Meet Kyra Clarke-Campbell, a fashion styling and creative direction graduate from Southampton Solent University. Kyra’s final year project is a photo book called Uncover(ed) where she has shot a series of subjects that examines culture, fashion trends, personal style and more. “My main message was to be comfortable in you own skin and your sense of style,” she says.
“Not having to dress 'down' for anymore or not having the right look for a work place. As a creative i think you should be free to experiment with looks and different styles.” Read on to learn more about Kyra and her work.
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt at university?
There's a whole range of things I've found valuable whilst studying at university but the one I've taken away is to always use your imagination when creating content or Styling on set. Such as an necklace doesn't always have to be put around the neck braided through the hair as a hair accessory. Always looking at the bigger picture and taking a step back. Another thing is that you are going to be your biggest hater and have a different insight to what you've created and that's not always going to be a bad thing it could have a huger outcome making you create and look at it differently to perform to a higher standards what you truly believe you can achieve.
Tell us about your current projects and work, what have you been working on?
As of lately from graduating I've been really interested in creating content in film capturing the rawness of an image. But most of my work and shoots where styled based. The book I created, I wanted it to be as raw and not overly stylised as where would fit. So I focused more on street style photography and uncovering people style and how they style their self and how it comes across in today "society". The title of the book is called Uncover(ed) I wanted to call it that as we are uncovering the way people perceive fashion in their eyes and having a sense of keeping it raw and natural, hence why I wanted to do street style shoots to keep it more personal with my viewers/ readers. I wanted the readers to go through a personal journey and “uncover” what they think what will in the book and go through having some sense of what it will be.
What form does your work take?
I explored the use of film photography and printed them for a book. Not only just film but digital as well. I also have an online social media platform with interviews of people asking them a series of questions from their own personal style and how they look at fashion and trends too how they incorporate their own culture into their style.
How have you evolved as a young creative while studying / working?
Iv'e learnt whilst studying a lot of history correspond at the art of begin creative. That a lot of research comes along when coming up with idea and looking into not only your own history such as black culture from when doing my black panther shoot in second year but loads of others. My first year of university I was very shy of showing off my work always putting myself down not thinking it was good enough but now you need a second/third eye to view your work to get a outside view to give you some positive/ negative feedback and now knowing that not all negative feed back is bad. I'm more confident now in putting myself out there and giving my view on creative direction and styling.
What are the messages and themes behind your project that you want people to take away? Do explore any topics like diversity, sustainability or politics in your work?
I wanted my book to be my viewer own personal journey whilst looking through it having their own points on it and how they see fashion and have them thinking about their own style. I always thought that a picture can speak a 1000 words, so one imagine can have a different impact/ meaning to the next person who see the artwork. The booked challenged the way we think about the fashion industry and different trends. As in does society mould us in a way we should preserve our self in the way we dress and does our personally reflect the way we style. My main message was to be comfortable in you own skin and your sense of style. Not having to dress 'down' for anymore or not having the right look for a work place. As a creative i think you should be free to experiment with looks and different styles.
What’s an aspect of the fashion industry that you’re passionate about fixing or having a positive impact on?
From begin in the creative industry I want to see more black people in the creative world not only behind the "camera" as such but i.e models, directors, editors creative directors and lectures. Telling their true story showing off their culture to the world instead of high fashion brands hiring a non person of colour and watering it down to fit their brand and target market. From University especially on my course that I was one of few Black people on my course, then looking back there weren't any lectures or tutors. I would like to hope for the future, an inspiring creatives hoping to go to university has a lecture who are Black, Brown and Asian so they have a connection already there and would be easier to open up and they would already get an understand with some of their ideas/ shoots.
What is your plan for the future?
When thinking about my future I'm still unsure in what direction I want to take. I was lucky enough that my photography got shortlisted for Graduate Fashion week. On going that I want to gain more skills knowledge meant with film photography because there's always more to learn as i really enjoy taking picture but I've always dreamed of being a stylist travelling the world and people acknowledging my name and work. I also want to work on set for a magazine such as gal-dem and Wonderland for their editorial looks. Going with everything happening i want my work to have more diversity involved and to explore my culture and come up with more creative direction for my portfolio.