Issuu

all Me About

Brand

whoAm I

I am a queer creative who is shaped by my experience of New York’s queer nightlife and a sustained engagement with historical visual cultures, spanning from Victorian aesthetics to 20th-century eras such as 1930s–40s cinema and 1970s–80s club culture. My work explores queer sexuality, intimacy, and desire through cinematic storytelling and highly considered, unapologetically queer styling. I am particularly interested in how masculinity, power, and eroticism are constructed and performed, using visual language to position queer desire as central rather than peripheral.

Through this, I aim to reframe queer identity as something to be not only visible, but celebrated, controlled, and elevated within a luxury and fashion context.

influential images

I love the use of the belt as a phallic object. Along with the mask, bandanna and pants, links to the leather BDSM community of queer culture.

I love the image because it feels powerful and although not explicitly sexual, it has strong sexual overtones with the leather gloves, tie and whip, along with the black and white colour grading of the image.

I think this image is so unique and exciting. Its very sexual and intimate. I love that the body is pushed against the glass and it gives the impression that we have caught the model in the moment of a sexual act and we as the viewer are possibly under the bed itself.

I really like this image, it uses vintage inspired sock suspenders as a sexual image. The use of the daddy archetype and and the leather gives it a safe and experience sexual narrative.

I think Damiano is one of the people who has been most inspirational within this project, as a hetrosexual man, he fully embraces sex, intimacy and queer culture within his fashion and styling. I love the use of snakeskin leather and low cut and tight onepiece, it feels queer and dangerous yet strong and narrative.

This image feels caught in the moment, it feels like we are viewing a moment that was meant to be private, however with the direct and seductive gaze we as the audience feel invited in to join the moment.

I really like the power dynamic in this image. Although not explicitly queer, the drama, theatre and sexual nature of the image feels dark and intimate with queer undertones.

This image conveys pain and pleasure. More explicitly linking to the bdsm community, however on a more emotional level the pain and pleasure of being gay and in the closet, the safety pin in the mouth and the hand around the throat, to me, represents the lock of not being able to tell anyone about your sexuality.

I think this is a really fun image. Moving away form the explicit sexual narrative it has a fun party vibe to the image. A big part of queer life is partying, the disco ball over the head amplifies the anonymity of sexual encounters at parties.

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Coulour

If I were a colour, I would be oxblood terracotta. Warm, bold, and quietly commanding, it carries presence without performance.

It reflects my energy: confident, grounded, and intentional, drawing attention through depth, not volume.

Like my creative work, it endures and evolves, leaving a lasting impression.

Buliding

If I were a building, I would be Halston House in New York City — the modernist townhouse at 101 East 63rd Street designed by Paul Rudolph and made legendary by fashion icon Halston. Its minimalist form and sculptural interiors reflect how I think deeply about space, emotional experience, and cultural impact. The Halston house is also a strong masculine and dramatic presence reflecting how i present myself to the world.

Flower

If I were a flower, I would be a red calla lily. Bold, sculptural, and seductive, it commands presence without shouting. Its elegance and drama reflect how I approach creativity: intentional, confident, and unafraid to express power and beauty.

Like the calla, I thrive where form, impact, and emotion meet.

Mind Map

10 X 10

Masculine

Codes:

• leather biker community is a subsection of the gay community.

• Tight short shorts read as explicitly queer

• Lord belt speaks to the religious trauma a lot of gay men have.

• Hairy muscular model looks attractive and is a stereotypical ‘daddy’ type

The leather biker aesthetic situates the image firmly within a specific subsection of gay culture, one historically rooted in hypermasculinity, rebellion, and chosen brotherhood. The tight, shorts function as an unmistakably queer visual code, enhancing the erotic gaze and reclaiming the male body as an object of desire. The “Lord” belt introduces a layer of irony and tension, subtly referencing the religious trauma experienced by many gay men and the lasting impact of moral shame. The hairy, muscular model embodies the archetypal ‘daddy’ figure, a celebrated stereotype within gay culture that signifies authority, protection, and sexual confidence.

