Fashion Spread: A Special Collab With Photographer Paul McLean And Digital Artist Portis Wasp
Fifth element.
Sweater with corset; skirt; earrings; sunglasses; necklace; rings; bangle; boots, Alexander McQueen (Photo: Paul McLean; Digital art: Portis Wasp)
Romance tinged with razor-sharped, classicism presented with a futuristic sci-fi vibe—this month’s cover is a study of contrasts that speaks of the visual vernacular of today. Strass and tulle are juxtaposed with combat boots and oversize shades in a display that shows artisanal fashion worn with a modern nonchalance—all set against an emotive digital collage by artist Portis Wasp that throws the spotlight on a woman completely at ease with herself and her environs, dressed in the height of fashion.
You may not immediately recognise the name Portis Wasp, but there’s no escaping the Scottish mixed-media artist’s erotically charged work. He has been featured in and collaborated with publications around the globe, and his clients read like a Rolodex of who’s who in fashion, with Dsquared2, Moschino, Valentino, Diesel and H&M among many others making the cut. And now, his vision shines through on this month’s cover and fashion spread, shot by regular BAZAAR Singapore collaborator Paul McLean. “I’ve have been a fan of Paul McLean’s work for a while now. I love his approach to photography. As a filmmaker, he has a very cinematic style, which speaks to me, as I’m a huge fan of movies,” he says of the collaboration. “To create the cover, I selected images from the cover story that excited me the most and presented them in a way that I hope will give the reader a glimpse of how exciting the full cover story is within the pages of the magazine. The goal with any collaboration is to create an image that reflects both the photographer’s personality and my own. I wanted the cover to be bold and striking, with a sci-fi/anime twist.”
Photographed by Paul McLean
Creative direction by Windy Aulia
Styled by Christopher Maul
Collage by Portis Wasp
Model: Cassie Wong/ Premium Models
Makeup: Terry Barber
Hair: Daniel Martin
Manicure: Julia Babbage
Set design: Ciaran Beale
Photographer’s assistants: Oran Eggerton; Michael Furlonger
Stylist’s assistant: Lauren Heaver
Related article: Our April 2022 Issue Explores The Coming Of Age