S.: That sounds like an episode of “Atlanta.”
E.W.: To wind it up, how do you want to be identified?
A.P.: That’s very easy for me: in and through abstraction.
J.O.H. I’m going to start thinking of the works that I leave behind as my body — and that’s how I want to be seen, in all of my complexities and hypocrisies and confluences of myself. Because I’m a Gemini, and I’m always going to be contradicting myself all the time. So I want to see that, from my first work that I wrote when I was 17 all the way to whenever I leave.
A.B.-W.: I like this word that I’m going to steal from you, Danez, which is “borderless.” My ability to shape-shift — not only inside of the work, but in my life — my ability to be that free is how I would like to be identified. I hear that word “freedom” so much, but what does that actually mean? “Borderless” seems like a much better term.
D.S.: Black is the thing that comes to mind that I get the most information from and feel the most possibility inside. But I am also queer, poz, American, Minnesotan, all of these things. When folks think about me in relation to those things, sometimes they have been a wealth, sometimes they have been a target. Sometimes they have been prisons or fields. Sometimes they have been useful. And sometimes I didn’t find no use in them. But they were all information that I tried to pull from.
S.: If I did have to think about my identity, my grandmother’s informing everything about me: How I think, how I imagine, how I see through the darkness, how I exist in the darkness, how I talk. I’m just my grandmother’s baby.
Photos, from top:
Clockwise from left: DonCHRISTIAN JONES wears an Alexander McQueen dress, $15,450, pants, $1,690, and shoes, $1,150, alexandermcqueen.com; and Bernard James ring, $1,990, bernardjames.com. ABDU ALI wears an A.Potts tunic, $1,795, apottscollection.com; and Zana Bayne choker, $350, shop.zanabayne.com. JEREMY O. HARRIS wears a Walter Van Beirendonck jacket and shorts, price on request, waltervanbeirendonck.com; K.ngsley boots, $890, k.ngsley.com; Emanuele Bicocchi necklace, $613, emanuelebicocchi.com; Hanrej ring, $250, hanrej.com; his own ring; and stylist’s own socks. JONATHAN LYNDON CHASE wears an A.Potts jacket, $1,095; Universal Standard dress, $120, universalstandard.com; the Leather Man hat, price on request, (212) 243-5339; Wing & Weft gloves, $1,000, wingweftgloves.com; K.ngsley earring, $220, and earring, $220; and their own glasses. MILES GREENBERG wears Eckhaus Latta pants, $675, eckhauslatta.com; Darius Jewels necklace, $15,500, dariusjewels.com; and his own earrings and ring. BRONTEZ PURNELL wears a harness by the Leather Man, price on request; and Gucci gloves, $1,290, gucci.com. DEVAN SHIMOYAMA wears a Givenchy jacket, $5,320, givenchy.com; Emanuele Bicocchi necklace, $310; and his own rings and earrings. HUGH HAYDEN wears a Prada jumpsuit, $9,500, prada.com. SAEED JONES wears a Burberry jacket, $2,890, and skirt, price on request, us.burberry.com; Dolce & Gabbana shirt, $395, dolcegabbana.com; Takahiromiyashita the Soloist shoes, price on request, the-soloist.net; and his own jewelry. JAQUEL SPIVEY wears a Valentino coat, $3,550, similar styles at valentino.com; Universal Standard dress, $88; No Sesso pants, $320, nosesso.la; Dr. Martens shoes, $160, drmartens.com; the Leather Man hat, price on request; and Alexander McQueen necklace, $890. JONATHAN GARDENHIRE wears a Celine by Hedi Slimane jacket and shorts, price on request, and boots, $1,500, celine.com; Hanrej necklace, $930; and L. Jardim ring, $235, ljardim.com. CLIFFORD PRINCE KING wears a Loewe jacket, showpiece only, loewe.com for more information; Namacheko pants, $360, namacheko.com; Margaret Howell belt, $295, margarethowell.co.uk; and his own jewelry. ERIC N. MACK wears a Martine Rose jacket, about $2,817, martine-rose.com; Acne Studios shirt, $620, acnestudios.com; Levi’s jeans, $80, levi.com; Celine by Hedi Slimane boots, $1,600; and Alan Crocetti earring, $127, alancrocetti.com. EDVIN THOMPSON wears a Giorgio Armani jacket, $3,795, armani.com; Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello pants, $1,190, and shoes, $645, ysl.com; and his own jewelry. D’ANGELO LOVELL WILLIAMS wears a Balenciaga top, $525, and pants, $950, balenciaga.com; L. Jardim necklace, $1,750; their own earring; and stylist’s own bracelet.
Clockwise from top: JEREMY O. HARRIS wears a Gucci jacket, $27,500, top, $550, and pants, $4,300, gucci.com; and Emanuele Bicocchi necklace, $613, emanuelebicocchi.com. EDVIN THOMPSON wears a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello jacket, $10,000, and sweater, $990, ysl.com; Theophilio pants, $585, theophilio.com; Salvatore Ferragamo boots, $1,250, ferragamo.com; and his own jewelry. JONATHAN LYNDON CHASE wears an A.Potts jacket, $1,095, apottscollection.com; Universal Standard dress, $120, universalstandard.com; Wing & Weft gloves, $1,000; K.ngsley earring, $220, k.ngsley.com; and their own glasses.