Feminine

Codes:

• Feminine looking model - referencing the fem community

• The deep cut and tight corset style clothing traditionally feminine - shows the reclamation of the fem side of queer culture

• The pose is a ‘man spread’ also highlighting that he still has masculine sensibilities

• The pose is also very sexually open, with a direct gaze drawing the view in.

The image centres a feminine-presenting model, referencing the fem community within queer culture and challenging dominant hierarchies of masculinity. The deep neckline and tightly corseted silhouette draw on traditionally feminine modes of dress, reframing them as tools of empowerment and self-possession. This softness is deliberately counterbalanced by the wide, grounded ‘manspread’ pose, which asserts physical confidence and retains masculine sensibilities. The openly sexual posture and direct gaze invite the viewer in while maintaining control, presenting femininity and masculinity not as opposites but as coexisting forces within queer identity.

• Codes

Sex

• Direct gaze is attractive and seductive

• The tattoos add a sense of danger and intrigue

• The posing, getting undressed feels like we have caught the model in a pre intimate moment, it’s not explicit but the moment just before.

• The low lighting also makes it feel intimate and seductive.

• Codes:

• Having Amanda Lepore, a trans woman who is overtly feminised, in a position of power over a white man flips social constructs and societal norms on its head.

• Having Amanda dressed in a more vintage silhouette but sexualised shows how sex can be used as power.

• With her posing on the phone it adds a nonchalonce to her power

Cinematic

• Codes:

• I love the feel of the high gloss and narrative structure of a cinematic editorial- can really feel the story

• Feels like we have interrupted a moment between two men in the bathroom, trying to act nonchalant and intimidating.

Codes:

• Muscular strong man with facial hair - daddy type

• Direct gave intimidating and dramatic

• Nude posing has power

• Its sexual but not intimate, its dominant and powerful

• Danger to the the image

Glamour

Codes:

• Location of shoot suggests lux hotel

• The pearls around the neck, the stockings and the fur coat, feel like a reference to early hollywood glamour. Mixed with the leather underwear and knee high platform boots its unmistakable queer.

Queer

Codes:

• this image highlights androgyny in queer fashion, the useof the corsets with crystal enmbelishments highlights the femininity of the queer community. In contrast the rest of the styling is tupically male the wite shirt, bow tie and formal black trousers, this shows the contast and both the fight and cohesiveness of both the masculine and feminine sides of queeness.

Seduction

Codes:

• This image feels sexually free

• It feels intimate and caught in the act

• The look of the one models almost feels like we are being asked to join

Codes:

• This image feels sexually free

• It feels intimate and caught in the act

• The look of the one models almost feels like we are being asked to join

Sexual Narratives in Menswear - Calvin Kline

Calvin Klein campaigns are recognised for their minimal aesthetic and focus on the body, often using simplicity and restraint to create highly charged, intimate imagery. The use of neutral tones and stripped-back environments allows attention to remain on physicality and subtle expressions of desire. This informs my personal brand by influencing my use of minimal, controlled environments to frame the body and construct intimacy. I apply this through restrained styling and composition, allowing suggestion and atmosphere to communicate desire rather than explicit narrative.

Sexual Narratives in Menswear- Tom Ford

The work of Tom Ford is defined by its use of high-gloss luxury aesthetics combined with overt yet controlled eroticism. His campaigns often position the body as an object of desire, while maintaining a sense of dominance and authority within the image. This informs my personal brand by demonstrating how a luxury fashion house can construct an unapologetically queer visual narrative through the use of controlled eroticism and power-driven imagery. I translate this into my own work by adopting a similarly restrained yet provocative approach, where sexuality is implied rather than explicit, and masculinity is presented as dominant, stylised, and intentionally performative.

Sexual Narratives in Menswear- Tom of Finland

Tom of Finland’s work presents an exaggerated and hyper-masculine depiction of the male figure, reclaiming and recontextualising traditional symbols of masculinity within a queer framework. His imagery challenges heteronormative ideals by placing queer desire at the centre.

This informs my personal brand by influencing my exploration of dominant masculinity within a queer context. I draw on this by presenting masculinity as powerful and controlled, while simultaneously reframing it through intimacy, desire, and performance.

