Rotterdam-based photographer Zahra Reijs actively recalls how her high school peers reacted when she decided to dress a little more ‘out there’. “I attended a preppy school where people attached great value to their status,” she says. “One’s ‘uniform’ mainly consisted of Ralph Lauren polos and Oilily scarves. The moment you went against the prevailing norms, people would look at you weirdly or start calling you names.” It was all about conforming or suffering. Gen Z couldn’t be more different. From Cyborg influences and futuristic makeup skills, personalising one’s style has taken centre stage — feeding Zahra’s endless fascination.
“I have always felt drawn to people and their sartorial choices,” Zahra says. “Capturing the distinct ways individuals present themselves runs like a red thread through my work.” The portraits for Dear Future initially started off with a group of eight friends she invited back to her studio after first encountering one of them in a Rotterdam park. From goth to punk, the group was truly kaleidoscopic in their styles and expressions, with one decade of inspiration morphing into the next. Having shared the photos on Instagram, it wasn’t long before the project started to snowball. Hailing from both Rotterdam and cities and small villages across the Netherlands, people wanted to have their portraits taken.
What was quite surprising at first, Zahra explains, is that a lot of them actually knew each other from social media. It was like a big online community that touched all corners of the country. “It was truly unique to see them come together and hang out at my studio,” she says. “This generation is all about DIY, about not being confined to one trade, about being fluid in the ways you want to present yourself. It made me reflect on my own youth — if only I had grown up in such an open atmosphere.”
The results are now bundled in her first-ever book, Dear Future. Intrigued by the stories behind the faces, we asked twelve of them about their styles, what defines their generation and their hopes for the future.
Naya Alyoudi
How would you describe your personal style?
I view my style as an extension of my fluid gender identity with elements of futurism and gothic components. I experiment with cyborg-like materials, customise pieces that I thrift, and make accessories out of materials one would not initially think are compatible.
Who or what do you turn to when you’re looking for inspiration?
I tend to take inspiration from environments and spaces that I feel safe in, like queer raves. In spaces like those, I get to witness authentic expressions that do not adhere to societal day-to-day norms, mostly because these are safe havens for queer and trans people, and racialised Black and people of colour. I also take inspiration from online creators such as Carlita Landrum or from political artists who transcend beyond gender (and sex) binaries like Alok Vaid Menon.
Describe your generation.
My generation’s truth is polyamorous, never the same, and forever clashing. We have become highly polarised, but that means we have also become honest, courageous and resisting complicity.
Donja de Jong
How would you describe your personal style?
On the daily, I’d say I dress like a grandpa or a librarian. I’m very much just a simple butch.
Whom or what do you turn to when you’re looking for inspiration?
I love looking at pictures from lesbian archives, since my identity has a big influence on my style. It is interesting to see how queer people dressed over the years — it’s a sign of the times.
What’s the most important thing happening in the cultural scene right now?
More and more, people seem to express themselves without any limitations, and that makes for greater art!
Describe your generation.
Our generation is more aware of social issues and generally more accepting. This opens up the doors for everyone to express themselves more freely in multiple ways.
Sammy-Lou Vlaarkamp
How would you describe your personal style?
I would describe my style as varied, striking, colourful, a mix of time genres and scenes — rooted in the early 20s and pop and punk culture. In the evening, I like to dress provocatively and lavishly; I mix colours and prints and invent an alter ego. Despite all this experimentation, I stick to my own identity, even though that’s a flexible concept. My boyfriend calls my style anti-functional.
What or whom do you get your inspiration from?
One of my sources is friends I meet online. We are all outsiders but incredibly accepting and free-spirited. Our contemporary style icons are not so distant anymore; they are peers in other cities, for example. But anyone who pushes the socially accepted limits in terms of clothing is interesting to me.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
At the moment, I’m very happy with where I am now. In November, I started a vintage store for women’s clothing that attracts a new Amsterdam audience — it’s going well. I hope to be able to pass on beautiful items and time sentiments.
Oliver
How would you describe your personal style?
I would say that I usually go for an expressive, gender-bending, extraterrestrial, deconstructive, queer vibe. I love putting a lot of thought into everything, little quirky details that are almost like an inside joke just for myself.
What’s the most important thing happening in the cultural scene right now?
I think social media has such a big impact on all the arts. A lot of smaller artists are getting more and more recognition. Social media allows people who used to be silenced to have a platform and a voice that desperately needs to be heard. And I feel like those platforms should be used to advocate for change. Yes, art can be beautiful and just be that, but art can also be used to get a message across. Activism and art have been intertwined for a long time, but it is especially crucial in the current state of the world.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
On the one hand, I’m very scared for the future. Hell, I’m already scared of the present. There is so much hate, ignorance and lack of empathy in this world, but at the same time, there are people that care so much about changing the world for the better. All I want is to be part of that change.
