Clarks have revealed six new faces for their latest Originals campaign, all creative free spirits chosen by Chief Brand Officer Jason Beckley. Beats 1 DJ Julie Adenuga is joined by a fresh crop of multi-hyphenate creatives, including musician and artist Kojey Radical, designer, actor, model and environmental campaigner Fa’ Empel, contemporary dancer, performance artist and model Michael-John Harper, singer-songwriter Connie Constance, and model, DJ, producer and Lana Del Rey video star Bradley Soileau.
“I’m not going to be be first person to mention that it’s the power and determination of alternatives or originals that creates the momentum to challenge society and culture,” comments Jason Beckley. “It’s a kind of given that the free spirit, and their interrogation of and refusal to accept conventions, is the fuel that shapes and conditions the world in which we live. It’s a constant inspiration to a lot of creative expression, be that music, film or commerce in the form of brands. Certainly for my own inspiration it’s those people that through their personality, their perspective and their output inspire cultural evolution.”
Taking the campaign slogan, ‘The World Needs Originals’, i-D caught up with the six muses to find out who is their true original icon, and what the world needs most…
Julie Adenuga
Who is your true original icon? My life has been shaped by the people around me & over time I’ve pulled motivation & inspiration from these people & I look to them whenever I feel like I’m losing focus. So technically, I have multiple icons. They know who they are. <3
The world needs… Love
Kojey Radical
Who is your true original icon? Fela Kuti, just listen to the music you’ll understand.
The world needs… To listen without judgement.
Fa’ Empel
Who is your true original icon? Nina Hagen and Grace Jones, for being their true self with zero compromises.
The world needs… to stop releasing excessive Carbon Dioxide into mother earth atmosphere, we won’t survive otherwise.
Michael-John Harper
Who is your true original icon: Without a doubt, this person for me is my mother, first and foremost and will always remain so. She is the epitome of style and grace and has instilled in me a firm understanding and appreciation for eloquence, curiosity, and how to carry oneself with elegance and grace. A firm emphasis on my education and to understand that the key of knowledge holds great power and it can unlock many doors in this world, pushing myself beyond my known limits, and that honesty and kindness are two very valuable things. The sacrifices she has made for me selflessly has allowed me to see the world and experience things i never in my wildest dreams could have imagined myself to experience, but above all, the strongest thing and the number one reason she is an icon to me, is that she has done this all out of love. A deep love that will always remain with me. Love and may i add, with fresh flowers in the house, most of the time.
The world needs… More love. It feels as if we are in very unstable times and it also feels that fear is being projected into the masses. We must tread lightly and face this fear with the most honest land truest of love we can possibly find within ourselves. The complexity and intricacy of this world and all that inhabits it, needs for this. With love comes respect, and if we can be mindful that we all walk many different paths in this life and that no man or woman’s experience on this earth is exactly the same, maybe we can grow together into the future with brighter lights and warmer souls.
Connie Constance
Who is your true original icon? My true icon will always be Amy. Her voice and songwriting will forever amaze me.
The world needs… Nothing. The people need better training.
Bradley Soileau
Who is your true original icon: Someone I’ve always looked up to was Vivienne Westwood, she created a style that is so mimicked and adored, and copied and beautiful and angry and rebellious. How she started was so inspiring and where she went is also. Fashion is so wasteful and her message of buying a few quality crazy items and wearing them until they fall apart and fixing them and making them really part of you is what I believe about fashion the most.
The world needs… Love, or destruction/hate to get us to a place where we love each other and tolerate each other and everyone’s beliefs and it’s a positive happy world, or things turn to complete shit and we finally get off our asses and try to make a change.