{"id":135424,"date":"2020-12-18T11:30:06","date_gmt":"2020-12-18T16:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=135424"},"modified":"2020-12-19T06:45:49","modified_gmt":"2020-12-19T11:45:49","slug":"meet-the-rising-leaders-taking-up-space-with-justsmile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=135424","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Rising Leaders Taking Up Space with ‘Justsmile’"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many reacting to the year that was, creating the much-needed space for people of color was of utmost necessity. As the fashion industry has too-slowly recruited people of color into executive positions, enter Justsmile Magazine<\/a>, one of the new pieces on the print board aiming to bring fun and family back into fashion. In the classic millennial way, editor-in-chief Kevin Hunter<\/a> and creative director Bryce Thomas<\/a> met virtually, at first, and eventually in-person in Sydney. They quickly bonded over a shared perspective on the fashion industry and a rising frustration over the lack of opportunities for people of color. The result was a year’s worth of work that kicked off in 2019, preserved through connections and the certain assist of ramped-up meeting technology. We spoke to the rising leaders about their new print venture, producing the behemoth project during a pandemic that limited travel, and what fashion needs right now.<\/p>\n

How did you first land on the name Justsmile for your new magazine, and what inspired it?<\/strong>
\nBryce Thomas – I was writing a list of possible names that we could call the magazine. I went to images of Kevin and my work together for inspiration since the title’s vision was based on values and aims we tried to achieve through editorial projects in the past. I came across a picture of Fiiel a young man we shot on one of our first shoots together; it’s a straightforward picture, all he’s doing is just smiling – and I wrote down Just Smile. When Kevin heard it from the list, he said: “that’s the one!”.<\/p>\n

Why are your cover subjects perfect fits for your first issue, and how did you decide on that casting?<\/strong>
\nKevin Hunter – The magazine is based around four values: Family, Uplift, Individuality, and Happiness. Antwaun Sargent, author of the New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion<\/em>, uplifted the next generation of young black photographers with his book and I felt that to some degree, we both are aiming to share a similar message when it comes to supporting the next generation of Black and POC creatives. He is a longtime friend, and I always want to make sure his platform continues to be elevated and noticed. Ian Isiah<\/a> has been someone I have known from my days of going out in NYC and, most importantly, his work with Hood by Air<\/a>. Over the years, I watched his growth from designing to his true calling, which is music. His latest album Auntie was played a lot in the office when we worked on this issue, and I wanted to celebrate him, so I felt it was appropriate to put him on the cover. Additionally, he’s always been someone who embodies the idea of individuality, which is crucial to us at Justsmile. Seven, Tenzin and Christian, shot by Katsu Naito<\/a>, was about me finding a way to incorporate the concept of family into a cover story. All three of them are skaters and have this common bond of skate culture, which connects them. <\/p>\n

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A post shared by Justsmile (@justsmilemagazine)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n