In case you hadn't noticed that Adwoa Aboah is the bona fide model of the moment (sorry, Kaia; hasta la vista Gigi and Bella), Burberry has asked the 25-year-old British model to collaborate on images for its January/February collection.
Recently named as Model of the Year 2017 at the British Fashion Council Awards, Aboah is taking the industry by storm with her shaved head, unusual looks and outspokenness. The young woman, who appeared on the cover of British Vogue this month, is also an activist for female empowerment, and seems a natural fit for the storied British brand.
_________________
Read more:
[ Versace ropes in big-name models for spring/summer 2018 campaign - in pictures ]
[ Gigi Hadid teams up with shoemaker Stuart Weitzman ]
[ Fashion year in review: The stand-out moments of 2017 ]
_________________
Always keen to support local talent, Burberry's president and chief creative officer Christopher Bailey invited Aboah to collaborate with famed photographer Juergen Teller, to create a portfolio of images for the new winter line, which went on sale two days ago.
Famous for his raw, uncompromising style, the fine art and fashion photographer has snapped some of the fashion world's biggest names. This is the man who put Kate Moss in a wheelbarrow; had designer Vivienne Westwood reclining on a sofa in her birthday suit; and had Victoria Beckham's legs poking out from under a Marc Jacobs shopping bag. Fearless, with a relentless, almost stark, aesthetic, Teller shot to fame in 1996 with an image of model Kristen McMenamy with the word Versace written across her chest in marker pen.
The result of this new tie-up for Burberry is a candid series of images, which Aboah not only stars in, but was also actively involved with – she helped select the cast, the locations and the mood. “It has been a huge honour for me to work with Burberry and Juergen Teller on this inspiring project,” Aboah said in a statement. “My role as both model and artistic director is one I have really enjoyed and embraced. Christopher Bailey is an incredible visionary, and it has been an amazing experience to work together with him and Juergen to create this series of stories.”
The images show Aboah, and others, layered in Burberry, in a mix of classic motifs with flashes of neon. Trench coats are turned inside out to show off the checked lining, and closed with a dayglo yellow belt, or covered in graffiti and topped with a hot-pink shawl. Teller himself pops up in one of the images – wrapped in layers of pink and blue, standing next to a grinning Aboah on a stack of chairs. A completely madcap image, but it captures the flip side of high fashion – which is exactly what Teller is about.
