The Reality Paradox
The Reality Paradox is a story created by Noemi Vanda Bruni and Martina Cappellano, Art Directors of the shoot. Working with a photographer Carmen Colombo and a MUAH artist Fabiana Daddato, the team explored the boundaries of the concept of beauty and body positivity.
The focus and the main drive were to research the real, manifested in studying through a photographic lens Sofia Tassi and Maria Casalin, allowing a freedom of movement and self-presentation on set. Noemi explains the idea, “It was a sort of screening of their personalities through a visual approach to their positions, their facial expressions, their way to engage with each other.”
The ideal of beauty is shuttered and reinvented continuously through the persistent urge of the photographic community to expand the monotonous boundaries encountered in the fashion industry. The close-ups on body parts come as a revelation, in contrast to what is being fed to the masses via social media, the music industry, and fashion.
The juxtaposition of the human with elements coming from nature: fruits or the quail egg accentuate the idea of nature as the best-equipped painter of beauty. The monochromatic colors, work with minimalism including looks by UPDF and accessories by Gogo Phillip, allow for a clear representation of inclusion and diversity.
Art Direction Noemi Vanda Bruni and Martina Cappellano Photography Carmen Colombo Styling Martina Cappellano MUAH Fabiana Daddato Talents Sofia Tassi Maria Casalin
Clothes by
UPDF and Gogo Philip
‘There is no longer a single ideal of beauty, and this results in the loss of the details of a canon, conventions, models to be imitated, and conformity.’
Body positivity is one of the most explored topics today, which still generates at times, misunderstandings, or denial in social media or the sphere of advertising. How do you think photography can work to shift the perception and provide wider inclusiveness and acceptance?
Noemi: In today's society, the conception of the body, and above all, the female body and the idea of beauty has changed. The latter is a relative concept, deeply linked to the society in which we live. Photography is an area in which this change is visible. There is no longer a single ideal of beauty, and this results in the loss of the details of a canon, conventions, models to be imitated, and conformity. It is much more important to enhance the distinctive characteristics of each individual, detaching one’s judgment from that traditional beauty canon, which, actually, no longer exists.
In this regard, it is imperative to recall the phenomenon of the body positivity movement, born a few years ago, when oversize women activists started posting content on social media using the hashtag #bodypositivity. This hashtag was created to promote and spread a positive message that could benefit those with a physique that did not meet the canonical beauty standards. This phenomenon arose from the need to normalize curvy or plus-sized bodies and resulted in achieving so much more than that. Thanks to it, all the body-types that lacked representation - starting from those with freckles to the ones affected by vitiligo and disabilities - eventually found a way to be heard and seen.
‘The topics of inclusion and sustainability are essential in the set of values of Millennials and Generation Z and became equally important for all the fashion companies that strive to be relevant in the market in the foreseeable future.’
How Italy and Milan, in general, are different as compared to 4-5 years ago in this regard?
Noemi: In Milan, and generally, in Italy, sustainability and inclusion are the two major issues that are changing the fashion industry and will shape it in the upcoming years. During the past few years, this ethical approach was not so tangible, whereas recently, it has been proved to considerably attract the consumer. The topics of inclusion and sustainability are essential in the set of values of Millennials and Generation Z and became equally important for all the fashion companies that strive to be relevant in the market in the foreseeable future.
Fashion organizations necessarily need to adapt to an environment where these characteristics are crucial, lest risking not to survive or being downsized shortly. Last December 3rd, being well aware of these circumstances, the National Chamber of Italian Fashion issued a Manifesto regarding Diversity and Inclusion, which consisted of ten points conceived to help Italian fashion houses to navigate the changes that have been underway for some time now.
‘Any tinsel would have embellished something that was already complete: the body in its total purity, imperfection, and originality. Our idea was to develop a project that was a hymn to inclusion, which is interpreted as freedom of expression, of being and belonging to a whole without pre-established canons.’
The editorial consists of the work with monochromatic earth colors as beige, brown, offwhite, and green, which allow to emphasize the characters and the story. Let’s discuss the process of art direction and some choices you were facing before making the final decisions.
