MY 1ST TRIPLE COVER feat. Plus-Size Supermodel Liris Crosse & Rah Mosley

Monday, July 1, 2019

MY 1ST TRIPLE COVER feat. Plus-Size Supermodel Liris Crosse & Rah Mosley

PLUS MODEL MAGAZINE

JULY SEXY SUMMER ISSUE featuring....

MODELS: Liris Crosse / IG @liris crosse & Rah Mosley / IG @rah_mosley

PHOTOGRAPHER/ ART DIRECTION: Tarrice Love / IG @i_am_tarricelove

Hair & Makeup: Christian Briceno / IG @beautybychristian

Set Assistant: Kenya Hewett

Shot at Egg Studios in Brooklyn, NY

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.

PLUS MODEL MAGAZINE

JULY SEXY SUMMER ISSUE featuring....

MODELS: Liris Crosse / IG @liris crosse & Rah Mosley / IG @rah_mosley

PHOTOGRAPHER/ ART DIRECTION: Tarrice Love / IG @i_am_tarricelove

Hair & Makeup: Christian Briceno / IG @beautybychristian

Set Assistant: Kenya Hewett

Shot at Egg Studios in Brooklyn, NY

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

Videographer: Kavah King / IG @kavahtheking

Video Editing: January Miller

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.