FKA Mag Issue 2 : FANTASY

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Graphic and Illustration by Larissa WoodalL
Graphic and Illustration by Larissa WoodalL

Welcome back to FKA Mag!

As you know, a founding pillar of FKA is to transform individuals via our signature editorial fashion and dynamic imagery And what better way to do that than through the magnificent lens of fantasy? With fantasy being the theme of this issue, we at FKA have had so much fun exploring so many different innovative and creative ways to interpret this theme with even greater things coming to you after this issue’s launch! In creating FKA, I aimed to create a publication that immerses the viewer in the fantastical world of fashion imagery I’m more than pleased to say that with the help of an incredible team and innovative creative collaborations, we’ve done nothing less with this issue. Through these pages, with our signature interview transformations, I want to once again enthusiastically introduce you to three incredible individuals I’m so lucky to know and have worked with to produce magic. As always, each interview subject has been handselected by yours truly With the issue theme being “Fantasy”, I feel as though the three individuals I’ve chosen not only effortlessly represent it’s essence but were perfect even before transforming to embody the archetypes they were meticulously chosen to portray, and the worlds we’ve created to go along with them In all of the work I try to do, I want to emphasize the power of the “Fantasy” of fashion and the incredible magic and message it can symbolize in conjunction with powerful imagery I firmly believe that fashion is a very authentic and attainable fantasy, so I encourage the reader to channel their inner child and lose themselves in the fantasy of this issue!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

PHOTODIRECTOR

EMMAADGIE

BEAUTYDIRECTOR

ROCHELLEROGET

ARTISTICCOLLABORATOR

ISABELLA“MINI”ACUÑA

WARDROBESOURCING&STYLING PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS

LARISSAWOODALL

ISABEL“STAR”SUSCHITZ

JACQUESBENAZRA KWEKUANDOH ILLUSTRATIONS

BAYMEISER

AIGRAPHICSCOLLABORATOR

HUNTERPETERSEN

PHOTOGRAPHY

IFEIBRAHEEM

WARDROBEASSISTANCE

Asalways,amagnificentThank Youtoanyandeverycollaborator forthisissue.Withoutyourhard workandcommitmenttthiswould nothavebeenpossible.. -KwekuAndoh

IllustratestheMostFantasy-FilledLooks fromParisHauteCoutureWeek2024

pickedbyeditorinchief,kwekuandoh

With Courreges Creative Director, Nicolas Di Felice guest designing Jean Paul Gaultier’s 2024 couture collection, one could expect an immense amount of sophistication and futurism, coupled with an equally iconic amount of fantasy that can only be tied to the legacy of the incomparable Gaultier This collection was no different, but this particular look perfectly captures both in my opinion, toting an air of regal sophistication with just the right amount of edge and fantastic whimsy ,in all the right places, to successfully check all of my boxes.

Viktor and Rolf are the current reigning kings of camp ,in my humble opinion, continuously releasing new and innovative collections rooted in whimsy each and every season; meticulously crafted enough to be put on any red carpet or showcased in any museum for that matter In theory, it’d be hard to imagine anyone successfully rocking this all encompassing, pink, triangular prism. But, its translation on the runway only makes me more hopeful that someone with vision will see the fantasy in it and this incredible collection, and put my obsession to rest by pulling it for a look

Respectfully, Dior truly is no longer what it used to be, at least for me But, this latest couture collection by Maria Grazia, did have (a few) hidden gems. One of which was this impeccable, golden feathered leotard. It perfectly encompasses the whimsy and fantasy of a golden phoenix rising from the ashes, creating its own story for the wearer and viewer to immerse themselves in

ASHISTUDIOFALL2024COUTURE LOOK10

The 2024 Couture collection for Ashi Studio was another incredible presentation that saw an immense amount of whimsy and intrigue within its clothing. Though there were many more avant-garde looks from the collection, this particular dress by the Arabian designer perfectly walked that line of whimsical appeal, with its bulbous and elaborately structured skirt encased in a black velvet with a small confection of black silk peaking underneath It’s the perfect red carpet look for the girl wanting to do a lot white simultaneously not doing too much; very much my styling forte.

