On Atlanta

This story originally appeared in i-D’s The In Real Life issue, no. 364, Autumn 2021. Order your copy here.

I was speaking to Spike Lee once and he asked me what Atlanta looks like to me. I remember I shrugged my shoulders: “Kinda like the TV show Atlanta. Big beige spread out houses, trees and Black folks.”

A lot of people might have a hyper urban image of the Mecca of the South in their heads, but the earliest pictures of Atlanta in my camera roll are of trees; shades of emerald, jade and dark rich forest green. These tones are burned in my memory.

Atlanta has the largest tree canopy of any major U.S. urban area. It’s also a city with a predominantly Black population at its center. And after being unable to travel home, I really missed those shades of green, the city of Atlanta, the people who inhabit it.

This shoot for i-D, and the work I’ve been making over the past year, are a tribute to the city, its incredible people, and my (our) relationship to Southern land.

Jaycina, Syx, Gunner, Chris, Myrical, Sahbabii, Nesa, Young Nudy, Mya, Laayah,

Trevion, Kevin, Leek, Micah, Dominique, Muva, Normani, Iman, Susu, Mikey, Lucas,

Cien, Monykuoch, Deng, Athiey (Donald and Andre it would be an honor to do something next time!)… These are the beautiful protagonists of this particular story. I am simply here to uplift them, to celebrate them and to see them.

With this series I wanted to situate them in all these shades of green. The images blend their presence with my personal memories of Atlanta. Memories that include laying in the grass at Terrell Mill Park, skateboarding surrounded by the tall evergreens at Brook Run skate park, and long night drives to friend’s houses in Cascade, Decatur, all around town.

I’m so fortunate to be able to reimagine those memories with this cast of amazing people with an amazing team for the pages of i-D. Alastair, Carlos, Fara, Mustafa, Amy, Julia, AAMO, and Zack, thank you all.

I hope that you enjoy it, and that it transports you somewhere.

Leek wears boxers UNIQLO. Trousers ASTRID ANDERSEN. Earring FOREVER MARK. Choker, necklaces, bracelet and ring SHAY JEWELRY. Micah wears vest TELFAR. Trousers LANVIN. Earrings FOREVER MARK. Necklace BP JEWELRY.

Leek wears jacket XULY.BT. Boxers UNIQLO. Trousers ASTRID ANDERSEN. Shoes JORDAN. Micah wears suit LANVIN. Vest TELFAR. Earrings FOREVER MARK. Necklace BP JEWELRY. Shoes ADIDAS.

Mya wears all clothing GUCCI. Sunglasses BOTTEGA VENETA. Jewellery models own.

Chris wears suit and shoes GMBH. Necklace LAURA LOMBARDI. Rings JOHNNY NELSON and SHAY JEWELRY.

Jaycina wears dress ERDEM. Earrings and ring YVAN TUFENKJIAN. Choker SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO. Syx wears all clothing models own.

(left to right) Mikey wears all clothing MARTINE ROSE. Shoes JORDAN. Lucas wears all clothing BALENCIAGA. Shoes JORDAN.

Sah Babii wears all clothing LOUIS VUITTON.

(left to right) Deng wears all clothing JUNYA WATANABE. Shoes HOOD BY AIR. Athiey and Monykooch wear all clothing and shoes JUNYA WATANABE.

Susu wears all clothing SUPRIYA LELE. Choker SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO. Necklace and bracelets SHAY JEWELRY. Rings BP JEWELRY and YVAN TUFENKJIAN. Shoes BLUMARINE.

(left to right) Dominique wears suit GIVENCHY. Shoes SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO. Normani wears jacket and trousers ESAU YORI. Earrings models own. Necklace BP JEWELRY. Shoes THE ATTICO. Muva wears suit LANVIN. Earring models own. Shoes EYTYS.

Cien wears shirt ASTRID ANDERSEN. Glasses and jewellery models own.

Vivica wears all clothing and shoes MARC JACOBS. Earrings ALL BLUES.

Nesa and Myrical wear all clothing, jewellery and shoes SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO.

Credits

Photography Tyler Mitchell
Fashion Director Carlos Nazario

Hair Mustafa Yanaz using Oribe.
Make-up Fara Homidi at TOGETHER using M.A.C Cosmetics.
Nail technician Shanita Trottie aka Nita Nail Nova.
Set design Julia Wagner.
Photography assistance Zack Forsyth, Casanova Cabrera and Matthew Perino.
Styling assistance Raymond Gee, Christine Nicholson, DeVante Rollins and Aémoni Nelson. Tailor Andrea Williams.
Hair assistance Anastasiia Miliaeva and Erin Taylor.
Make-up assistance Anna Kurihara and Añisah Sabriah.
Set design assistance Madeleine Peacock and Jordan Landwehr.
Production Amy Kanagaki and Rachel Liang.
Production assistance Kwami Merzier, Wes Smithers and Travien Keimahn. Casting Madeleine Østlie | AAMØ CASTING at CLM.
Models Susu Wilso, Leek, Micah, Mya Dudley, Dominique Christian, Normani Clover, Muva, Young Nudy, Chris Skylark, Jaycina Almond and Syx Valentine at Ursula Models, Vivica, Cien Minniefield, Nesa Benyamin at Strong Worldwide, Miracle Humphries, Gunner Stahl, Sah Babii, Monykuoch Deng, Deng Dout Deng, Athiery Deng at Still Models, Laayah Baht-Yisrael, Mikey Moreno and Lucas Osaba.