FASHION

A New Photo Series Blurs Gender Lines

Gabrielle Revere shoots model Seth Atwell.

Sep. 18, 2015

Photographer Gabrielle Revere, known for her portraits of supermodels Karlie Kloss and Lindsey Wixson, has found a new muse: gender fluid model Seth Atwell, who just walked the Spring 2016 shows for Hood by Air and Telfar. Inspired by Seth, Revere created “Threesome,” in which Seth offers interpretation of three different personas: raw, suave, and vivid. Here, Revere talks about the project, which you can see in the latest issue of Fantastics magazine, and why she wanted to work with Atwell.

What inspired you to create this project? Inspiration is indescribable, in a sense. What draws us to one another at a particular moment in time is almost impossible to put into words. I can say I feel a familiarity, and almost a déjà vu aspect to projects like this. It’s like falling in love. You cannot chase them; they have to find you. And when the moment is right, it is magic.

What made you want to work with Seth? Seth is the embodiment of all that is both masculine and feminine. Seth is the rewritten definition of the word, “muse.”

Why a “Threesome”? The series captures Seth in a trio of styles, each offering a unique look at the beauty of androgyny, while piercing the veil of Atwell’s ambiguity to reveal his individuality and emotional complexity.

Can you explain the difference between raw, suave, and vivid? Raw is candid, provocative, and unapologetic. Suave is a contemporary take on the ideal “Classic Man.” Vivid blurs the lines of sexual identity and the antiquated definitions of “gender” and “self.”

How did you decide on the styling for each? Raw is an intimate portrayal of Seth. The images are part of a series of reportage work taken while on location in Toronto, Canada. Nothing was premeditated. This was the first collaboration between myself and Seth, and the foundation for the three cover stories. The concepts for both Suave and Vivid were inspired by pivotal moments in fashion history. We challenged old Hollywood with a new interpretation, and paid homage to the true definition of punk.