A Go- Between Cultures (Article

A Go-Between Cultures:

Inspired by Osman Yousefzada

BY MAHIDHAR SAI LAKKAVARAM & SABRINA CIAURI

Nigerian traditional Ankara, Malaysian typical casual wear and a Brazilian football jersey under a British suit, all catured with a London backdrop.

In this photoshoot, we explored the ‘Go-Between’, the title of Osman Yousefzada’s newly released autobiographical novel. The book tells the story of his life growing up in Birmingham in the 1980s and 90s as a Pakistani-Afghan migrant caught between different cultures and genders. From the orthodox mosque down the street to the prostitutes and pimps on the sidewalks, and from his family’s cultural traditions to his school’s Western teachings, Osman describes the cultural expectations, gender constructs and racism he faced growing up in Birmingham. He also reflects on his discovery of London as an alternate world of ‘dizzying freedom’ and his studies at SOAS University and Central Saint Martins. Each of these experiences shaped his identity and laid the foundation for the world-renowned work he does today investigating socio-political issues as a fashion designer and multi-disciplinary artist.

Yousefzeda’s designs stand at the forefront of the intersection between culture, identity and sustainability, all neatly tied up with a flair for creativity. From Rajasthani mirror work to traditional Afghani waistcoats (Sadri), he attempts to create a mixing pot of cultures, adding a modern twist. He pairs these traditional designs with items like western crop tops and stiletto heels, creating a seamless blend of identities through these looks.

Photographer - Sam Prescott Models - Olusola Awosika, Carmen Chang, Tiago Costa Makeup - Sarina Sorayya

Regardless of the project, Yousefzeda attempts to find a ‘Go-Between’ for his looks, whether that be his own or that of another community. Inspired by this, we wanted each of our three models to explore their own ‘Go-Between’ as well:

Sola is wearing a traditional dress called Ankara, worn across many West African countries. The dress was custom made and designed straight from Lagos, Nigeria. This style of garb features bright and bold colours that are woven in intricate patterns and designs. To accompany it, we used subtle red undertones for her makeup and accesorized with gold jewellery to bring out the colours of the dress. The traditional look was contrasted by the modern and western backdrop of London, bringing together the two different worlds.

Carmen’s Malaysian culture is conveyed in her outfit with a Malaysian graphic t-shirt, a skirt and flip-flops, a testament to the tropical year-long weather and a contrast to the classic British tweed blazer. The macaroon earrings link back to a trend a few years ago where people wore food and daily objects as earrings, soju Korean bottle earrings are just one example alike these macaroons. The funky hairstyle has also been worn by many influencers in Malaysia. Tiago is wearing Havaianas, a Palmeiras jersey (a famous football club from Sao Paulo) and brought along Guarana, a Brazilian soft drink made from the Guarana fruit. He combined these Brazilian elements with a British suit. Sarina, our makeup artist added green below his eyes, breaking a typical gender construct.

In these changing social and political times, it’s hard to imagine what the future of fashion would look like. However, with designers like Osman Yousefzeda who are actively breaking the barriers between cultures and identities, it’s safe to say that we can expect to see the fashion world from an entirely new lens, deeply rooted in social advancement. Through these three looks, we hope we can give you an insight into what this possible future could entail, and give you three of our own different “Go-Betweens.”

- Osman Yousefzeda, Harper’s Bazaar “It’s about occupying space and having your own identity which actually takes you to a space where you’re not conforming…you’re celebrating your own expression and hybridity”

Osman’s book can be purchased at Waterstones, WHSmith and on Amazon.