Identity Through Fashion
(Pre-Thesis)
This is an ongoing editorial photographic project exploring the uniqueness of individual styling and how fashion acts as an expressive tool. This series focuses on the personal stylistic choices of Black Detroiters and their use of fashion to personify themselves.
Fashion isn’t limited to clothing and shoes; accessories matter too. Hair and nails are also essential parts of personal style, expression, and identity.
Each of our lives is built upon a variety of influences, choices, likes, and dislikes, which ultimately converge into our identity. This is exactly how our personal fashion style is created as well.
We are all drawn to styles, colors, textures, and patterns for unique reasons.
Throughout the semester, I explored both on-location and in-studio photography. I felt that on-location photography could still connect the subject's fashion with the city of Detroit. This became a challenge at times for two main reasons: acquiring permission to photograph at locations and inclement weather.
The studio became crucial to my project and overall photographic growth. Up to this point, I did not have much in-studio experience, but this provided a great opportunity for growth and to focus on each subject's identity through what they're wearing.