Clockwise from left: CLIFFORD PRINCE KING wears a Loewe jacket; Namacheko pants; Margaret Howell belt; and his own jewelry. MILES GREENBERG wears an Ann Demeuelemeester coat, price on request, anndemeulemeester.com; Eckhaus Latta pants; Darius Jewels necklace; and his own earrings and ring. DonCHRISTIAN JONES wears an Alexander McQueen dress and pants; and their own earring and necklace. HUGH HAYDEN wears a Prada jumpsuit. ABDU ALI wears an A.Potts tunic; Alexander McQueen shoes, $1,150; Hanrej ear cuff, $200; Zana Bayne choker; and their own rings.
From left: SHIKEITH wears a Prada coat, $11,000, and jumpsuit, $9,500; Gigi Burris Millinery hat, $425, gigiburris.com; and stylist’s own earring. DANEZ SMITH wears a Celine by Hedi Slimane jacket, $4,350, and sweater, $940, celine.com; Wing & Weft gloves, $1,000, wingweftgloves.com; and their own jeans and jewelry. ATO BLANKSON-WOOD wears a Bottega Veneta top, $500, and pants, $6,000, bottegaveneta.com; and the Leather Man arm bands, price on request, (212) 243-5339. ADAM PENDLETON wears a Bottega Veneta top, $3,100, and pants, $4,600.
From left: DEVAN SHIMOYAMA wears a Givenchy jacket and pants, $6,380; Syro boots, $300, shopsyro.com; Emanuele Bicocchi necklace; and his own rings and earrings. BRONTEZ PURNELL wears a harness by the Leather Man; Moschino boots, price on request, moschino.com; and Gucci gloves. ERIC N. MACK wears a Martine Rose jacket; Acne Studios shirt; Levi’s jeans; Celine by Hedi Slimane boots; and Alan Crocetti earring. JONATHAN GARDENHIRE wears a Celine by Hedi Slimane jacket, shorts and boots; Hanrej necklace; and L. Jardim ring.
Clockwise from bottom left: DANEZ SMITH wears a Dior Men jacket, $36,000, and shoes, $5,200, dior.com; the Leather Man shorts, price on request; and their own jewelry. ADAM PENDLETON wears an Hermès jacket (sold as part of a suit), $7,400, and pants, $8,150, hermes.com; and Calvin Klein shirt (sold in a pack of three), $46, calvinklein.com. EDVIN THOMPSON wears a Giorgio Armani jacket, $3,795, armani.com; Theophilio shirt, price on request; and his own jewelry. JONATHAN LYNDON CHASE wears an A.Potts jacket; Universal Standard dress; Wing & Weft gloves; K.ngsley earring; the Leather Man hat, price on request; and their own glasses. JEREMY O. HARRIS wears a Walter Van Beirendonck jacket, shorts and belt, price on request, waltervanbeirendonck.com; K.ngsley boots, $890; and stylist’s own socks. ATO BLANKSON-WOOD wears a Louis Vuitton jacket, $4,000, and pants, $1,370, louisvuitton.com; and the Leather Man arm bands. SHIKEITH wears a Louis Vuitton jacket, $31,500, and pants, $18,900; Gigi Burris Millinery hat; Wing & Weft gloves; and his own earrings.
From left: SERPENTWITHFEET wears a Versace coat, $4,795, versace.com; Giorgio Armani shirt, $1,795, and shoes, $1,195; Hermès pants (sold as part of a suit), $5,300, hermes.com; and his own cap and jewelry. JACOLBY SATTERWHITE wears a Miu Miu jacket, $6,900, shorts, $3,300, and socks, $440, miumiu.com; and Church’s shoes, $1,170, church-footwear.com. TUNDE OLANIRAN wears an A.Potts cape, $1,495; and their own necklace. TROY MONTES MICHIE wears a Willy Chavarria vest, price on request, willychavarria.com; and his own T-shirt, glasses and jewelry. TEXAS ISAIAH wears a Louis Vuitton jacket, about $4,850, sweater, $580, and pants, $1,230, louisvuitton.com; Calvin Klein shirt (sold in a pack of three), $46, calvinklein.com; Miu Miu shoes, $1,100; Bernard James ring, $1,450; and their own do-rag, earrings and necklace.
Hair by Jadis Jolie at E.D.M.A. Grooming by Jamal Scott at Julian Watson Agency. Set design by Jesse Kaufmann at Frank Reps. Production: Dual Phocus. Digital tech: Scott Mitchell. Lighting tech: Roy Beeson. Photo assistants: Donna Viering, Kahdeem Jefferson. Hair assistants: Yollanda Stevens, Malcolm Cuthbert. Makeup assistants: Shoko Sawatari, Nanase Ito. Tailors: Iris Taborsky-Tasa, Martin Ahialey. Set assistant: Joe Barnes. Stylist’s assistants: Jye Leong, Charles Barbary, Cameron Lachapelle