Noemi: We wanted there to be no objects of perception that could distract from the main theme, which was the authenticity of the subjects photographed. Any tinsel would have embellished something that was already complete: the body in its total purity, imperfection, and originality. Our idea was to develop a project that was a hymn to inclusion, which is interpreted as freedom of expression, of being and belonging to a whole without pre-established canons. We declined inclusion as the act of inserting something in a multitude, of understanding a whole without any discrimination. Inclusion indicates the state of belonging to something, feeling welcomed, and enfranchised. For us, inclusion is a condition in which all individuals live in a state of equality and equal opportunity, regardless of the presence of disabilities or poverty. Therefore, we felt the need for a lean set in which the individual and their expressions were the only subjects.
The paradox of reality aims to show not only the beauty of everybody and their freedom of expression but also how creative synergies can be established through the choice of break-through creative profiles, united by the desire to build a project that reflects the same values. The choice of the creative team was guided by a selection of talents that were close to the theme in terms of sensitivity and aesthetics. Photographer Carmen Colombo was chosen for her intimate approach to the naturalness of the profiles she captures with her photographic lens. The models were chosen among ordinary people with their personal and visual storytelling. As for the styling part, we decided to collaborate with two local brands only in order not to focus on too many outfits but rather on the value of the subjects. Both brands - UPDF for the cozy wear and Gogo Philip for the accessories - are emerging local brands, not yet subjected to the laws of the mass market, and therefore authentic in their creative concepts and development of their collections.
‘We said 'no' to peculiar, constructed, and artificial hairstyles or to particularly oppressive make-up.’
When thinking about topics of inclusion and self-confidence, what are some elements that are important to consider when developing stylistic decisions for hair and make-up?
Noemi: We said 'no' to peculiar, constructed, and artificial hairstyles or to particularly oppressive make-up. The idea we gave was, "We want to capture you as if you had just woken up in the morning, just as you are." It is not necessary to search for a higher value than the one people hold in their most natural state, which alone enhances their characteristics. The real you is the real value. As the artist, Per De Vito said, “I learned that one of your characteristics will come to define you only if you allow it to.” This is only possible if that natural characteristic is not imprisoned by imposed and inauthentic external artifices.
Sofia and Maria, the models in the shoot, create a very natural feeling of a real person on set, real postures, and real facial expressions. What were some of the guidelines during the shooting day to reach this result?
Noemi: To make Maria and Sofia look perfectly natural we have not given guidelines to the girls. No impositions at all, just an exhortation to behave in a way that would make them feel completely at ease, entwining their bodies to get more intimate. It was a crescendo of contact, like a simulation of mutual, physical knowledge taking place on set. The fact that the two girls did not have previous modeling experience helped in adding authenticity to their interaction, revealing as much of themselves as possible and a candid portrayal of their natural beauty.
We have improvised an analytical and anatomical study, in which we have photographically captured their aesthetic and physical features. It was a sort of screening of their personalities through a visual approach to their positions, their facial expressions, their way to engage with each other. The result was a natural atmosphere because we didn't ask them to pose at all, just to allow us to capture their physical essence.
‘There are no identical copies when it comes to individuals, and the same principle applies to nature. It perfectly represents the concept of uniqueness and imperfection that lies at the core of our project.’
What is the most memorable moment or episode from the shooting day or the preparation for it?
Noemi: A funny moment was when we were trying to take the interaction shots between organic objects, fruits, quail eggs, and the girls' bodies. We chose to insert organic props precisely to strengthen the parallelism between the individual and nature. There are no identical copies when it comes to individuals, and the same principle applies to nature. It perfectly represents the concept of uniqueness and imperfection that lies at the core of our project. We had to retake the shot of the quail egg placed in Sofia and Maria's arms three times. Every time we tried to insert the egg, it would fall to the ground, and - being extremely delicate - it broke into a thousand pieces. On second thought, this falling and breaking could be a point of communion with human nature as well, being apparently perfect but really just as fragile as a tiny quail egg.