Industry Inspirations

two of my main industry inspirations are Gerry O’Kane and Mitch Power, both queer men who are celebrity stylists both workin with hetrosexual men but dressing and styling them in overtly queer erotic looks. I find this to be very inspirational as it brings queer dressing and fashion to a mass audience and makes people excited to see it, and make queerness more accepted in a wider audience.

Branding Logo

to me this logo feels safe. I feel like it represents a more palatable reduction of my queer identity. I do like the colour combonations and dramatics it still feels more conservative than I wish to identify myself.

I feel like this logo represents my New York self. It feels strong, dark, dramatic and sexual. I feel like it represents my brand as a queer man and how i want to be seen within the industry. I do want to tidy it up as it does feel a bit busy and not very luxury

After removing a part of the B the logo now feels like highend luxury and queer, while still keeping the dark dramatic and sexual nature. This logo feels ready to move into the luxury market place to completley represent my brand. I feel this it represents everying i want to represent with my brand: Masculinity, power, seduction and queerness.

personal final thoughtsBrand

After complteing my research I have identified that the market level I sit in is High Luxury. This level brings in my love for cinematic storytelling and my love for history and luxurary fashion houses.

Personal Brand Statement

I want to explore and showcase queer sexuality, intimacy and desire through cinematic storytelling and unapologetically queer styling. My work explores masculinity, intimacy, and queer culture as something to be celebrated, accepted, and idolised—placing queer desire at the centre of the image.

CASE STUDYBrands

Introduction

After looking into my presonal brand and my market position in the first component. I had Identified that i sit within the High Luxury Market, creating through a queer cinamatic lense and looking at how that translates and speakes to luxury brands. After examaning how luxury brands use sexual narratives within their campigns i want to look into this further, i want to examine and contrast how a well established and heratige brand that uses sexual narratives and how others dont. For this i want to look into the iconic Chanel brand, looking at their contriversal history, thier campaigns under their various creative directors, their house iconic codes and how the brand is still influenced by Coco Chanels ideology. In contrast I will be looking into Yeves Saint Laurent (YSL) , specifically the house under the creative direction of Anthony Vacarello. looking at his influences and how he uses a queer sexual narrative within his work, ultimatley looking at how it has come to define the modern image of YSLand queer dressing in itself. I will also examine queer codes historical and modern and how they could be used in conveyeing a high luxury queer narrative.

CHANEL

Coco Chanel- Biography

When I first approached Chanel, I understood Coco Chanel as a pioneering female designer who modernised womenswear. However, as I look deeper into her and her biography, I realised that her influence extends beyond aesthetics but into the construction of modern femininity itself.

Chanel’s rejection of corsetry and her introduction of jersey and tailoring initially appeared groundbreaking and progressive. But through my research, I began to see that her work was less about challenging gender norms and more about redefining them within acceptable social boundaries. This shifted my understanding of Chanel from being purely revolutionary to being strategically modern.

This realisation became important for my project, as it positioned Chanel not as a radical disruptor, but as a designer who reshaped femininity in a controlled and socially palatable way.

Coco Chanel- Politics and Ideology

Researching Coco Chanel’s political history significantly shifted my perception of the brand. Learning about her documented associations during the Nazi occupation of Paris — including her relationship with a German intelligence officer and attempts to leverage anti-Jewish laws for personal gain, this changed my initial understanding of Chanel as a neutral , soft, feminine and progressive figure. It forced me to recognise that Chanel’s legacy is not only built on modernism and innovation, but also shaped by exclusionary and deeply problematic ideologies. While the contemporary house of Chanel positions itself as global and culturally inclusive, these origins complicate that image.

Rather than seeing this as something separate from the brand, I began to see how these ideologies may still lbe perpetuated, not explicitly, but subtly within its visual language and emphasis on control, refinement, and purity. This became a critical turning point in my project. It made me realise that my work is not just about introducing queer intimacy into Chanel, but also about challenging and disrupting the historical values embedded within it.

Chanel- Core brand Codes and Signatures

As I analysed Chanel’s core codes tweed, pearls, camellias, and the little black dress I initially saw them as symbols of timeless elegance. However, through deeper reflection, I began to understand them as tools of control and identity construction, I also felt that they were strong links to the Nazi ideals of whiteness and purity.

