SHARP & SHARP II SERIES “LOCAL BLACK TAILORS AND STYLISTS” Captured on 35mm and 120 film BY ISAIAH WINTERS
The SHARP images were set in Baltimore, Maryland, in locations less likely to be chosen as backdrops for a conceptual fashion series. Divided into two sections, SHARP is set at a local diner and SHARP II at a locallyowned Black restaurant. This series of images plays around with spoke language and the notion of Black men’s sartorial flair. I wanted to recreate that feeling of pride and agency, as I witnessed Black men in my community dressing up and showing off. The models involved in this series are part of Baltimore’s creative scene, using fashion as a tool to tackle sociopolitical issues. In SHARP II especially, as opposed to leaning into an Afro-futuristic aesthetic, I had the subjects use the elaborate mural featuring greenery and sprawling fields as a backdrop. In doing so, I created an alternative history or narrative in which these Black men could have been landowners discussing day-to-day life, furthering a more significant conversation around reading Black imagery and the perception of the Black community. -
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