-EIC, Kweku Andoh

THEMAGICOFCHIEMEKAOFFOR ANDTHEMAKINGOFBLACKDREAMS

Inmyhumbleopinion,Chiemekaisthecreativemagnumopus Whenitcomestoart,therearefewthingsshecannotdo Beingwell-versedinbeauty,painting, filmography/directing,andphotography,hercreativityisn'tjustaninternalspark;it'sadazzlingshowcasethatshegiftstheworldaroundher. ChiemekaislikeasistertomeandoneofthefirstpeopleIcollaboratedwithwhenIbeganmycreativejourney.I'velearnedsomuchfromheronsetandoff, gaininginvaluableinsightasayoungblackcreativeinNYC.Almosttwoyearsagonow,IalsohadtheopportunitytoworkwithChiemekaonstylinglooks (alongsideIfeIbraheem)forherfilm,BlackDreams,ablacksurrealistfilmthatpremieredthispastMayatAFIFilmFestival;anexperienceIwillforeverbe gratefulfor!Chiemekaconstantlyupliftsblackcreativeswithinourspace,alwaysremindingmeofthesheermagicandtalentthatcontinuouslyandeffortlessly exudesfromus.

Inafewwords,Chiemekaembodiestheessenceof"BlackGirlMagic,"butevenfurther,representsthetruemeaningofacreativeusingarttoconnectand changetheworld.There'saprofounddepthtoherwork,maskedbehindundeniablebeauty,makingeverycollaborationwithherfeeltrulymagical.She'san absolutestar,andhercreativetouchisnothingshortofmagic

But,beyondbeingtheinnatelytalentedcreativethatsheis,sheisalsosomeoneI'mproudtocall bothmysisterandfriend.

Photographed,Styled,andDirectedby

NowthatthepremiereofBlackDreamshaspassed,howare youfeeling?

Nowthatthepremierehaspassed,I'mfeelingabitnormal again,butalsochangedforeverbecauseoftheexperience It'scrazycomingdownfromsuchahighhighandnowfeeling soregularComparedtootherhighpointsinmylife,thisone wasthemostimpactful.Somethingclickedinsideme, confirmingthatIwasmeanttobehere.Itwasabignodto myselfandeveryoneelseinvolvedThisexperienceis definitelyagoodreferencepointforthefuture

Howdidyoufeelwhenyoufirstlearnedthatthefilmwould premiereatTheNYAfricanFilmFestival?Walkmethrough thatmoment. ItwasverysurrealThenightbefore,Iwasshootinga documentaryaboutmentalhealthandblackhairinspiredbya traditionIhavewithmyfriendscalled"BlackHairNight".Then, superearlythatmorning,Igota"CONGRATS!"emailIwas honestlyinastateofshockandhadtosendascreenshotto someonejusttomakesureitwasrealIimmediatelycalledmy sisterandbestfriend,whohadhelpedmethroughtheentire processandkneweverythingaboutthisproject.Mysisteris likemymomagerThat'swhenitstartedtofeelrealIdon't thinkitfullyhitmeuntiltheweekofthefestivalWhenthefilm startediswhenIthinkithitmethehardest

Canyoushareabitaboutwhat initiallyinspiredBlackDreams? Itwasinitiallyinspiredbymy experienceduringaninternship whenIfirstmovedtoNewYork I foundmyselfspendingsomuch timeonsomeoneelse'svision whenIcouldbechannelingthat energyintomyown.Ialsowanted toshiftmyfocusfromthoseabove metothetalentedcreatives aroundme Butmostimportantly,I thinkmyownactualdreams inspiredthisfilmthemost Ifirmly believethattobeablackartistin NewYork,youhavetobeabit delusional,andthatbeliefinthe powerofadreamwas monumentalforme

Withoutgivingawaytoo muchofyourcreativegenius.. Couldyouexplaintomeyour creativeprocessin conceptualizingthisfilm? Itbeganwithgettingoutofmy headandtalkingtopeople abouttheideatomakeitfeel real Iapproacheditwiththe mindsetthatifthemoney comes,itcomes,andifit doesn't,I'llfigureitout The firststepformewasaskingfor advice,andifsomeonedidn't knowtheanswer,I'daskthem whotheyknewthatmight.It wasallaboutaskingforhelp forme Irememberbeingall overtheplaceinitiallybutI tackleditpiecebypiece.

