A KALTBLUT exclusive. This editorial is a collaboration between recent graduates, fashion photographer Joebert Tupas, and fashion designer Heesu Kim. Heesu Kim is a fashion practitioner specializing in constructed embellished design, combining traditional textile techniques such as batik, felting, beading, and more with a modern and unique approach to her design aesthetic.
These two creatives connected, because of their shared interest in surrealism, to give life to Kim’s recent collection, “ I am an Aristocratic Animal.” This collection explored the concept of dual faces from a critical but honest perspective. We all have dual faces: a face we share at home, at work, with neighbours, and on social media. We ignore unpleasant truths and pretend, presenting a facade of pleasantness, that all is well. All the while we are hypocritical, covering up these unpleasantries with idealistic and romantic superficialities.
This collection considers that humans set ourselves apart from other animals, seeing ourselves as aristocratic animals. We crave to be better and superior to others. In pursuit of this, we create dual or multiple faces.
The realization of the image of this collection was influenced by dramatic and romantic elements as well as the ornamental aesthetics of the Rococo era. To create intricate and modern handcrafted textiles, Heesu developed multiple techniques in Batik, felting, beading, weaving, embroidery, and hand machine knitting.
Photography by Joebert G. Tupas/ www.joetupas.com / Instagram: @mojojooe
Model is Ryan McDevitt, signed at uniteuniteus / Instagram: @wrangelership
Hair and Make up by Willie Huang/ www.williehmua.com / Instagram: @willieh.mua
Stylist/Designer is Heesu Kim/ www.heesukim.com / Instagram: @silenceloud_heesukim
Assistant is Agustina Pereira/ Instagram: @agus.pereira
Fashion Brand is Heesu Kim
Joebert Tupas is a queer Filipinx fashion photographer based in New York. His interests include deconstructing societal and gender norms, queer narratives, and anything weird! He recently completed a Master’s degree in Fashion Photography at the School of Visual Arts NY. His work is focused on highlighting the beauty and power in queerness. It is inspired by his journey as a queer man growing up in a small province in the Philippines who moved to New York and began to develop his voice as a creative.
