In an interpretation of Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are”, designers Vita Sophie Müller-Schubert and Daniela van Gelder translated the children’s tale into the adult world. Amon Aleme Selassie takes this adaptation further now and, in his latest editorial photoshoot, interprets the pieces as a bold statement for Black selfhood in contemporary Germany. By combining fashion and cultural commentary, he transforms Müller-Schubert and van Gelder’s “Wild Things” into images of Black confidence, where monstrosity is not a metaphor for fear, but for unyielding self-assurance.
The collection, inspired by the story’s iconic illustrations, features exaggerated silhouettes and textures. These are not costumes of assimilation but expressions of authenticity. Müller-Schubert and van Gelder’s designs are projected onto the notion that Blackness must soften its edges to be deemed “palatable” in Eurocentric spaces. Instead, they echo the story’s core truth: true power lies in embracing one’s full self—strengths, vulnerabilities, and everything in between. Amon Aleme Selassie amplifies this narrative. By casting Black models whose gazes challenge the viewer, Aleme Selassie reframes the “Wild Things” as embodiments of diasporic resilience. Shot on the rooftop of a large-panel-system building, the scenery displays the characteristic German “urban jungle”.
These images are a provocation in a German society where Black identity is still often marginalised or exoticised. The “wild” is not a depreciation but a proclamation: to be Black and self-assured in a world that demands conformity is an act of revolution.
Sendak’s Max, a child dreaming himself into a world of monsters, becomes a metaphor for the Black experience in Germany—a journey of confronting external projections while nurturing an inner pride. The “Wild Things” symbolise societal fears projected onto Black bodies: too loud, too bold, too much. Through Aleme Selassie’s imagery, these creatures become aspirational. Their “monstrosity” reflects the courage required to exist in a culture that often conflates Black confidence with threat.
Müller-Schubert and van Gelder’s designs, paired with Aleme Selassie’s visuals, ask: What if the “wild” is not something to tame, but a strength to wield?
In Germany, where debates about belonging and identity remain burdened, this editorial reminds us that the truest rebellion is to be oneself fiercely, wildly, and without apology.
Berlin-based German-Ethiopian photographer Amon Aleme Selassie focuses his work on empowering Black people in Germany. He has worked in fashion and art since he believes in their impact on culture and society. For this shoot, he collaborates with Vita Sophie Müller-Schubert and Daniela van Gelder and sheds a new light on their “Wild Things” project.
Photography by Amon Aleme Selassie / www.alemeselassie.com / Instagram: @amonaselassie
Design and Styling by Vita Sophie Müller-Schuber / vitasophie.com / Instagram: @unvitastehlich
Design by Daniela van Gelder / Instagram: @dan.i.vg
Female model is Dominique Ricardo / Instagram: @silvherr
The male model is Abreham Lang / Instagram: @abrehamlang
Photo assist. by Justine Sina Edinger / Instagram: @justinesinaedinger
Production assist by Jared Aleme Selassie
Brands used are: Vita Sophie Müller-Schubert, Daniela van Gelder, Moon Boot, New Balance, Falke
@unvitastehlich, @dan.i.vg, @moonboot, @newbalance, @falke
