when i first moved to new york and began working with agencies they were reluctant to allow me to work with their women because I didn't have access to a stylist, makeup artist, or hair stylist. Men didn't need that much, they could wear my clothes. Whenever i didn't get the opportunity to work with women, i would flex my designer skills and create a fantastic dress and incorporate menswear elements into a fashion look.
The evolution of pants and menswear dressing has been a symbol of equality for women. Its a sign of empowerment and respect. A lot of women who influence my fashion styling for women lean toward androgynous looks like Josephine Baker, Diane Keaton, Annie Lenox, and Lisa Bonet. My favorite designers, like Alexander McQueen, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and Yves St.Laurent, are heavily inspired by menswear.
model: Belouka - @belouka
(Red Models nyc)
ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove
styled by Tarrice Love
model: Ebonee Davis - @eboneedavis
(The Lions NY)
ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove
styled by Tarrice Love
Menswear dressing was something my momma did all the time. I hardly ever saw her wearing dresses or "girlie" looks. To incorporate men's looks into the way I style women for my photoshoots is me infusing elements of my momma and women who shaped my aesthetic. I like women in my work to look strong and powerful and menswear helps me to achieve that goal. Women in my images appear more classic, elegant and refine. The images are timeless.
Jared's near perfect flawlessness in face, figure and personality is unmistakable to anyone meeting the young charismatic Southern gentleman in person. Sleek perfection indeed!
model: Jared D'Angelo Render -@delajaredangelo
ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove
art direction by Tarrice Love
wearing Icon swim trunks by Dsquared
model: Jared D'Angelo Render -@delajaredangelo
ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove
art direction by Tarrice Love
wearing boots by Gucci
Always ready to up the body image ante, Plus Model Magazine's July issue celebrates plus models, with not one but three stunning covers paying tribute to iconic supermodels Naomi Campbell and Tyson Beckford. The covers feature supermodel Liris Crosse and big and Tall male model Rah Mosley.
I've been following Liris' modeling and acting career for years. She is the first plus-size model to win the model competition on Bravo's Project Runway. People in the industry call her the Naomi Campbell of plus. She's appeared in movies Best Man and Baby Boy. She's also appeared in countless tv shows and music videos. I ran into her coming out of the subway a few years ago (like in a movie or something). We exchanged connect info with the promise to work together soon.
Pirelli Campaign 2005 featuring Naomi Campbell and Tyson Beckford photographed by Patrick Demarchelier
She called me with an idea to collaborate with her and big and tall male model Rah Mosley on an editorial submission project paying tribute to iconic supermodels Tyson Beckford and Naomi Campbell. They wanted to recreate images from the 2005 Pirelli Campaign featuring the 2 supermodels.
They also wanted to recreate images from their 1997 Ralph Lauren Polo Sport Campaign.
Ralph Lauren Polo Sport Campaign 1997 featuring Naomi Campbell and Tyson Beckford photographed by Bruce Weber
There aren't a lot of modeling opportunities for big and tall male models, especially someone like Rah Mosley, who is 6'10. Despite her success in the plus-size industry, Liris still face many roadblocks. Being inspired by the current climate of size inclusiveness in the fashion industry, I was glad to be apart of a project that celebrates plus models in an editorial way. I was taught beauty comes all in all ages, shapes, sizes, and colors. This was also a great opportunity to pay homage to black excellence and visually represent race and body diversity. We also got to show black plus models is a sexy way that celebrates black sexuality...which is rare.
clockwise from the left: model Rah Mosley, set assistant Kenya Hewett, videographer Kavah King, me, Tarrice Love photographer,
makeup artist Christian Briceno and in the front is supermodel Liris Crosse.
In an industry that prides itself on artistic freedom and openness, I have found it to be more restrictive and not as inclusive as it would like the world to believe it to be. Ever since my arrival to New York from Memphis, fashion people have tried to put what I do in a box. Ive found myself constantly trying to prove to people in this industry that I'm not just a black photographer that is really good at shooting black men. I'm also a good photographer that can shoot all types of people, all races, ages, and body types. I can shoot studio as well as location. I can also shoot portraits and well as full body fashion. My work lends itself to well to magazine covers and fashion editorials. Instead of waiting for others to make opportunities, you have to create them yourself and be the change you want to see. I'm so thankful for Plus Model Magazine for the 3 covers and editorial space to celebrate black excellence in this way. Representation matters and Plus Model Magazine is using their platform to do it in a wonderful way.
One of the models I was shooting told me that whenever he was at a casting or audition he always wore a hoodie. He would stand in front of the casting director and take the hood from his head, forcing them to look at his face. He told me his face was his strongest asset and he wanted to keep their attention on it. He was shorter and more muscular than the standard model. Most of the times, casting directors are looking for flaws...any little reason to say no.
model: Marcus Lloyd - @marky_mark13
ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove
art direction by Tarrice Love
I hate that the fashion industry lumped all the black male models into one category - acting like all black guys looked the same. I started shooting the black male models with hoodies to force the viewer to see the uniqueness of each black male model. Wearing a hoodie was like walking around with a frame around their faces.
models (clockwise from left): King Noire(@kingnoire_), Bo Pratt(@boprattinsta), Darius Dio(@dariusdio), Marcus McGaw(@iamjustmarcus), Michael Marrio, Ambrose Carter(@kingbrxseph), Bruck Tekle(@brucktekle), and Jason Danza (@jdanza)
ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove
art direction by Tarrice Love
The "hoodie shots" became my signature image for the black male models ... its the one fashion piece that was a fashion staple of every black man's wardrobe.
model: Rob Evans - @robjamesevans
ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove
art direction by Tarrice Love
model: Ger Duany - @ger_duany
ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove
art direction by Tarrice Love
After the tragic death of Trayvon Martin, a symbol emerged: the hoodie.
A simple hooded sweatshirt has become a representation of justifiable suspicion of negative behavior. so much so that a neighborhood watch volunteer in a Sanford, Fla. called 911 and told the dispatcher that he was following a suspicious looking young black man in "a dark hoodie, a gray hoodie" before he shot and killed 17 year old Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman, 28, says he acted in self-defense; he has not been charged with a crime.
models (clockwise from left): Geremy Alexander(@geremyalexander), Minkah Davidson(@minds_opolis), Ondre Glasco(@ondreglasco), Dominick Hill, Randy Bowden Jr.(@randybowdenjr), Aygemang Clay(@aygemang) Rhyan Atrice(@rhyguyfye)
ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove
art direction by Tarrice Love
Geraldo Rivera said on the Fox & Friends TV show that "the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin's death as George Zimmerman was." Rivera warned parents not to let their children wear hoodies — unless it is raining or they are at a track-and-field event. He said it sends a sinister signal.
"You cannot rehabilitate the hoodie," Rivera said. "Stop wearing it."
model: Brenton Julien Henry - @brentastique
ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove
art direction by Tarrice Love
The Trayvon Martin death changed everything. I began to notice that agencies would remove any image created with black guys wearing hoodies from the model's portfolio. The hoodie became a symbol of danger and made you instantly think of racism and Trayvon Martin. The topic of racism makes white clients nervous and uncomfortable and the modeling agents didn't want to intimidate them...
A Black/Hispanic guy wearing a hoodie means something totally different than when a White or Asian model is photographed wearing one. None of the agents said it directly but I noticed they nolonger used the hoodie pics...so I stopped shooting models of color wearing hoodies. I had to come up with another way to celebrate the uniqueness of their faces.