AtFKA,wealwayslooktothepasttocreate impactfulmomentsfortodayandthefuture… What(ifany)formofnostalgiaorvintagemedia inspiredyouthemostforBlackDreams? DaughtersoftheDustbyJulieDash,shotbyArthur Jafa Irememberseeingclipsofitbutnotfully watchingitbeforeshootingmyfilm,andthevisuals ofthewomeninwaterwereparticularlystriking andinspiring Othermajorinspirationsformewere thefilms,TheWizandBrandy’sCinderella Ididn't gettogrowuponAmericanmedia,soI'mcatching up.

WhatisonesceneinBlackDreamsthatyoufeel particularlyproudof?Canyousharewhyit standsouttoyou?

Thedancescene Itwaslargelyimprovised,and I'mimmenselyproudofthedancers Littlewas orchestrated;itwastheirbodies,ideas,and feelingsthatbroughtthescenetolife.Wemadea playlistandplayedsomesongswhileKaytaworked withthemoncontactimprov,butthatwasreally theonlypreparation Weonlyshotabout30 minutesoffootage,butitfeltlikeaportal.The wholestudiowasblue,anditwasoneofthebest momentsofmylife,honestly Seeingpeopleinthe momentandintheirownelementwasincredible

HowdoyouwantBlackDreamstobe rememberedwithinyourfilmography? Iwantthisfilmtoberememberedwithinmy filmographyasitsgenesis Ialsohopetheartists involvedalsolookbackonitwithpride It'shard tosayexactly,butIhopepeoplecanlookbackat itasareminderorasymbolofhope,something thatfeedstheirsouls

Whydoyouthinkitwasimportantforyouto highlightthisstoryinsuchamagicaland otherworldlyway?

Mydreamworld,ourdreamworld,isnotwhat Americalookslikerightnow,somyapproach wasessentiallyadeliberatechoicetoconvey thatsenseofaspirationandthecreationofa spacethatreflectsourtrueselves

AfterBlackDreams,whatareyourplans?Any particularnextdirectionorprojectyouare excitedabout?

Ihopetocontinuebeingastudentofmycraft andlearning Besidesthat,mynextprojectwill hopefullybeanewdocumentaryfocusingon blackwomenandtheirmentalhealthconnected totheirhair;furtherexploringthenuancesof Blackwomenandpain Ialsowouldlovetoget backtomyrootsofpaintingandphotography, makingmorepersonalartformyself

Whatmessagedoyouhopeyoungblackwomenandartiststakeawayfromthefilm? Ihopethattheytakeawayastrongsenseofself-belieffromit Iwantthemtonever havetoquestionthemselvesandtoberemindedofwhotheyare.Wearebeautifuland magical,andthisfilmaimstoreflectthat Filmisapowerfulmedium,andtheway everythinginthisfilmwasdoneconveysimportantmessagesthatcan'tbeignored Thisprojectfeelslikealoveletter;Iwantittobeamirror,ahug,andasign Justasit wasasignforme,Ihopeitalsoservesasasignforthem

“Mediocrityis everywhere;ifyou havetalent,don'tbe afraidtoshowit!”
-Chiemeka Offer

Ifyoucouldgiveadvicetoanaspiring directorfollowinginyourfootsteps, whatadvicewouldyougive? Don'tdoitalone;askforhelp,and don'tbeashamedtoaskforit. 1 Don'tthinkyou'renotgoodenough forsomething,eventhoughthat feelingisinevitable 2. Bepatient,anddon'tgiveupjust becauseyouheara"No"atfirst.Ifit meanssomethingtoyou,bepatient withit

Don'tbeafraidtotalkyourselfup Mediocrityiseverywhere;ifyouhave talent,don'tbeafraidtoshowit.