These elements create a highly recognisable visual language that reinforces ideas of restraint, discipline, and refinement. What interested me most was how these codes avoid overt sexuality, instead suggesting power through subtlety. This directly influenced my concept. I became interested in what happens when these controlled, highly coded elements are placed into a space of intimacy and desire. By recontextualising these materials on male bodies, I am challenging their original associations while maintaining their visual authority.

Karl Largerfeld

Before this project, I understood Lagerfeld primarily as a designer who revitalised Chanel. He didn’t dismantle and reinvent Chanel’s identity, he amplified it. This made me realise that Chanel’s evolution has always been controlled and strategic, rather than disruptive. Lagerfeld’s work reinforced the brand’s authority while introducing spectacle with thier campigns and runway shows. This idea of controlled transformation became important for my own approach, as I realised i want to completley shift Chanels image and reinvent, and moved it into a space it hasn’t been before.

Karl Largerfeld - Visual Codes

Lagerfeld’s visual language — black and white contrast, logos, and exaggerated silhouettes — initially felt bold and modern. However, on reflection, I realised that these elements function as a system of control.

Even at its most theatrical, Chanel under Lagerfeld never feels chaotic. The image is always composed, structured, and deliberate. This reinforced my understanding of Chanel as a brand rooted in discipline rather than expression. This influenced my decision to maintain visual control within my own work, even when introducing themes of intimacy and desire.

Karl Largerfeld - Visual Codes

Karl Largerfeld- Artistic & Cultural Inspirations

What stood out to me about Lagerfeld was his intellectual approach. His references to history, art, and literature positioned fashion as a cultural system rather than purely visual output. This made me reflect on my own approach. Rather than creating purely aesthetic imagery, I began to think about how my work could engage with wider cultural narratives — particularly queer theory and identity. This shift allowed my project to move beyond styling and into concept-driven storytelling.

Karl Largerfeld- Queer Culture

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Karl Largerfeld- Campaign Stratergy

Lagerfeld’s campaigns are highly controlled, polished, and cinematic. They create a sense of distance between the viewer and the subject. This made me reflect on how desire is positioned within Chanel — it is always observed, never experienced. The viewer looks, but does not feel involved. In contrast, my concept aims to reduce this distance, bringing the viewer closer into the moment and creating a sense of intimacy rather than observation.

Matthieu Blazy

My research into Matthieu Blazy introduced a different direction for Chanel. His work feels more human, tactile, and emotionally aware.

This shift from spectacle to intimacy resonated strongly with my concept. It suggested that Chanel has the potential to evolve beyond its traditional structure without losing its identity. Blazy’s approach validated my idea that softness and subtle sensuality can exist within luxury.

Matthieu Blazy- Visual Codes

Blazy’s focus on material and texture made me reconsider the role of clothing within my project. His work invites touch, rather than simply being viewed. This influenced my decision to emphasise tactile elements such as tweed and pearls in close proximity to the body. It allowed me to explore intimacy through material rather than overt exposure.

Matthieu Blazy- Visual Codes

Matthieu Blazy- Recurring Themes

Blazy’s themes of intimacy, realism, and human connection contrast sharply with Chanel’s traditional distance.

This helped me refine my concept. Rather than creating dramatic or performative imagery, I became more interested in quiet moments and subtle interactions.

This aligns with my aim to explore queer intimacy in a way that feels authentic rather than exaggerated.

Matthieu Blazy- Queer Culture

Blazy’s work does not explicitly present queer narratives, but it creates space for fluidity and ambiguity. This made me realise that queerness does not always need to be loud or performative. It can exist in softness, gesture, and atmosphere. This understanding directly informed my approach to representing masculinity in my project.

Matthieu Blazy- Campaign Stratergey

As Blazy is still relatively new to Chanel his campaign stratergy is as obvious as with the likes of Lagerfeld. His campaign direction will likley center a closer, softer, more intamet feel, this aligns with the shift I want to make. This reinforced my decision to move away from large-scale spectacle and towards intimate, close-up imagery that feels personal and immersive.

