Plans by a footwear firm to shoot its autumn//winter campaign in the Lake District were nearly undone by Storm Floris – but locals helped it save the photoshoot.
Moda in Pelle, based in Leeds, had chosen Ullswater as the location for its adverts in August, but Storm Floris had other ideas.
Boat trips were cancelled, the lake was too rough to shoot, and the team questioned whether the project could continue.
But the firm said the campaign, called The Voyage, was saved thanks to the local community.
Ullswater ‘Steamers’ opened its pier and vessels, while residents offered boats, piers, and insider knowledge.
The firm said: “Thanks to their generosity and local pride, the campaign not only went ahead but became a celebration of the Lake District itself.
“By the afternoon, the storm calmed, and one of the final moments captured was the model standing on the bow of a steamer beneath the Union flag, as a military
aircraft unexpectedly passed overhead.
“The unscripted image has become one of the campaign’s key visuals, reflecting both heritage and resilience.”
Andrew Twigge, multichannel lead designer & video/technical lead, said: “From a technical point of view, these shoots were some of the toughest we’ve
done.
“We were dealing with driving winds, equipment that needed constant adjusting, and a schedule that could have fallen apart at any moment.
“Instead of breaking the process, the storm gave us something you cannot create in a studio, it gave us atmosphere. When you look at the finished film, you can
feel that intensity and rawness. It’s proof that sometimes the best creative comes from the most difficult conditions.”
Kate Ferguson, creative manager & photographer, added: “The locals and their Cumbrian spirit made it: offering boats, sharing stories, and guiding us in ways that shaped the images as much as the scenery.”
The Ullswater shoot forms part of a wider story shared with sister brand Shoon. Shot the previous day in Barrow, Shoon’s autumn/winter campaign Untamed was filmed in 50mph winds.