Steve Lacy

My ancestors, or my great great great grandchildren.. It would be cool to see how we’re similar, what their beliefs were before colonialism, etc..!

Seafood boil or Mac and Cheese!

“Mother Nature’s B*tch” by Okay Kaya

(I can’t just pick one I’m a Libra moon)

UNERSIOUSNESS!

Brandy’s Cinderella

Wait this seems so violent I wouldnt want to suck anyone’s blood

Beg them to take me with them! Its probably much better wherever they came from President

Because.... well yes!

Black Mother by Khalik Allah AND Banel & Adama by Ramata-Toulaye Sy.
“WOMOFAIRIES” NEWYORK,NEWYORK

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JACQUES BENAZRA | STYLED BY KWEKU ANDOH

Bridge....................tisthequintessentialgirlnextdoorthateveryoneeitherlovesoraspirestobe andI'mno exception.Ourpathsfirstcrossedduringasemester-longcollegeproject,andsince,we'vequicklybecomethebest offriends.Bridget'spresencelightsupanyroom,notjustwithherstunninglooks,butalsoherinfectiouslyradiant personality.Herbeautyandundeniableintelligencemightinitiallyseemintimidating,butassoonasshespeaks,itall meltsaway,replacedbyinfectiousjoyandaprofoundconnectiontothedefiningessenceofa"Girl'sgirl." Bridgetisnotonlynowmygo-topartygirl,butarelentlessacademicachieverandanabsolutebossineveryrespect. Beyondbeingabsolutelystrikingandanabsoluteangel,BridgetisonafasttracktodominatingWallStreetasasoonto-befinancegraduate.Sheembodiesdualityeffortlessly,blendinghersharpintellectwithanunparalleledsenseof funandimpeccablepersonalstyle.It'snosurprisethatI'mindeedoneofherbiggestfans,andifyou'renotalready, you'llsoonfindyourselfjoiningtheverylongline.

-KwekuAndoh

Bridget

Whatroledoesfashionplayin yourlife?

Growingup,Iwenttoaprivate schoolwithauniformandhated it Iwantedtoweareverything buttheplaidjumperandwhite shirtrequireddaily.Following my8thGradegraduationand startingatapublichighschool,I finallystartedexploringmy style!Ihadalotofquestionable outfitsalongthewaythat includedanoccasionaloffputtingflannelorahorrible rippedjean;BUTIfoundmy way!Alotofmyinspirationand whatstuckhasbeenfrommy mom Herlooksaretimeless andclassy,andI'vedefinitely mirroredthatinmyfashion today!

Howdoyouusefashionasa formofself-expressiondaily? Assomeonewhonowworksin acorporateoffice,Iknowthat fashioncanbequitemundane Mostpeoplerotatethesame neutraloutfitsweekly,butIjust can'tsettleforthat.I'vefound somuchjoyinaddingmy personalitytomyworkstyleby simplyaddingpatternsorcolors tomycorporateoutfits Having redhairtogowithitisalso alwaysaplus!

What'syourultimatefashion fantasy? Offthetopofmyhead,my ultimatefashionfantasyis reworkingmymom&grandma's weddingdressesintomyown I wanttohaveapieceofbothof themwithme,whetheritbejust detailsoftheirdressesortheir gownsfullyreworkedintomine!

Asapartygirl,full-time student,andbudding financialprofessional, managingtodoitall whilemakingitlook good,whattipsdoyou haveformaintaining yoursociallifewithout compromisingyour academicandcareer goals?