YSL

Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent (1936–2008) founded the house in 1961 with business partner Pierre Bergé. Prior to this, Saint Laurent had served as creative director at Christian Dior following Dior’s death in 1957.

From its inception, Saint Laurent positioned itself as both culturally modern and socially transgressive. Unlike Chanel’s restrained modernism, Saint Laurent’s work actively destabilised gender and sexual codes.

When researching Yves Saint Laurent, I immediately recognised the personal nature of his work. Unlike Chanel, his identity as a gay man is deeply embedded within the brand.

This made me understand Saint Laurent as a house shaped by personal experience rather than purely aesthetic innovation. It positioned sexuality as something inherent rather than implied.

Yves Saint Laurent - Politics, Sexuality and Culture

Saint Laurent’s openness about his sexuality and his connection to nightlife and artistic circles made the brand feel more aligned with queer culture.

However, through reflection, I realised that this expression is still mediated through fashion. It presents sexuality in a stylised and controlled way rather than as something raw or personal. This distinction became important in defining my own approach.

Yves Saint Laurent- Brand Codes and Signatures

Elements such as Le Smoking and sheer fabrics demonstrate how Saint Laurent uses clothing to create sexual tension. What stood out to me was how masculinity itself becomes erotic within these designs. This contrasts with Chanel, where masculinity is neutralised. This reinforced my interest in exploring masculinity as a site of desire within my own work.

Yves Saint Laurent- Brand Codes and Signatures

Anthony Vaccarello

Prior to my research i didnt know much about Anthony Vaccarello, however, after researching him, I saw a continuation and intensification of Yves Saint Laurent’s legacy. His work feels more focused, sharper, and more explicitly sexual and almost vouyeristic. This helped me understand how the brand has evolved into a contemporary representation of erotic luxury.

Anthony Vaccarello- Career Timeline

Vaccarello’s progression through different fashion houses shows a consistent focus on the body and exposure. This made me recognise that his approach is not accidental, but a deliberate exploration of sexuality through design. It reinforced the idea of fashion as a tool for constructing desire.

Anthony Vaccarello- Visual Codes

Themes of darkness, control, and exposure dominate Anthony Vaccarello’s work at YSL. His use of black, high contrast lighting, leather, and sharp tailoring creates a strong sense of power and tension. The body is often central, presented through nudity or minimal coverage, reinforcing a bold and overtly sexual aesthetic. While I find this visually compelling, I became aware that this sexuality often feels distant and constructed. The body is exposed, but not necessarily connected to emotion or interaction. It exists more as an image to be viewed rather than something to be experienced. This made me question the difference between visibility and intimacy.

It helped clarify what I want my project to do differently. Rather than presenting sexuality as performance or spectacle, I am more interested in how it exists within closeness, through subtle interaction, tension between bodies, and a sense of private space.

Anthony Vaccarello- Visual Codes

Anthony Vaccarello- Artistic Inspiration

Helmut Newton

Helmut Newton’s influence is clear in the power dynamics and erotic imagery within Saint Laurent campaigns.

This made me consider how photography shapes the perception of desire. Newton’s work presents sexuality as dominant and performative, which contrasts with the softer, more intimate approach I am developing.

Anthony Vaccarello- Artistic Inspiration

Robert Mapplethorpe

Robert Mapplethorpe’s work introduces a more explicitly queer and homoerotic visual language.

His influence helped me understand how the male body can be presented as both sculptural and sensual. This directly informed my interest in representing masculinity as an object of desire within my concept.

Anthony Vaccarello- Relationship to Queer Culture

Queer codes are strongly present in Anthony Vaccarello’s work at Saint Laurent, particularly through references to leather, nightlife, and the stylisation of the male body. His campaigns often feature homoerotic tension, fluid masculinity, and a direct, confrontational gaze.

While this suggests a visible engagement with queer culture, I became aware that it remains highly aestheticised. Queerness is presented through image, styling, and atmosphere, rather than through lived intimacy or personal experience.

This made me question how queer identity is being communicated. It feels present, but also controlled and curated for a wider audience.

