Photography Santiago Franco-Schicke
Fashion Nathan Henry
Words David Gillespie
Make-up Anna Ingliss-Hall at Stella Creative Artists using 111 Skin
Grooming Kyosuke Tanzawa
Models Aheem at IMG Models, Zaki at Menace Model Management
Photography Assistant Mady Arroyo
Fashion Assistant Rachel Allison
Shadows settle on the lips of the estuary abyss, as sanded soles submerge beneath a riverside kiss. The banks are fogged by the panting of passers-by, a frosted mist like the satin of a woven wedding veil. There’s a slight overcast, the clouds are anaemic and the day stands in a flux between its beginning and end. The beating of two lonely hearts sends waves like rip-tides below raindrops, streaming from sad eyes as heaven hides her face. There’s a river between them, does one walk on water or swim?
Lost in the thunder of a swollen city, the lightning strikes in hollows of hypnotised eyes, clouding judgements and cluttering spaces. The echoes of two souls are felt between the cracks in the age-old concrete, as models Aheem and Zaki wander the ridges of the meandering Thames. Waltzing worn walkways and under dimly lit doorways, their ankles arch as they climb to the summit of the day. As the boys paddle across the pits of salted shrapnel, photographer Santiago Franco-Schicke captures a moment in time, before the chorus plays out and clocktowers chime.
The vacant air sends shivers down straightened spines and goosebumps grow like gravel on shingle beaches. The boys embrace in a repute to the cold, their arms interlocking like logs on campfires, shooting embers into starry nights. Styled by Nathan Henry, the boys are draped in woven armour, standing at attention under the halo of their tilted berets. On a day like today, not even the water will pass them by.
above left: Aheem wears coat by S.S.Daley, jumper by Begg X Co, shirt by Vivienne Westwood, beret by Margaret Howell, brooch and necklace by Slim Barrett
above right: Aheem wears coat and trousers by S.S.Daley, jumper by Begg X Co, shirt by Vivienne Westwood, skirt by Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, beret by Margaret Howell, brooch and necklace by Slim Barrett and shoes by Kenzo. Zaki wears coat by Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane, suit by MM6, neckerchief by Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, gloves by Paula Rowan, brooch and necklace by Slim Barrett and beret by Kenzo
above left: outfit as before
above right: Aheem wears coat and trousers by S.S.Daley, jumper by Begg X Co, shirt by Vivienne Westwood, skirt by Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, beret by Margaret Howell, brooch and necklace by Slim Barrett and shoes by Kenzo. Zaki wears coat by Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane, suit by MM6, neckerchief by Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, gloves by Paula Rowan, brooch and necklace by Slim Barrett, beret by Kenzo and boots by Margaret Howell
above left: outfit as before
above right: Zaki wears coat by Dunhill, shirt by Molly Goddard, jumper by Stefan Cooke, trousers by AMI, scarf by Kenzo, shoes by Margaret Howell and brooch by Slim Barrett
above: Aheem wears coat by Paul Smith, suit by Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane, knitted top by S.S.Daley, roll neck by Sandro, boots by Kenzo, brooch and necklace by Slim Barrett
above left: outfit as before
above right: Aheem wears coat by Hermes, suit, tie and shoes by Kenzo and shirt by Margaret Howell
above left: outfit as before
above right: Zaki wears coat, shirt, jacket and tie by Dunhill, jeans and skirt by Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, brooch by Slim Barrett and shoes by Margaret Howell
above left: Aheem wears coat by AMI, shirt by MM6, jumper and kilt by Molly Goddard, belt by Stefan Cooke, necklace and pin by Slim Barrett
above right: Zaki wears jacket and trousers by Hermes, under-jacket by Kiko Kostadinov, roll neck by Paul Smith and shoes by Margaret Howell
above left: Aheem wears coat by AMI, jumper and kilt by Molly Goddard, belt by Stefan Cooke and boots by Kenzo
above right: outfit as before