OSCAM x Kwabena Sekyi Appiah-Nti x Esmeralda Schipper-Zijp present From Roots We Grow
Take pride in your roots, it is from where we grow. Roots give us a feeling of community, through food, dance and just being able to be you. Blooming.
This editorial story for VOGUE NL is inspired by the shapes, colors and textures from the original flowers of Ghana, that can be found on vintage stamps from the ’70s. Model Dede Mansro is shot in and around her family house in Teshie. With effortless grace and surrounded by friends and family, she shines in the living room she was born in, in front of the mango tree she climbed in, at Accra city and at one of Kwabena’s favorite places in Accra; Aburi.
About Kwabena Sekyi Appiah-Nti
Kwabena Sekyi Appiah-Nti is a Ghanaian and Belgian photographer, born and raised in the Netherlands. Sekyi creates images that radiate a warmth and softness that showcases idealized and dignified images. His aim is always to portray people in a proud and powerful way, and to showcase the beautiful and positive sides of Ghana in order to challenge the distorted Western perspective of the country.
About Esmeralda Schipper-Zijp
Esmeralda Schipper-Zijp is Contributing Fashion Editor for VOGUE NL, born to a Dutch mother and Surinamese father and raised in the Bijlmermeer. Research into her background in the context of the current and past times are the main thread in her work. Within Esmeralda’s editorial storytelling, her minimal styling takes center stage. She works globally with brands including Calvin Klein, Adidas and Ivy Park. From the start of her career, Esmeralda has always championed diversity in her work and today she is an important voice in cultivating equality within the Dutch fashion industry and mentors many young talents.
Together, Sekyi and Esmeralda have the ability to connect to their audience with their own personal narratives, as well as the wider context of a place or person.