As a result, I became more interested in what is missing — specifically:

emotional connection

physical closeness a sense of privacy

This helped define my own direction. Rather than presenting queer culture as something performative or stylised, I want to explore it as something quieter and more intimate, where desire exists between individuals rather than for an external gaze.

This shift from spectacle to subtlety is central to my concept and allows me to approach queer representation in a way that feels more personal and immersive.

Anthony Vaccarello- Campaign Strategy

Anthony Vaccarello’s campaign strategy for Saint Laurent is built around consistency and strong visual identity. Campaigns often feature minimal sets, stark lighting, and a focus on the body, allowing the imagery to feel immediate and recognisable. There is a clear emphasis on creating a mood rather than telling a narrative.

While I find this approach visually impactful, I became aware that it often prioritises aesthetic over story. The repetition of similar visual codes creates a strong brand image, but can also limit emotional depth and variation. This made me question how campaigns can move beyond image-making into something more immersive. It helped define what I want my project to do differently. Rather than relying solely on a singular visual identity, I am interested in building a sense of narrative and atmosphere — where the viewer feels part of a moment rather than just observing it. This shift from image to experience became an important direction within my concept.

Queer Codes

Queer identity has often been expressed through subtle visual codes, particularly when it could not be openly communicated. Symbols such as the green carnation, associated with Oscar Wilde, acted as discreet signals of identity. Materials like leather and pearls also carry meaning. Leather connects to ideas of power and subculture, while pearls create tension when placed on the male body, challenging traditional associations of masculinity and femininity.

While I find these codes visually compelling, I became aware they are often used as surface-level signifiers rather than expressions of lived experience.

Queer Codes

The idea Big

Many luxury heritage brands remain rooted in traditional narratives and rarely engage with contemporary queer perspectives, particularly those exploring masculinity, intimacy, and subtle eroticism. This project responds to that gap by introducing queer eroticism into the visual language of Chanel, using the brand’s iconic house codes: tweed, pearls, and camellias, alongside historic queer symbols.

Set firmly within queer culture, the shoot draws inspiration from the aesthetic philosophy of Oscar Wilde and the tradition of queer dandyism. By juxtaposing Chanel’s heritage codes with queer cultural references, the shoot reimagines the brand within a contemporary, sexually charged space while maintaining the sophistication expected of a luxury house.

Final Moodboard

Component Three

Campaign 360

Gap in the Market

There is a lack of explicit queer erotic representation within heritage luxury fashion campaigns, particularly among traditional European houses such as Chanel. While contemporary brands and designers have increasingly embraced queer narratives, heritage maisons often maintain imagery centred on heteronormative elegance, restraint, and historical femininity, leaving queer male sexuality and eroticism largely absent from their visual storytelling.

Campaign 360

Why This Gap Exists

This gap exists because heritage luxury brands rely heavily on legacy, brand mythology, and conservative consumer bases. These brands often prioritise timelessness and broad global appeal, which has historically led them to avoid overt sexual or queer narratives.

In contrast, brands such as Saint Laurent under creative director Anthony Vaccarello have embraced sexually charged imagery influenced by photographers like Helmut Newton and Robert Mapplethorpe. However, this visual language has rarely been applied to heritage houses like Chanel, whose campaigns typically maintain controlled elegance rather than explicit sensuality.

Campaign 360

The Big Idea

The campaign reimagines Chanel through a queer erotic lens, juxtaposing the house’s refined codes—pearls, tailoring, tweed, and black-and-white elegance—with the raw intimacy and subcultural energy of a gay sex club environment.

By placing Chanel’s symbols of bourgeois luxury into a space historically associated with queer liberation and sexuality, the campaign creates a striking contrast that explores desire, power, and identity within luxury fashion.

Campaign 360

The Big Idea

The campaign reimagines Chanel through a queer erotic lens, juxtaposing the house’s refined codes of pearls, tailoring, tweed, and black-and-white elegance with the raw intimacy and subcultural energy of a gay eroticism.

By placing Chanel’s symbols of luxury into an environment associated with queer sexuality and eroticism, the campaign creates a striking contrast that explores desire, power, and identity within luxury fashion.

