The Ndebele tribe’s ability to transform colors and geometric design borrowed from their ancestors to life is so powerful! Since the 18th century, women of the Ndebele tribe of South Africa has been painting their mud houses with strong visions and whole hearts. These patterns are such beautiful expressions of their individuality. It brings forth excitement and curiosity with each stroke. It inspires inspiration, reminding us that we all carry our own paintbrush, to spread vibrancy and color.
I think anytime you play with boundaries of what society views as beautiful, test the trends of time, and own your own playfulness in expression, is when you discover your own expression. Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican artist best known for her self portraits is such an inspiration for cultural and timeless beauty. Her uniqueness resonates in fashion, art and home design to this present day. Just like her paintings, her style was ahead of her time and found more appreciation in the lime light after she had past. Frida’s life was forever changed when she suffered from a bad car accident. This injury caused her to turn into isolation, being limited to her home or being bed ridden. The isolation led her to her love for painting. “I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best.”
I’ve always loved Frida’s boldness. I love how her iconic unibrow, her full bodied skirts, flower crowns, vibrant colors and corsets have always poked at what society considers beautiful or fashionable. But it her artful expression and her courage that we so mostly admire. I was excited to see Vogue Mexico create an editorial inspired by her individualism and boldness in style.
Photos via Vogue Mexico
Photo: Michael Filonow
Stylist: Lauri Eisenberg
Hair and makeup: Gianluca Mandelli.
Some more wildness to bring you a dose of tropical from our lookbook Run Deep Run Wild! This day really was a hot sweaty one and especially fun. This location had so many exotic plants, one of them being our favorite; Bird of Paradise or sometimes called the crane flower is indigenous to South Africa. Doesn’t it’s vibrant orange flowers remind you of a tropical bird’s beak?
Photographer: Cynthia Barbachano
Makeup artist: Khao Kwankao
Styling: New Crop
We couldn’t be more excited to work and collaborate with Bangkok’s dream team on our first lookbook! The location was lush and beautiful in contrast of the big bustling city that it was in. The vibrant colors of our clothing line, and indigenous fabrics and patterns just radiated amongst all the greenery.
Find these amazing pieces in the shop!
Photographer: Cynthia Barbachano
Makeup artist: Khao Kwankao
Styling: New Crop
I should write Shae Detar a love letter for the beautiful and obscure grandeur she puts out there. A constant inspiration for us, she mixes film photography with paint and her images straddle the fence between watercolor dreams and reality. Pure magic!
Check out more of her work here.
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