EDITOR’S LETTER
I am here to make my DEBUT. This is a publication exploring my work as a stylist. The idea came about for ‘DEBUT.’ six months ago as I wanted to dedicate a project to launch my career in fashion. I wanted to explore ways of working that I hadn’t in the past and challenge myself to make an impact on the industry. I was inspired by trends, both current and past, exploring colour and texture, and following the work of other successful professionals. I saw a gap in the market for a project on expressing and liberating yourself through style, and that is what this publication is all about. All of the shoot concepts are loosely based around the themes of maximalism, individualism and extravagance. I want to promote uniqueness, experimentation and being unafraid to stand out from the crowd. Each chapter follows a specific trend which is inspiring me at the moment, all very different, but connected in their originality. It was rewarding for me to be able to plan and put looks together for an editorial purpose, and to be able to play with proportions, stories, and messages within each look. I would like my lasting impression as a stylist to be bright and boundary breaking, but most of all fun. I hope that you find the first edition of ‘DEBUT.’ visually stimulating, inspiring and uplifting. Hopefully, you will enjoy viewing it as much as I have enjoyed putting it together. Let’s celebrate the beauty of difference. Lauryn Whitfield
TODAY’S MUSE.
1.
Today’s Muse is a fashion story focusing on empowerment through one’s style. The idea came about to experiment with what the general public may wear following a lockdown. The shoot focuses on maximalism, femininity and liberation, the idea being that the bigger the better. In a time when so many people seem to choose to follow the crowds and the trends, this story is one of self-expression and freedom. I wanted to encourage people to be brave, wear what they want to wear, be unashamed of how others may see them, and bring power to their uniqueness. Therefore, when styling the looks for the shoot, I felt that ‘more is more’, experimenting with colours, textures and accessories. The use of tulle and pastel colours suggests femininity and innocence, contrasting with the more tailored and structured looks. This is to show that style doesn’t have to always be boxed into one category, one person can be both masculine and feminine, loud and quiet or maximal or minimal, depending on mood. Be beautiful, be brave, be you.
EX PRESS YOUR SELF
THE WILD WEST.
2.
Howdy partner! With the wild west theme, I took inspiration from vintage western films, and how the classic cowboy style has trickled back into modern-day fashion trends. This shoot explores the idea of taking a theme and running with it. I didn’t want to hold back on the styling opportunities for this concept, so featured western items such as chaps, cowboy hats and western boots. A look that originated in 1950s cinema with western icons such as John Wayne is now a popular style, from luxury fashion to festivals. I decided to combine the old and the new, hence the fashion taking a modern and maximal twist on the trend, contrasting with the vintage movie backdrops. The juxtaposition of the stark white backdrop with the eye-catching edits is to aid and enhance the story created with the styling. It’s time to show off for the showdown.
H A E W E Y W BO O Y C
THE ROARING TWENTIES.
3.
Welcome to the roaring twenties. Just like a century ago, the youth are back taking the 20’s by storm. With the world easing out of lockdown and freedom on the horizon, things have the potential to go crazy, including the fashion industry. This shoot’s concept was to mix styling of the 1920s, with trends of today, creating a mix of colourful, luxurious and extravagant outfits. Just as how flapper dresses of the ’20s pushed the boundaries of women’s fashion, I wanted to show how those boundaries have evolved into the 21st century. The inspirations were the Art Deco and Great Gatsby aesthetics which have become synonymous of the time and are still wearable one hundred years later. It’s time to let loose, because a little party never killed nobody.
ROCK & ROAR
THE
END.