When Lina met Lily

For our autumn/winter 2016 issue, photographer Lina Scheynius shot model and actress Lily McMenamy in a flat in central London. Afterwards, they had a little chat with each other, taking as their inspiration Arthur Aron’s The Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Closeness. That is, 36 questions to make you fall in love.

Photography Lina Scheynius

Styling Tereza Ortiz

Leopard-print cotton trousers Dries Van Noten.

Lily McMenamy: Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you’re going to say?
Lina: Scheynius: I think I have done, but no, only rarely.
Lily: Rarely?
Lina: Yeah.
Lily: Yeah, you’re older than me.
Lina: What, so you think I’ve been making phone calls my whole life?!
Lily: Yeah! Telephone calls stress me out.
Lina: I don’t like them so much.
I don’t always pick up if I don’t know the number. I let it go to voicemail.
Lily: If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any quality or ability, what would it be?
Lina: An actual human one or a superpower?
Lily: A human one. Mine would be self-discipline.
Lina: Mine would be to be relaxed with uncertainty.

Lily McMenamy, 1 August 2016 : White triacetate-blend sleeveless top and trousers with zip, grey and black viscose-blend top with ruched arm 'JW Anderson.

Black rayon and elastane lace dress with transparent skirt Antonio Berardi.

Lily: Oh, I know what you mean. Like in times of chaos and “fragmentariness”.
Lina: Even life. Just life.
Lily: If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know? “Am I a narcissist?”
(Both laugh)
Lina: Do you need a crystal ball to answer that? I’d ask what happens after I die?
Lily: I can answer that for you!
Lina: Can you? Tell me.
Lily: It’s a big trip.
Lina: Where to? That’s scary.
Lily: What do you value most in a friendship? I like brutal, disgusting honesty.
Lina: Oh, no thank you! Someone I feel like I can be myself with.

Burgundy lace trim silk blouse, yellow faux-astrakhan wrap dress Mulberry, brown leather sandals with cork soles Birkenstock.

Metallic green leather apron Maison Margiela, purple silk blouse with oversized bow Marc Jacobs.

Lily: These are all kind of intense!
It’s like, “What does love mean?”, “What does friendship mean?”
And then we have to compliment each other five times.
Lina: OK, should we do that?
Lily: The question is: alternate sharing something you consider a positive character of your partner.
Lina: You feel very alive.
Lily: Thank you. Lina, I admire the way you have transitioned from your modelling career into an interesting photographer.
Lina: Thank you!
(Both laugh)
Lily: We’re gonna be so in love!

Lina: I really love how you move,
and how bendy you are and creative with your body.
Lily: But I was born like that… Thank you! I like how great a range of herbal teas you have in your kitchen.
Lina: I like that you’re funny.
Lily: Thank you!
Lina: Yours are so good! I’m gonna compliment you for your compliments.
Lily: I like how you’re not afraid of vulnerability.
Lina: Am I not? But I am!
Lily: You’re not allowed to argue with your compliment! Is that five? Let’s do one more.

Black rayon and elastane silk dress with transparent skirt Antonio Berardi.

Black patent leather jacket with white shearling collar Proenza Schouler, white lace, viscose and polyamide knickers with bow Kriss Soonik.

Lina: I like how you like to play.
I like your hair.
(Pause)
Lina: I think it’s really important
to be playful.
Lily: Is that just a statement
you’re adding?
Lina: Yes.

Photography Lina Scheynius, Styling Tereza Ortiz (LundLund), Casting Ben Grimes (Webber Agency), Model Lily McMenamy (NEXT), Styling assistant Luiza Cirico, Casting assistant Victoria Cassagnaud, Lab services Artful Dodgers imaging.