My work always has a strong affinity with LGBTQIA+ culture, creating exaggerated silhouettes and expressive makeup within my styling and featuring models who represent different parts of the community as the main characters in my work.
The message in my work is clear: Diversity and inclusivity are key to solidifying future spaces in the fashion industry for those who i wish to be seen. I want to make people feel their upmost confident and showcase their best selves through my work, creating a different world for the models and viewer to escape to and thrive in.
INSPIRATION
My initial research into the origins of Valentines day led me to the 1800s, where Valentines day had just began to be celebrated widely. There was a peculiar type of Valentines card that caught my eye called a ‘Mocking Valentines’ that was popular between 1840s-1880s, instead of celebrating a loved one, these cards would mock the receiver whilst policing the social norms that existed in that time period. This research resonated with me and my own views on how Valentines day policed sexuality.
I always hated the way Valentines Day was shoved down our throats from an early age, constantly resurrecting heteronormative values and themes during the month of February. Directly making me question my sexuality, whether I was ‘normal’ for feeling the way I felt about women? Further inspirations erected from personal experiences; exerting myself into my project assisted me in curating a concept that is relatable and facilitating the creation of my utopia within my work where those norms don’t exist.
DETAIL
With all this in mind, when casting for my project I wanted to use people who had experienced similar feelings to myself & who had potentially faced backlash because of their sexuality and how they identify within society. I feel it is really important to include People who have faced these types of issues in order to gain a genuine response and outcome. As well as using modern references from my models experiences and opinions, I wanted to draw my styling from my original references which came from the Victorian period. Adding elements of drag & an abundance of personality to the images of my models. These images are romantic, queer & playful whilst also showcasing the different types of genuine modern love that valentines day should be celebrating.