Audience, Market level and Industry Context

Target Audience:

• queer men

• 20–35

• fashion conscious

• culturally engaged

Lifestyle:

• nightlife

• art

• fashion media

• urban culture

Market Level:

• Luxury / heritage fashion

• Positioned conceptually within brands like: Chanel Saint Laurent Tom Ford

Industry Context

Luxury fashion is increasingly engaging with queer identity and sexuality, but this representation is often led by newer or more provocative brands rather than traditional maisons. This campaign proposes a progressive reinterpretation of heritage luxury storytelling.

Makeup Inspiration

The makeup direction focuses on subtle disruption of traditional masculinity, using elements such as smudged eyeliner, flushed skin, and imperfect textures to create a sense of rawness and intimacy. Rather than polished beauty, the references suggest a worn or post-experience look, as if the subject exists in a moment after physical or emotional intensity. This directly supports the narrative of the shoot by aligning with the changing room setting, where the body is exposed and unguarded. The slightly undone makeup enhances the idea of private moments becoming visible, reinforcing themes of identity, vulnerability, and queer expression within a masculine space.

Styling Inspiration - location

The styling combines heritage luxury codes—such as pearls, tailoring, and statement jewellery—with elements of fetishwear and queer subcultural dress, including harnesses and exposed skin. This creates a deliberate contrast between refinement and raw physicality, which is central to the campaign’s visual language. Within the gym setting, this juxtaposition becomes more pronounced, as traditionally elegant pieces are placed against a functional, utilitarian environment. This reflects the project’s aim to recontextualise luxury fashion within spaces not typically associated with it, while also drawing on the legacy of photographers like Helmut Newton, who blurred the boundaries between fashion, sexuality, and power.

Styling Pieces - location

Final Styling - location

The location shoot look is grounded in an all-black palette, incorporating leather trousers, a structured vest, and harness detailing. This combination draws directly from queer leather subculture, reinforcing themes of masculinity, dominance, and physicality. The addition of layered pearls introduces a deliberate contrast, disrupting the severity of the look while referencing the heritage codes of Chanel. This tension between hardness and softness reflects the broader concept of luxury versus eroticism.

Final Styling - location

AI Images

I wanted to utilise AI to see how my styling and makeup inspiration would look and how it would convey the narrative. I feel that all the components togeth clearly represet the queer erotic narrative.

Styling Inspiration - studio

With the styling for the studio shoot I wanted to lean more into the conceptual and Haute Coutre side of Chanel. I want to explore a more regal look for this while still maintaing the codes of the house and having that queer erotic narrative.

Final Styling - studio

Lighting refrences- location

As this is a location shoot the lighting is going to be limited. the changing room is quite light with bright overhead lighting so to combat this I am bringing in one studio light and a reflector and a bounce board in order to control the shadows.

Lighting refrences- studio

i want the studio lighting to be high contarast with dark and defined shadows and bight white highlights. I think that this lighting will really emphasise the Haute Couture aspect of chanel im wanting to portray within the studio shoot as well as the dark eroticism of the campaign.

Finalised Location

The gym changing room is a space traditionally associated with masculinity, discipline, and the male body, but it also carries underlying homoerotic connotations within visual culture. By placing luxury fashion within this raw, functional environment, the project creates a contrast between refinement and physicality, reframing the space as one of intimacy and desire. This allows the campaign to explore themes of masculinity, exposure, and identity while challenging conventional representations within luxury fashion imagery.

Location Risk Assesment

Location: Nuffield Health Gym, Chester – Men’s

Changing Rooms & Showers

Project: Final Year Fashion Editorial Photoshoot

Assessor: Andrew B

Date: 26/04/2026

1. Slips, Trips & Falls (Wet Floors)

Risk:

Wet floors in shower and changing areas may cause slipping.

Who is at risk:

Model, photographer, crew

Control Measures:

Ensure appropriate footwear when not shooting

Dry key shooting areas using towels or mats

Avoid active water use during shooting

Keep walkways clear of obstacles and equipment

Risk Level: Medium → Low

2. Electrical Equipment Near Water

Risk:

Use of camera and lighting equipment near water sources.

