 I crave a good creative project so I decided the best gift for my birthday would be just that. Glamorous birthday photoshoots have been done before, but I took things up a notch by producing a curated event, replete with art and design, family and friends, music, and cuisine. See more images below! Wakanda-Classic
The overall theme and dress code was inspired by my personal style, a vintage decorated venue I'd been saving for the right occasion (pinned to an online vision board), and a dress that I dubbed my birthday outfit eight months prior to the actual date. Friends were given a dress code description and advised to dive into their own wardrobes first before spending any money. Everyone freaked their style without busting a sweat. The venue, the bold colors and patterns, the structured natural hair--all of this resulted in an unforgettable statement of effortless cool and regality. The Dress, the Fascinator, and the Boyfriend What I like most about my dress is that the designers use drawings by children as prints for fabric. Seriously! Check out Asos x Made in Kenya to learn about their ethical clothing manufacturing and the difference it's making for Kenyan locals! I had the smock dress altered into a bodycon, added a zipper, and then purchased a second dress a month before the shoot (and not a day too soon because the dress is now out of stock!) to use as matching fabric for my hat and my boyfriend's ensemble. I handcrafted my large disc-shaped fascinator hat with the help of a YouTube tutorial. The remaining fabric was used to make a coordinating outfit for my boyfriend. We sat down with a measuring tape, pencil, and paper and co-designed how to accent his longline grandad collar shirt. Then we took our sketch and materials to a local seamstress who brought our vision to life in just a few days (God bless her hands!). I also have to shout out one of my besties who sewed her own skirt and then used the remaining material to create her necklace. We so crafty! A Masterpiece Collection Here's a list of all the talented people and the vendors that made the final product a masterpiece:
Dress (Original Shape) Fascinator Hat Tutorial Longline Men's Shirt Sunglasses Necklace (Serenity Prayer Medallion) Necklace (Philippians 4:13) Earrings (Clip-ons) Clutch Sandals Fabric Loc Accessories Gold Loc Jewelry
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The ways in which I identify as an artist continue to expand. I've added stylist and creative director to my repertoire. To me, people are canvases, adorning is art-making, and the final ensemble--a masterpiece. My favorite looks are carefully curated to tell stories that reflect my creative spirit and desire for fantasy. Sometimes the rich history of an item's origin speaks for itself. I need only to put it on "display".
Please enjoy this gallery and learn more about the products, locations, photographers, and my process through my blog. Photos taken by @MsPaparazzi and @vagabond_vbs |
The Fine Art
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