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Photographed by Shukri Lawrence
Character: by Raya Kassisieh
Styled by Fadi Zumot and Raya Kassisieh
Set design by Sara Shlian
Creative Directed by Khalid Abdel-Hadi
Intro written by Sara Shlian
Video by Hélène Franchineau
Sitting editor: Eliza Marks
Note: Raya have controlled her hair, makeup and had a say in the styling.
Amman – Jordan

 

 

Women have always been pressured to abide by imposed beauty standards, like having flawless skin, symmetrical features, and an hourglass figure, but, not too much of one.  This phenomena has intensified with the rise of media beginning in the 60’s, and continues to with the increasing prominence of social media, such as Instagram. Though Instagram has its flaws like furthering anxieties about body image and the pressure to be “flawless,” it has also created a space for all to recognize and display all kinds of beauty that have been excluded from the singular views of beauty.  From the big girl to the pimple queen, instagram has it all.

Women in the Arab world have generally embraced their curves, yet globalization has allowed international media to impact how youth in the region view themselves, pushing the preference for slender physiques. Luckily, tides are shifting.  Fashion and media industries are refocusing to celebrate diversity in shape, color, ethnicity and gender.

In this photoshoot, we collaborated with a local designer/artist and selfie queen Raya Kassisieh, who blesses us daily with her unique style, OOTDs, and self-love. She embraces her figure and carries herself with confidence.  We photograph Raya in Instagram-style photos that juxtapose the contemporary and historic, using a Renaissance-style backdrop to allude to a time when women’s curves and timeless beauty were celebrated and considered the form of highest beauty. We hope to pull this beautiful past and the present together and utilizing social media spaces of acceptance to encourage all women to embrace themselves entirely!

 

Top – corner 302, vintage; Earrings – Antique Palestinian Head Embellishment (Silver); Skirt – models own

left: Dress – DKNY; Top- GIU GIU; Earrings – Mui Mui; Glasses – George Keburia; Scarf – Vintage Balenciaga; Shoes – Balenciaga. Right: Top – DKNY; Top – GIU GIU; Shoes – Prada; Stockings – ASOS; Pants – Netta LA; Coat – Fadi Zumot; Earrings – Carolina Herrera; Rings – Tufenkjian, Bvlgari, and Silver 2 ball ring from her paternal grandmother, from Jerusalem

Dress – DKNY; Top- GIU GIU; Earrings – Mui Mui; Glasses – George Keburia; Scarf – Vintage Balenciaga

Top – Aritzia; Pants- Stussy; Earrings – Robin Mollicone; Ring – Tufenkjian; Headdress -Models own

Shirt – Russel Shirt from her father’s college days in in California; Dress – All Saints; Earrings – vintage ; Shoes – Maison Margiela

Left and featured image: Dress – All Saints; Earrings – Laura Lombardi; Rings – from her maternal grandmother. Right: Top – corner 302, vintage; Earrings – Antique Palestinian Head Embellishment (Silver); Skirt – models own

Dress – All Saints; Earrings – Laura Lombardi

 

Behind the scenes of: Instagram Renaissance

 

“What if a Renaissance woman had access to Instagram in 2017?” wondered @raayya before a photo shoot last December with the team at @mykali . I was then following the team behind the Jordanian conceptual webzine which was then blocked by the authorities, filming a video for Arte. The photo shoot was part of the story but unfortunately, didn’t make the cut. That day, local designer/artist and selfie queen Raya Kassisieh @raayya used a Renaissance-style backdrop and her voluptuous Middle eastern woman figure to confidently reclaim diversity in shape, color, ethnicity and gender and challenge beauty standards that are usually uniform, unrealistic, and the product of globalization/westernization. I’ll publish a selection of photos this week. A big thank you to the team at @mykali for a fun and creative afternoon. Link to their article in my bio. #jordan #amman #mykali #video #freelance #renaissance #photoshoot #model #lgbt #beauty

A post shared by Hélène Franchineau (@helene_fr) on

“What if a Renaissance woman had access to Instagram in 2017?” wondered @raayya before a photo shoot last December with the team at @mykali . I was then following the team behind the Jordanian conceptual webzine which was then blocked by the authorities, filming a video for Arte. The photo shoot was part of the story but unfortunately, didn’t make the cut. That day, local designer/artist and selfie queen Raya Kassisieh @raayya used a Renaissance-style backdrop and her voluptuous Middle eastern woman figure to confidently reclaim diversity in shape, color, ethnicity and gender, and challenge beauty standards that are usually uniform, unrealistic, and the product of globalization/westernization. I’m publishing a selection of photos this week. A big thank you to the team at @mykali for a fun and creative afternoon. Link to their article in my bio. #jordan #amman #mykali #video #freelance #renaissance #photoshoot #model #lgbt #beauty #middleeast #europe

A post shared by Hélène Franchineau (@helene_fr) on

“What if a Renaissance woman had access to Instagram in 2017?” wondered @raayya before a photo shoot last December with the team at @mykali . I was then following the team behind the Jordanian conceptual webzine which was then blocked by the authorities, filming a video for Arte. The photo shoot was part of the story but unfortunately, didn’t make the cut. That day, local designer/artist and selfie queen Raya Kassisieh @raayya used a Renaissance-style backdrop and her voluptuous Middle eastern woman figure to confidently reclaim diversity in shape, color, ethnicity and gender and challenge beauty standards that are usually uniform, unrealistic, and the product of globalization/westernization. I’ll publish a selection of photos this week. A big thank you to the team at @mykali for a fun and creative afternoon. Link to their article in my bio. #jordan #amman #mykali #video #freelance #renaissance #photoshoot #model #lgbt #beauty

A post shared by Hélène Franchineau (@helene_fr) on