4

Whataresometipsforyoung womenwhoaspiretoexcelintheir careerswhilehavingasociallife? Neverdoubtyourselfandsethigh goalsbecauseyouabsolutelycan achievethem!Mymomalways toldmethis,andwhileIusedto agree,Istilldoubtedmy capabilities,eventothisday. Overtime,Irealizedthisonlyheld meback Havingconfidencein yourselfistheultimatekeyto success. 1. Additionally,managingyourtime effectivelyandsettingclear boundariesbetweenworkand personaltimeiscrucial Surround yourselfwithasupportive networkoffriends,family,and mentorswhocanencourageyou 2. Pursueacareerthatbringsyou satisfactionandalignswithyour aspirations. 3 Lastly,maketimeforlovedones andprioritizeself-care Balancing asuccessfulcareerandavibrant sociallifeisaGIFT!

I am definitely a "Yes Woman" as my friend Alyssa would put it. I'm the girl who will always say yes to a spontaneous outtingy; But I allow myself to do those things because of how much I put into my academics and work While at work and school, I give it my all. Then, when work or school is over, I close the computer, and focus on my friendships and social life! It's so important to have that balance and to know when to stop the work to let yourself enjoy all the little things, and people around you; ultimately I wouldn't be able to do the work and have such ambitious career goals without them

Howhasyourpersonalstyleevolvedover theyears?

I've stopped following the wave of fashion trends that come and go every day… With that, I found more of a personal style, obviously influenced by the world's fashion icons, but it expresses more of me! Knowing what compliments me has also been key I don't want to wear clothes just to drape my body; instead, I try to choose clothing and accessories that add to who I am, enhancing my natural features and reflecting my true personality.

Whoorwhatareyourbiggest fashioninspirations? IamobsessedwithSofiaRichie! She'ssochicandbeautiful!Iloveher simpleyettimelessstyleandquality clothing Shehasaknackfor choosingelegantandeffortless pieces,embodyingakindof understatedluxurythatIaspiretoin myownwardrobe Whatareyourmusthaveaccessoriesto completeanylook? Myoutfitisn'tcomplete withoutmy"BigGirl Watch".Mymom giftedmethemost beautifultwo-toned watchthispastyear, andithasbecomean essentialpartofmy style It'smorethan justatimepiece;it symbolizesmy cherishedconnection withmymomma,my biggestinspirationand rolemodelinlife!

“COQUETTE :IvebeenabowgirlsinceIwassoyoung!Everythinggoeswithabow,andIllnevergetoverthat.Asakid,I'dliterally pairmyfavoriteheadbandwithanotherbowbecauseaheadbandjustwasn'tenough.MaximalismWASandIStheenergyIbringto thetable,soIlovethecoquettetrendbecauseitletsmetapintomychildhoodandinnerchild!Thatbeingsaid,it'sdefinitelynota trendthatI'mfilteringintomywardrobedailythough.

“QUIETLUXURY”:THISismygoal!Iloveinvestinginqualityclothingthatcanbeinmycapsulewardrobe.Itmakesmesoundso practicalandmature,butIloveit;Maybeit'stheworkinggirlinme!Thisisn'tentirelymeyet,butIlovealuxurypurchase.

“OFFICESIREN”:Thisoneisresonatingwithmealittletoohardthissummer…Justbecause,whodoesn'twanttobethein-office siren?IlovetakinginspirationfrompeopleIseewalkingtoandfromworkeverydaywhogivemeofficesiren-core.

Photographed,Styled,andDirectedbyKwekuAndoh

EditedbyKwekuAndoh

IllustrationsbyIsabella“Mini”Acuña

AssociateDirector:EmmaAdgie MakeupbyRochelleRoget BridgetwearspiecesfromZara,herandthestylists’owncollection,andincredible handmadeaccessoriesbydesignerSandyChen(Pearlbagpg.14,Clearacrylicring, BowRing,andPearlEarringonpg 16)

