LOOK AT YOURSELF

This short film was an attempt to communicate observed profound suffering, so bad, that something had to crack. 

In this society there appears to be a decimation of authenticity. kimbralou has the willingness to see the elephant in the room in an attempt to expand views, via fashion, that are key to self healing. 

The films main aim was to disrupt the status quo of toxic mindsets so bad and so widespread that the elephant in the room needed calling out. The elephant in the room had to be shown to power reflection for the expansion of views to create opportunities for healing. 

The catalyst for the film was the notion that toxicity of the culture is so bad that it does more to promote human suffering and very little to foster self exploration to be our authentic selves. 

The total looks in archive all have a story weaved into their threads at the time of customising. This makes it easy then for me to pull two looks from archive to create a short story that transcribes the customised art on the pieces. Together with this, the official kimbralou Models have the ability to allow others to see themselves reflected in them. Melt, a professional photographer/videographer, currently aligned with kimbralou, was able to produce the captured essence of the two archived looks brought to life by the Models in both film and photographs. 

The creative direction was to facilitate a flow of healing via viewing this hurting as a mirror for our own pain.  

The film highlights the suffering, as a byproduct of a human that was using a relationship to avoid being with themselves and trying to meet the expectations of others. 

The storyline of the film is enhanced by the use of symbolism. The story opens with a human, born as male, wearing the purity of a white wedding dress customised with black textile remnants overlaying an image half alive, half skeletal. The word ‘obey’ is written in bold red textile waste. Simply, the story of ‘obey’, threaded in the kimbralou piece sits in juxtaposition of the intent to jilt the lover, left standing at the alter, where there will be no vowel of ‘obey’. Also, the notion of death do us part symbolised in the skirts facial/skeletal image will not occur in this context. The black textile shards were customised to communicate a shattering of this ideal, set by society and perfectly aligns with the films storyline. 

The antique male mannequin was filmed to act as the lover. Most importantly the mannequin was broken apart to symbolise the courageous fight with our body and mind to restore our soul from the desecration of forces that wish to dominate and terrorise us. 

The film pans to Angela dressed in a black dress with significant harness detail. This look was pulled from archive to purposely grate against societies expectations when one walks to the Wedding March. The darkness in colour and chained detail reverberates in the suffering of a jilted bride discovering her groom in bed with another of the same gender; given at birth. 

The embroidered eye protruding from an open mouth on the back of the black customised dress is symbolic of silencing societies toxic opinions and instead be clear knowing with the enduring ability to stay woke. The symbolic vision of ‘smelling the roses’ was to articulate this story embedded in the eye/mouth embroidery. Specifically, a human committing to this courageous inner work of being solely accountable to self in the mission to ‘stay woke’. 

Towards the films ending a jilted human is seen bereft with the outcome of confusion and conflict caused by societies polarisation to divide us all. 

The dark eye sockets soaked in black tears of sorrow, wiped away by the hanky, is symbolic of the challenge now to own your own shadow of darkness.  

The film ends with a decisive blow to the frogs head. The film concluding in this way considers two view points. We all know the story of having to kiss many frogs to find ‘the one’. Therefore, is this frog not ‘the one’. Otherwise, is the foot stamped on the frogs head symbolic of pinning the other down with expectations of what we want them to be and projections of who we believe they are rather than honouring them for choosing to live their truth. 

On a personal note, it was not a random decision to live my truth. It was the suffering that woke up my authenticity in owning it. I maintain this by endeavouring to keep to a state of clear knowing; to ‘stay woke’. 

If this piece has provoked you to ‘look at yourself,’ it is hoped that the time is used to reorientate and own yourself in truth. ‘Stay Woke’ with no more living a life prescribed by a society that loves to see you feeling inadequate.