In these pictures, Philip’s hat contains something both eccentric and elegant – just like each person. Passing the hat from model to model created a common ground and a collective mood. The shoot became a game, but it was much more than that: using the same object for everyone exemplified each of their unique personalities.
Meisel’s lesson and my experiment, I hope, are in line with Franca’s vision and her way to narrate and present fashion. It is her interpretation we keep referring to – an inescapable intelligence. Her style of storytelling is the one I believe in. It puts people at the centre of an image, with their humanity, their intimate and talented nature, values and imperfections. It is a complete human vision, ironic yet graceful, subversive yes so understandable.
Shooting people I love wearing this pink feather hat is a way for me to keep experimenting, to narrate diversity, to pay homage to Franca’s unique visionary work and to have a friend like her sill here – with me – on this adventure. – P.P.