‘WORLDOFMYOWN’BRANDCAMPAIGN

NEWYORK,NEWYORK

PHOTOGRAPHEDBYJACQUESBENAZRA|STYLEDBYKWEKUANDOH

ThefirsttimeIhadthepleasureofmeetingArjahn,IinstantlyknewIwantedto betheirfriend Thoughduringourfirstmeeting,Idefinitelythoughttheywere toocoolforme,whichIstillbelievetobetrue,myworriesevaporatedwithin minutesofhilariousconversationandourbondingovermyaweattheincredible outfitthey'dputtogether…Bothbeingarecurringoccurrenceeverytimeweget together NotonlyisArjahnoneofTHEbest-dressedpeopleIknow,butalsotheabsolute sweetestpersonyou'llevermeetuntilgiventheprivilegeofthatequally wonderfulsoursidethatIseriouslyadore!Withoursharedsenseofhumor, carefreeattitude,andkillerstyle,we'reamatchmadeinplatonicheaven.I'mso proudtocallArjahnnotjustafriendbutalsoaprofoundinfluenceonhowIsee theworldandsocietyaroundmetoday Inaworldofsuchdisinterestingand,for lackofabetterterm,"blah"people,thebeaconofuniquenessandawethatis Arjahnmakesthingsthatmuchmoreenjoyable.There'safantasticauraaround themthattrulybecomesevenmorerefreshingagainstthebackdropofthe mundaneandexhaustingworldweliveintoday Arjahnismorethanjustacaptivating personalitythatthisshortprofilecan'tdojustice to.They'realsoanincrediblygiftedandtalented designer,havingwonthe2022CFDAScholar Award,attendingthe2022CFDAawardsin what'sstilloneofmyfavoriteArjahnlooksto date,andsnappinganiconicselfiewithLaw Roachinthemidst.Furthermore,inthe followingyear,Arjahnalsograduatedfrom Parsonsclassof2023andhassincehadtheir incredibledesigns,whichIcanonlydescribeas wearableart,wornbyGen-Ziconslike Eartheater. Beyondtheircreative prowessandbeingoneofmy favoritepeople,Arjahnisalso anativeNewYorker,born andraisedinWestchester, whoI'msurehashadtheir shareofexperienceswiththe manydifferentbreedsof peoplethiscityhashadto offerovertheyears So,as anobviouslyyoung,hot,and experiencedNewYorker,I believetherearefewpeople aremorequalifiedthan Arjahntogiveourreadersthe insidescooponthewild sceneofdatinghereinthe city.

WrittenbyKwekuAndoh,with wordsfromKwekuAndohand ArjahnCox

IfyoucoulddescribetheNYCdating sceneasatypeofcocktail,whatwouldit be?

Notreallyacocktail,butlike"fratparty junglejuice" becauseyoudon'tknowwhat you'regonnaget.Honestly,itmaybea reallygooddrink,maymakeyoublackout, butitcouldalsobereallymemorableand leaveyouwithafeelingyou'dwanna chanceforever<3

WhichNYCseasondoyouthinkbringsout thebest(orworst)inpeoplewhenit comestodating?

IIfearthatthefallisreallyrabidandhasa strangesenseofurgencytoit Likeevery otherdatingappbiowillread:"cuddle season"or"lookingforsomeonetokeep mewarmthisseason,"andtheexplicit desireforhumanintimacyisprettyfunnyto me WhileIenjoytheurgencyoffalldating, themonotonyofwinterdating,andthe easeofspringdating,Ifeellikesummer datingismypersonalfavorite.Everyoneis inagoodmood,lookshot,hasfreetime, andjustlike summerlove!Also,thereare somanymorecouplesinthesummer,soit isjustcutetoseeeveryonebeinginlove<3

DescribetheoveralldatingpoolinNYC rightnowinoneword?

Notreallyaword,but:*InsertNervous SmilingEmojiHere*

What'sonethingonlyanativeNewYorker likeyourselfwouldunderstandabout datinginthecity?

Okay,tobefair,I'mnotreallyanativeNew Yorker;Igrewupinthesuburbs But,Ifeel likenevertravelingoveranhourtotryand getwithsomeone

Whatisdatingcurrentlylikein

NYC?Behonest… IusedtoloveitwhenIhadmore time.ItfeltlikeIwasonanepisode ofTheBachelororlike..Love Island Everyoneiseitherreallyhot withaweirdpersonality,oreven worse,nothotbutalsowitha weirdpersonality.Lowkey, everyone'sthesame,soit'skinda dishearteningandmindnumbing Anyway,Ihaveadate tomorrow,Ithink!

