ICYMI + Notes on Creative Collaboration

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

On July 6, Look Authority Studio hosted a FREE “Skillshop” Sewing Workshop with Ru the tailor at Soho House. Equipped with sewing kits and machines, Ru provided one-on-one instruction to participants on how to hem, take in, and alter garments. Each participant walked away with a deeper understanding of basic tailoring skills. Thank you Ru for gifting us your talent!

Did you miss this workshop? No worries! Stay subscribed to receive news about the next one. 🙂 

Let’s connect! We would ❤️ to collaborate with your brand or location for our next workshop. Hit us up to collaborate.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: The Art of Collectively Using God’s Gifts

Look Authority Studio operates from the spirit of collaboration, networking across, and unique worldbuilding. Collaboration can often be a creative thorn; a waste of time when the team isn’t aligned, or when the project’s intentions are skewed. However, when intention and chemistry come together, the collaboration is most often a resounding success.

Model, writer, and all-around Miss All that, Shana B., is one of the Studio’s first and frequent collaborators. Shana walked in our inaugural fashion shows and was one of the first models styled by Sal. In 2024, the collaboration continues.

Last weekend, Shana tasked the Studio to help bring her vision to life, and she shared insight about the beautiful process on her substack, from Shana B with Love. Read an excerpt below.

FROM SB, WITH LOVE...

creative collaboration

Creative collaboration can be done for fun, audience expansion, portfolio building, and work for more prominent companies/brands or publications. Through innovative partnerships, we practice our craft, build our skills/knowledge and work ethic, and network.

Over the years, after witnessing many of our peers make it and live out their dreams during and after, the ChanceTheRapper era inspired many local creatives by showing us that our creative, artistic dreams are not far out of our reach if we do the work, and put ourselves out there. However, this caused an influx of one-sided collaborations (“for exposure”), lacking intention and integrity, leaving many aspiring creatives wounded, bitter, and jaded.

While I have had poor experiences, I have also had fruitful and beneficial collaborations that have led to long-term friendships and working relationships. For example, my relationship with Sal. She was a Columbia student or just graduated then, and we worked with each other through collaborations set up by two photographers. The third time we worked together, I contacted Sal to style one of my first storytelling projects in Chatham. During these moments of co-creating, we developed a friendship and work relationship till we experienced moments of being booked on the same team for other businesses and brands.

Nowadays, the art and purpose of creative collaboration are lost among ego, selfishness, gimmicks, and a lack of integrity and individual purpose and vision. Many people aren’t in it for the love of the art, so they don’t value community, which produces collaboration; they do not believe in the purpose.

When individuals begin to prioritize a superficial lifestyle and adopt an egotistic mindset, it causes people to lack character: they see people only as dollar signs and what someone can do for them, breeding opportunists and watering down the field with gimmicks to go viral.

CONTINUE READING

LISTEN TO JUNE’S SARTORIAL SOUNDTRACK

Till Next Time <3