Eva
How would you describe your personal style?
I get a lot of inspiration from David Cronenberg films and, in particular, his use of gore and crazy pros. But I also like the cute vintage coquette kind of style, like Lana del Rey, for example. I love combining the two because they are so diagonally opposed, so gory-looking pieces with lots of texture – things that look mouldy or skin-like or fleshy – mixed with my grandma’s old blouses.
What’s the most important thing happening in the cultural scene right now?
It’s been happening for a long time, but I’m happy to see how queer, trans and POC artists are getting the exposure and love they deserve — also in mainstream media. That’s just really important progress because the artistic, alternative scenes were built by people in LGBTQ+ spaces, and they deserve more recognition. We obviously still have a long way to go, though.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
I feel like there’s so much left to explore and learn, so much progress to be made, almost like the world is a blank sheet ready to be drawn on. I have a lifetime in front of me that I can fill with doing things I love.
Rahma Sehwal
How would you describe your personal style?
It’s really diverse; I don’t really have a specific style.
Who or what do you turn to when you’re looking for inspiration?
The support of my loved ones. And it might sound a bit strange, but just before I fall asleep the best ideas come to me.
Describe your generation.
Open, connected and innovative.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
My faith in Islam.
Dániel
How would you describe your personal style?
What I think is very noticeable about my style are the cartoonish graphic logos and shapes, like hearts, smileys and stars. They come back in various things, such as my tattoos and art. To me, it’s the accessories and little things that make an outfit. Big earrings, piercings, rings, painted nails, lip gloss — it’s what makes it personal.
Who or what do you turn to when you’re looking for inspiration?
If I’m being honest, I look at myself. I have an album with all my outfits I’ve worn, so if I don’t feel inspired, I can just look through that and find inspiration. I also don’t take direct inspiration from other people, but definitely subconsciously. I have a lot of wonderful people around me that wear amazing outfits. On Instagram, I also collect fashion inspiration in an album; I look through it a lot.
Describe your generation.
I would describe our generation as open for self-exploration of identity. It makes me hopeful to see change happening so fast. We are breaking so many generational things we’ve been taught and becoming aware of how these structures exist and what we can do to overcome them.
Weia
How would you describe your personal style?
I try to approach fashion as something fun to play with and not put too much pressure on myself. I kind of used to do that, but now I just go for the thing that makes me feel good. Especially in the winter, I just want to feel cosy.
Describe your generation.
Our generation feels powerful. There is a lot of unpacking to be done and awareness to spread, but I feel like we’re heading towards a better future. I feel a lot of unity, but also a disconnect sometimes.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
There is such a willingness to grow and to learn in the small bubble I exist in. Hopefully, the future will bring more of that. I’m just really excited to see my people evolving and connecting. In the end, spending time with loved ones is what really matters. I know there are bigger issues in this world but the connections I have make me hopeful for the future.
Bo Meeusen
How would you describe your personal style?
I describe my style as very intuitive. Over the past few years it really changed into something more personal as before it was always influenced by the media I absorbed.
What’s the most important thing happening in the cultural scene right now?
I love seeing how experimental everyone got in expressing themselves, whether through art or music or fashion. People are finally noticing how there are no limits to these things.
Describe your generation.
Daring to explore unknown terrain in every art form.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
I’m hopeful for the future as long as this generation keeps enjoying, exploring, expanding and experiencing together as individuals. To me, these things inevitably lead to a brighter, more enchanting future.
Joley
How would you describe your personal style?
My style is a little cyberpunk with masculine and feminine energy.
Whom or what do you turn to when you’re looking for inspiration?
For inspiration, I like to listen to techno.
Describe your generation.
My generation is creative, outgoing, wild, and family.
Tenaku
How would you describe your personal style?
I don’t really have a style. I have a mindset and emotion, so my outfit is based on how I think and feel.
Describe your generation.
My generation is wild. It’s made up of souls looking for fun new things. They wanna explore everything and everybody. My generation is open-minded — we don’t judge. It is beautiful to see that people can be more themselves now without being scared.
Toph
How would you describe your personal style?
The art and culture I grew up with! I love reading about an artist and submerging myself in art I may have seen as a child. It makes me feel connected to my past.
What’s the most important thing happening in the cultural scene right now?
De-influencing! I saw it on social media, and it’s about people speaking out against fashion and makeup trends and why you don’t actually have to buy new things.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
Consciously working towards acceptance. Of course, we are not aware of some of the mistakes we make ourselves — it would be naive to think we don’t make them. However, I feel like we, as a generation, are truly open to acceptance and experiencing new things. Hopefully that means we will work on our own mistakes in the future.
Credits
All images courtesy Zahra Reijs