Howdoyoufeelaboutdatingapps? Lowkeylove LoveTinder;it'soneofmy favoritegames AndHingeissougly I hatetheinterface,soInevergoand answermymessagestherebecauseitis justfartoouglyofanapp,butthepeople onitarehot! HaveyouhadaRaya? Nooo,Ihavethoughtaboutitandcould easilygetanaccount,butI'veheardit's allveryrandom,andit'shardlyever someoneallthatinteresting Ialsofeel likeI'mnotchillenoughtodateanactual famousperson.

Andthequestionseveryoneisdyingto know..Isthat$20reallyworthit? Duude,its$30amonthIfear…soI'dsay ahardno.

So,datingappsormeetinginperson? Iprettymuchonlyusedatingapps,but ontheoffchanceIdomeetsomeonein person,Idon'tknowifI'dtrustthem becauseIcouldn'tthoroughlyinvestigate them BUT,also,I'dprobablythink they'retheloveofmylifebecauseI nevermeetanyone(serious)inperson.

GivemethreedifferenttypicalNYChotspots andadescriptionofthetypeofpeopleyou're likelytomeetateach?

Wednesday at "The Woods"- Lesbians with great eyes but unsettling energy 1. "Le Bain" - Someone attractive but with an asexual vibe! 2

Washington Square Park - There are a lot of hot people there, but also I'd be scared because why are they at Wash'....? Why am I at Wash'.....? 3.

Threeabsolutedealbreakers whendatinginNYC..

NEVER date a man who will get mad at you for texting "GM" instead of "Good Morning". 1 NEVER date a Libra (Period) or Pisces man (...At least for me!). 2. NEVER date anyone who doesn't also come from a household of divorce

What'sthemostbizarre,hilarious,or outrageousthingthat'shappenedto youonadate?

Onetimeinfreshmanyearofcollege,my dateandIwenttoWholeFoods,and thenIunknowinglytookthemtolikea groupmakeoutsessionmyfriendswere having Veryrandombutfun!

What'sthemostunusualplaceyou've evergoneonadateinNYC? NotentirelyinNYC butI'mgonnacount it!Ioncewentonadatewiththisguy fromtheareawhereIgrewup,andit wasinhisfamily'sapartment…Whenwe walkedinhisdadwasthereandthenleft togethismom Duringthattime,I unfortunatelylearnedhe'saverystrange and(respectfully)badkisser.Butthen hismomcameback,andshewasreally nice,soI,him,andhisparentswatched FlavorOfLoveforafewhours!

Whatare3ofyourbiggest'redflags' whenmeetingsomeoneforthefirst time?

3.

Talksabouttheirexonthefirstdate 1 Doesn'tlistentowhatIhavetosay 2 Iftheyaretoostylish….Likelook good,butifuhaveyouraesthetictoo together,Istarttogetworried!

Whatare3ofyourbiggest'greenflags' whenmeetingsomeoneforthefirst time? Goodbanter Maybealittlecheeky banter! 1 Agoodsenseofhumor. 2. Speakingwiththemmakesmefeel warm 3

What'sthecraziestormostmemorable pickuplinesomeonehasusedonyou? "HappyNewYear" "Isittoomuchto saythatI'vealwayswantedtobe sexuallydominatedbysomeonebigger thanme?"…..Ithinkofthisoften.Itisan ongoingjokebetweenmeandsomeof myfriends Thehappynewyearmakesit evenmorespecial:)!

Inyouropinion,what'sthebestwayto approachsomeoneyou'reinterestedin orbeapproachedlivinginthecity? I'dsayfirsttrytomakeeyecontactand thenseeifthevibesarethere.Thenit dependsonwhereyouare.Justgoupto themandtrytotalkaboutsomething that'salreadyhappeningaroundyouso it'snotthatweird Ifyou'reatanart museum,belike:"Wow,thispiece!"A party?"Wow,thismusic!" ButIalso recentlyfoundoutthatwalkingupto peopleandjustbeinglike,"Hi,what's yourname?"workssurprisinglywellin mostscenarios!