Who is at risk:

Photographer, model Control Measures:

Use battery-powered equipment only Keep all equipment away from wet areas

Do not use electrical equipment inside shower zones

Ensure hands are dry when handling equipment

Risk Level: High → Low

3. Privacy & Consent

Risk:

Use of a private changing space and potential privacy concerns.

Who is at risk:

Model, crew, gym facility

Control Measures:

Shoot will take place after gym closing hours, ensuring no public access

Obtain full permission from gym management prior to shoot

Only essential crew present

Maintain a professional and controlled environment

Risk Level: High → Low

4. Nudity / Partial Nudity

Risk:

Potential discomfort or miscommunication regarding level of exposure.

Who is at risk:

Model

Control Measures:

Confirm model consent in advance

Clearly communicate styling (shirtless imagery)

Provide private changing area

Maintain professionalism at all times

Risk Level: Medium → Low

5. Restricted Space / Facility Use

Risk:

Use of gym facilities outside normal operation.

Who is at risk:

Crew, facility

Control Measures:

Shoot scheduled outside of operating hours

Follow all instructions from gym management

Keep crew small and controlled

Do not interfere with equipment or restricted areas

Risk Level: Medium → Low

6. Manual Handling (Equipment)

Risk:

Injury from carrying or setting up equipment.

Who is at risk:

Photographer / crew

Control Measures:

Use minimal, lightweight equipment

Follow safe lifting practices

Keep equipment organised and out of walkways

Risk Level: Low

7. Hygiene & Cleanliness

Risk:

Exposure to bacteria in shared facilities.

Who is at risk:

All participants

Control Measures:

Clean and dry shooting areas before use

Bring towels and sanitising wipes

Wash hands regularly

Avoid contact with unnecessary surfaces

Risk Level: Medium → Low

Overall Risk Level: LOW

Model Casting

Inspiration:

For the model casting i wanted to cast a model that represented the traditionail form of masculinity I wanted to portray, whilst staying true to queer culture.

I want my model to have a strong muscualr build with facial and body hair, in order for them to compleley embody the ‘leather daddy’ archetype within queer cultre. this casting is something completley diffrent to Chanels usual casting of more some femminie and androgynous models, showing a strong masculine form.

Casting Call

I created this casting call and placed it on my social media, in gyms, and around the local area as well as model casing sites. I wanted to make sure that the model I was going to use was comfortable with everything that would be required from this shoot, there for I explicity stated that they needed to be muscular and comfortable being shirtless within the shoot.

Casting:

Edger was a model I had previously brought in for a diffrent project however was not suitable for that shoot, I brought him in for another casting for this project as i felt he was a good fit within my model inspiration.

Test Shoot:

I wanted to do a test shoot with Edger after casting him to make sure he was completley comfortable with the look and the posing. We experimented with some posing and lighting to make sure that everything was working together to convey the narrative. I also wanted to experiment using ligthroom and making the images black and white inspired by Mapplethore and newton, as well as specifc crops and compositions to create that high luxury editorial feel.

Styling Croquis

photographer inspiration- Helmut Newton

I want to take inspiration form Newtons cinamatic storytelling. I feel like his style of photography lends itself well to the narrative im trying to tell.

photographer inspiration - Robert Mappelthorpe

I want to take mappelthorpes unappologetic queerness as an inspiration going forward into the shoot. i think his hoenst and authentic way of storytelling and using the leather community really lends itself to my shoot.

photographer inspiration - Damon Baker

Another queer photographer who is unapologetic in his queerness. Baker pulls from his experience with queer nighlife and as a recovering alcohol and drug addict he tells beautiful and thoughtful queer experiences through his work.

Final Posing Refrences- Gym Locker room

The posing direction draws on editorial fashion photography and queer visual culture, focusing on the male body as both sculptural and expressive. The references show a mix of controlled, statuesque poses alongside more intimate and provocative gestures, such as reclining, tension in the limbs, and interaction with accessories like chains and jewellery.

This approach links directly to the shoot by emphasising the physicality of the body within the gym setting, transforming it from a space of performance into one of desire and vulnerability. The poses echo the work of photographers such as Robert Mapplethorpe, where masculinity is presented as both powerful and erotic, reinforcing the campaign’s exploration of queer identity within traditionally masculine environments.