Matthews Helps Samuel & Sons Bring Luxury Trim to Life in Top Tier Ads

Luxury is in the details, and no one captures that better than the creative team at Samuel & Sons. As the visionaries behind iconic photography and advertising campaigns, Executive Creative Director Milton De Paul, Photography Director Jacob Murphy, and Photographer Alexandra Angus work tirelessly to showcase the intricate beauty of the brand’s world-class handcrafted trims. Whether orchestrating elaborate sets for a once-a-year print ad, designing a stop motion video campaign, or capturing the subtle textures of elaborate tassels in day-to-day studio work, the team relies on Matthews grip gear to help with the practicalities of shooting Samuel & Sons’ renowned campaigns.

“Matthews full-size C-stands and Arms have always been our go-to on every shoot,” notes Photography Director Murphy who has worked with Samuel & Sons for over a decade. To this day these full-sized items are ubiquitous on every setup, holding camera and lighting gear or even supporting larger items like draperies and valances. The team is always on the lookout for tools that help show the meticulous craftsmanship that sets them apart. Capturing such an exacting level of artistry in an image presents unique challenges. “Our product is small compared to what you’d see on a typical set,” says Executive Creative Director De Paul. “We need gear that helps us photograph tiny, delicate details without overwhelming the limited space.”

Once a year, Samuel & Sons produces a high-end advertising campaign that sets the tone for the brand’s visual identity. Destined for elite design publications like Veranda and House & Garden, the shoot is meticulously planned with no detail left to chance. Martin Toner, Matthews Content Director and resident Local 80 Grip, was on set for the brand’s annual campaign, helping the team discover new ways to use the MICROGrip system.

MICROGrip is a family of mounting tools that offers Matthews’ signature quality and craftsmanship, but on a tabletop scale—just the ticket for showing the product details Samuel & Sons requires. The most recent release is new MICROGrip Master Rigging Kit, a versatile and compact solution for mounting a wide range of accessories and set pieces that interface with industry-standard ¼”-20 and 3/8” mounting.

The team found the MICROGrip system a time-saver for a range of uses. During prep, it easily held layers of trim in place while they were being steamed. On set it was essential in creating stable platforms for miniature set pieces. To get the lighting right Mini-Matthellini Clamps and Grip Heads helped position reflectors at the optimum angles the creatives needed. When photographing a glass box filled with trim, the team used MICROGrip Rods to precisely angle black cards to cut and control reflections.

The real showstopper of the campaign is a model wearing a pink dress with trim unraveling mid-motion. To get exactly the look, Mini-Matthelini Clamps saved the day by delicately suspending the trim just so. “It looked like the hem of the pink dress was really unravelling,” recalls Photographer Alexandra Angus. With their iconic shot in the can, a lightbulb went off, “We realized that when we take tabletop product photos, the MICROGrip kit is essential.”

While the annual campaign is a highlight, the team spends most of the year photographing new collections for lookbooks, social media, and showroom displays. “Before we were using full-size C-stands for everything, even for tiny pieces of trim,” Murphy explains. “Now the smaller MICROGrip Kit Clamps and Rods have completely changed our workflow.”

For a company that prides itself on elevating tradition through innovation, the partnership feels natural. Both Samuel & Sons and Matthews are family businesses, with deep roots in their respective fields and stellar reputations, spanning generations. Each shares a profound respect for craftsmanship and a relentless drive to perfect every detail of their products. Beyond the gear, the collaboration with Matthews has been a source of inspiration. “They didn’t just hand us the equipment and walk away,” says De Paul. “They showed us what was possible. Every time we work with them, we discover new ways to push our creative limits.”