This post is going to be a little different from the other two I have already published. Having become a little stuck for ideas, considering the fact I am more of a photographer than someone clued in to the latest fashion trends, I thought it would be a great time to show you some of the work I am producing at University. Do not fear the fashion element is still apparent!
The project was called The Styled Portrait; therefore a fashion element was heavily relied upon in terms of storytelling and representation. My aim is to show you the mixture of the two industries, that being art and fashion.
Narrative is a major element within these images. I chose the topic of the Civil Rights and decided to focus on the activists Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Also I have a character inspired by Tracy from the film Hairspray.
The film Hairspray was good for styling references such as simplistic makeup and pastel coloured clothing for my Tracy inspired character. These qualities were chosen to portray her as a vulnerable character, given the fact as a white protestor she would have been severely looked down upon.
As you can clearly tell the subjects are hidden in the portrait shots, showing how they are all joined in the act of protest, which is more important than knowing who they are, however their identity is revealed in the second smaller series.
Seeing as styling is not my forte it was very simplistic yet hopefully was still able to portray the characters well. For example my male character was dressed in a white shirt with a smart jacket, to portray how Martin Luther King would have been smartly presented for public appearances.
I took a similar approach for my Rosa Parks character by choosing a black pencil skirt and black jacket and white shirt.
Accessories and Make-up were another important aspect to consider. I had Rosa wearing a chain necklace to highlight the imprisonment the black community was under within society. Furthermore I chose to have her wearing red lipstick in which to show the passion Rosa had for her opinions during the Movement!
The last three images show the difference between the struggle and joining of the Civil Rights Movement. This is where the artistic element becomes relevant, with the use of composition and knowledge of the era and of course the fashion element I show my ideas and stories of the activists.
I want to continue with showing you work based on the combination of fashion and art. Having started on a new unit based on Alice in Wonderland, I have decided I want to further develop my use of fashion to make my work a lot stronger. To build on this I intend to use different outfits in this new work similar to how in Tim Burton’s Wonderland, Alice’s style develops just as she does.
If you have any thoughts on the idea of posts like this please leave a comment on your input and if you have any ideas yourself! And also I am always open to any suggestions so comment away!
