then narrow my focus, depending on what the creative team is drawn to.
As you often set the stage for shoots, what inspires your work?
Films, especially horror films, and practical effects in that genre. I find building sites fascinating – I like seeing the stages of a construction process as it’s underway. Happenstances in the streets, melted pavements, trees growing through walls. I’m primarily interested in how time affects objects and how they naturally fall into place on their own terms. Similarly, I like it when sets organically shape themselves, just by the actions of people occupying them, when they feel accessible, handmade, and personal.
What have you watched/heard/read lately that has inspired you?
Rick Baker Metamorphosis by J. W. Rinzler
Space Crone by Ursula K Le Guin
Fernanda Melchor
Making Do and Getting By by Richard Wentworth
Behind the scenes for Hellraiser
What have been the biggest challenges you have faced professionally?
Juggling motherhood and work and constantly navigating between private and professional spaces, trying to keep the line between the two defined. Also balancing my books! And time constraints, to a certain extent, although I don’t really mind this because it forces you to work very instinctively and not overthink things.
Who do you think is one to watch?
Caz Slattery
Selected Work
Gisele Fox by Daniel P. Shea| Image courtesy of CLM
I Don’t Believe In You
The set for this was based on a shopfront under construction, which I am slightly obsessed with. We built this set from very cheap, found materials, relying mostly on recycled materials and hardware store finds.
By Dario Catellani | Image courtesy of CLM
WSJ 2021, Dario Catellani
This was based on the inflatable homes made by Ant Farm in the 1960s. We used their zine, the INFLATO COOKBOOK, and videos of them making the structures in their kitchen as instructions. There’s something fascinating about DIY communities: the idea that anyone can build, the accessibility of the architecture, and the sense of play.
By Daniel P. Shea| Image courtesy of CLM
C47 2020, Daniel Shea
Behind-the-scenes films inspired this shoot, so we built a set that could be approached from many angles, allowing you to see hidden structures and different narratives. The process of creating the set was also part of the shoot; I love this aspect of documentation, being able to see the construction of film sets and how deceivingly simple they are.
By Stef Mitchell| Image courtesy of CLM
CK Jeans + Underwear 2022, Stef Mitchell
We based this on a playground built by Palle Nielsen and children at the Moderna Museet in Sweden in the 60s. It was nice to approach the set in this playful way, without too much of a plan but with a vague idea of how we wanted the set to function. The resulting structure was very intuitive and free, much in the same vein as our set based on inflatable homes.
By Théo de Gueltzl| Image courtesy of CLM
Vogue Magazine December 2023, Theo de Gueltzl
We made these sculptures very fast on the fly on the day. I really enjoyed the sense of humour and how relaxed we were with the outcome. I think there’s a lot of life and character here in the juxtaposition between high-end jewelry and earthy materials, like these royal lumps of clay.
