This photo series was originally created in 2023 as part of my portfolio application for the master’s degree I’m now completing (2025). The images are staged, theatrical depictions of everyday moments shared with my closest friends—Bex, Gabe, Ahmed, and myself—doing what we often do together: dressing up, experimenting with looks, and finding joy in turning the domestic space into something a little more extraordinary.

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The clothing featured in the photographs is deeply personal—many of the garments were made by me or have passed between us over the years. You may recognise some of these pieces reappearing in other projects, worn by the same bodies, just in different ways. The jewellery shown throughout—rings and earrings—was also made by me, using silver I melted and pulled into wire before shaping by hand.

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These images were built collaboratively. We spent days setting up scenes, adjusting lighting, and experimenting with poses and props, allowing the process to unfold slowly and playfully. It’s another example of how my friends are continuously and willingly pulled into my practice—not just as subjects, but as co-makers, co-dreamers, and essential collaborators. Many of the paintings seen in the background were created by my sister and my godmother, adding another layer of familial connection to the work.

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Looking back, it’s clear that many of the themes that shape my current work were already present here. Reflections—both literal and symbolic—appear often, as does the idea of adornment as a form of self-expression and coming out. These early images trace a lineage between past and present, showing how dressing the body, performing the self, and creating together have always been central to how I make, live, and understand the world around me.