Fashion can be a great tool for empowerment of the individual. This project was made during the COVID pandemic. Both the 1960s and present day share fashion as a cultural signifier and tool for self-expression, identity shaping and escapism. At a time when young people like myself feel that the world holds little hope or prospects for our generation, this body of work is about escaping from the current reality, back to a time perceived as more playful, free and empowering. This work aims to create a sense of fantasy away from the world as it is, in an attempt to channel the power and energy of this decade. I’ve constructed the images in a self-built studio to create fictional characters inspired by 1960s fashion pages. With the pandemic context enforcing a necessary self-reliance, each photograph was crafted using myself as model, stylist, and photographer with no one else present. This solitude has enabled me to think about ways in which I could shape my own identity, and gain confidence and self-love.
