TEENVOGUE.COM
2018 8:00AM EDT TRENDS
This Fashion Shoot Aims to Celebrate Dark Skin Women and Combat Colorism
"Always keep in mind that the world’s disdain for your skin isn’t personal, it’s political.”
Creators' Circle is a fashion series that gives visionary young artists carte blanche to execute a photo shoot or art display —100 percent on their own terms.
Fashion is at its best when it’s born from a desire to challenge, to represent, to honor, and to progress. As stylists, designers and photographers have demonstrated time and time again, fashion can be so much more than what we wear: it's a representation of how we see the world. Artists wield the power to empower and to represent the world as we’d like to see it — that’s the magic of fashion.
Earlier this year, photographer Zoe Lawrence was scrolling through Instagram stories when she saw a post by her friend, Cienna, that she empathized with on a deeply personal level. “She posted something about her little sister [Halia] feeling inadequate and it brought me back to my own experience throughout grade school,” says Zoe. “Black girls are are often overlooked, ignored and quieted, and we learn early on that we are not part of the standard for beauty. That can be damaging to an impressionable 12-year-old child.”
Zoe reached out to Cienna via DM, explaining that she wanted to put together a photo shoot featuring Halia with the goal of showing her that her voice matters and that she is beautiful, despite what mainstream beauty standards propagate. Soon, the two were exchanging their own stories about growing up and dealing with colorism .
“I've spoken to other dark-skinned black girls about experiencing colorism and how it affected their self-confidence,” says Zoe. “Cienna and I have both done our work to unlearn those harmful messages. What saved my self esteem was surrounding myself with black people. Black people are healing. Swapping experiences, opening up dialogues, building a community within your own community, keeping your allies close — these are all ways to combat anti-blackness.”
And, of course, through art.
Materialized as a means of empowerment for Halia and to serve as a visual love letter for black girls, this photoshoot is the latest in our Creator’s Circle series. Starring Halia and Cienna, it features designs from two clothing companies with black men and women at their helm. “This shoot was a chance for Halia to get dressed up in clothes she wouldn’t normally wear and see herself in the media, specifically fashion photography,” explains Zoe.
The standout denim and knitwear in the shoot are created by Los Angeles-based brand, No Sesso. The Italian name literally translates to “no sex/ gender.” Founded by Pierre Davis in 2015, No Sesso is a community brand focused on “empowering people of all colors, shapes, and identities via fashion presentations, parties, educational activations, and more,” according to their website. “I’ve walked in three of their runway shows — at this point they’re family to me,” says Zoe. “I always feel taken care of by them and feel a great sense of inspiration when I work with them.”
Kenneth Nicholson brought the impeccably tailored menswear to the shoot. Having served in the United States Army, the designer is inspired by military dress and mixes its precise tailoring with other techniques and aesthetics he picked up during his global travels. “I fell in love with how detail oriented Kenneth is with his pieces,” says Zoe. “I like to use brands that showcase black people in an refreshing way and I feel like both of these designers do a amazing job at showing how dynamic black people are.”
The shoot toes the line between stately-cool family portraiture and a hazy fairy-like dreamworld — two very different concepts that somehow flow seamlessly into one another. At first glance, you probably wouldn’t glean the weight of the message the project encapsulates. It’s only once you hear the personal story behind it that it’s importance and underlying themes really sink in. “Always keep in mind that the world’s disdain for your skin
isn’t personal, it’s political,” concludes Zoe. “I hope young black girls can remember that sentiment the next time they catch themselves internalizing any form of anti-blackness.” Ariana Marsh
2018 8:00AM EDT TRENDS
This Fashion Shoot Aims to Celebrate Dark Skin Women and Combat Colorism
"Always keep in mind that the world’s disdain for your skin isn’t personal, it’s political.”
Creators' Circle is a fashion series that gives visionary young artists carte blanche to execute a photo shoot or art display —100 percent on their own terms.
Fashion is at its best when it’s born from a desire to challenge, to represent, to honor, and to progress. As stylists, designers and photographers have demonstrated time and time again, fashion can be so much more than what we wear: it's a representation of how we see the world. Artists wield the power to empower and to represent the world as we’d like to see it — that’s the magic of fashion.
Earlier this year, photographer Zoe Lawrence was scrolling through Instagram stories when she saw a post by her friend, Cienna, that she empathized with on a deeply personal level. “She posted something about her little sister [Halia] feeling inadequate and it brought me back to my own experience throughout grade school,” says Zoe. “Black girls are are often overlooked, ignored and quieted, and we learn early on that we are not part of the standard for beauty. That can be damaging to an impressionable 12-year-old child.”
Zoe reached out to Cienna via DM, explaining that she wanted to put together a photo shoot featuring Halia with the goal of showing her that her voice matters and that she is beautiful, despite what mainstream beauty standards propagate. Soon, the two were exchanging their own stories about growing up and dealing with colorism .
“I've spoken to other dark-skinned black girls about experiencing colorism and how it affected their self-confidence,” says Zoe. “Cienna and I have both done our work to unlearn those harmful messages. What saved my self esteem was surrounding myself with black people. Black people are healing. Swapping experiences, opening up dialogues, building a community within your own community, keeping your allies close — these are all ways to combat anti-blackness.”
And, of course, through art.
Materialized as a means of empowerment for Halia and to serve as a visual love letter for black girls, this photoshoot is the latest in our Creator’s Circle series. Starring Halia and Cienna, it features designs from two clothing companies with black men and women at their helm. “This shoot was a chance for Halia to get dressed up in clothes she wouldn’t normally wear and see herself in the media, specifically fashion photography,” explains Zoe.
The standout denim and knitwear in the shoot are created by Los Angeles-based brand, No Sesso. The Italian name literally translates to “no sex/ gender.” Founded by Pierre Davis in 2015, No Sesso is a community brand focused on “empowering people of all colors, shapes, and identities via fashion presentations, parties, educational activations, and more,” according to their website. “I’ve walked in three of their runway shows — at this point they’re family to me,” says Zoe. “I always feel taken care of by them and feel a great sense of inspiration when I work with them.”
Kenneth Nicholson brought the impeccably tailored menswear to the shoot. Having served in the United States Army, the designer is inspired by military dress and mixes its precise tailoring with other techniques and aesthetics he picked up during his global travels. “I fell in love with how detail oriented Kenneth is with his pieces,” says Zoe. “I like to use brands that showcase black people in an refreshing way and I feel like both of these designers do a amazing job at showing how dynamic black people are.”
The shoot toes the line between stately-cool family portraiture and a hazy fairy-like dreamworld — two very different concepts that somehow flow seamlessly into one another. At first glance, you probably wouldn’t glean the weight of the message the project encapsulates. It’s only once you hear the personal story behind it that it’s importance and underlying themes really sink in. “Always keep in mind that the world’s disdain for your skin
isn’t personal, it’s political,” concludes Zoe. “I hope young black girls can remember that sentiment the next time they catch themselves internalizing any form of anti-blackness.” Ariana Marsh
posted from Bloggeroid
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