MakeupbyRochelleRoget

Arjahnwearspiecesfromtheirandthestylists’owncollection,incredible handmadepiecesfrombrand“r4bbitteeth”bydesignerJadeTo(Toppg 23,Full lookpg.29,RabbitPlushpg.31),anddesignerSandyChen(BowRingpg.29).

Howdoyouthinkfashion impactsyourdating experiences? I'malotmorepickybased onwhatpeoplewear…I don'treallycareifsomeone hasnorealstyleor fashion'snotreallythatbig ofadealforthem.ButIdo careifsomeone'sstyleis activelybadorjustwouldn't meshwellwithmine Ifeel likeIthenassumethey wouldn'tmeshwellwithme, andIalsodon'twantto changeanyone

What'sago-todateoutfit ofyoursthatneverfails? Idon'treallyrepeatoutfits, butifyouwearred,it's scientificallyprovento makepplthinkyou're hotter.So,ifI'vebeen seeingsomeoneforawhile andIwantthemtotake thingstoanotherlevelthen Iwearred!

Howimportantis someone'sfashionsense toyouonadate?

Prettyimportant!However, IlikeitwhenpeopleIdate's fashionsenseisgoodbut overallbland Idon'twant tothinktoohardtoget dressed,whattowearto competewiththem,ornot lookweirdnexttothem Also,lowkey,Iwanna/have tobethestylestarofthe relationship(sorry,not sorry)! Photographed,Styled,anddirectedbyKwekuAndoh

“WOMOFAIRIES” NEWYORK,NEWYORK

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JACQUES BENAZRA | STYLED BY KWEKU ANDOH

7 QUESTIONS WITH FKA Editor in chief, KWEKU ANDOH

What inspired you to create FKA Mag?

I wanted to create an image-driven fashion magazine that showed people the transformative power of fashion!

How do you choose the themes for each issue of FKA?

Each theme has to start with the letter F; I really want to make that our thing going forward! I currently have a running list that is held under lock and key (in my notes) that I pick from for each issue; choosing the issue theme is honestly one of the best parts of putting all of this together!

Can you share a bit about the process of editorial transformation at FKA?

It starts with a moodboard From the moodboard we really try to create a character to help the subject feel more in tune with the vibe and whatever archetype they’re portraying From there I really like everything to come together naturally whether that be weeks before or even on shoot day Spontaneity is what makes fashion and these projects fun, so I never want to plan too much for our projects!

How does FKA Mag differentiate itself from other fashion magazines?

We’re still very young, but I hope as we continue to grow we can become more and more visually driven to set ourselves apart from others I one day want our pages to be so image-driven that people are buying our issues just to leave spreads open on their coffee tables

What advice would you give to aspiring fashion editors and photographers?

It’s not at all easy, but if you believe in yourself and your creative vision don’t give up Find people that you can rely on and believe in the vision themselves; I absolutely think that’s how I’ve gotten this far with this publication.

How has the magazine evolved since its inception?

We’ve brought on more collaborators, which is incredibly exciting and truly an honor to have artists’ work that I admire become a part of this publication’s legacy I love collaborating and I think that it’s another aspect of what keeps these things fun! We’re also no longer solely digital in all aspects, as this will be our first physical issue and we’re planning on expanding our reach beyond the screen and to our reader in other fun ways as well!

What is your vision for the future of FKA Mag?

World domination We have so much already planned just in the next year and the boundaries are honestly limitless in what I envision for this publication

BONUS : What does the power of fantasy in fashion mean to you?

Fashion is an escape, so coupled with fantasy I think there’s an immense power in that! The world today is FAR from perfect and arguably enjoyable, so being able to immerse yourself in a world of fun and fantasy is so important and valuable for us as young people

Graphic by Larissa WoodalL

WE’REJUSTGETTINGSTARTED!

Graphic and Illustration by Larissa WoodalL

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.