The Male Pre-raphaelite Editorial

As my magazine is a feminist one, in every issue I intend on having a 'blurred lines' section where a editorial spread explores fashion in a gender neutral perspective. According to my readers and focus group results this will be of interest to them. Readers agreed in focus group that they would buy the magazine knowing it will have thought provoking reports and topics to read. Making it different from other magazines on the market.

Reflecting on my feedback from my tutors, I'm taking on board the fact I need to have editorials that explore feminism in more depth instead of just having fashion images with no relation to feminism. So I've decided to create a editorial article based on the pre-raphaelite but using a male as the subject to create an interesting juxtaposition. As pre-raphaelite art was based on beautiful women and their feminine sexuality, which was the subject matter of the artistic work by the pre-raphaelite brotherhood artists. I intend to replace the female pre-raphaelite with a male to celebrate the idea of pushing the boundaries and blurring the lines between male and female. Using a man as the subject matter instead of the naked sexualised woman. Images will explore the idea that men can also be feminine and hold a pre-raphaelite persona.

I've decided to collaborate with Photographer Josie Phillips and Make-up Artist Anna Lenton.
I intend on making the concept suitable to the vintage style of my magazine by using florals inspired by the artwork of the pre-raphaelite by Rossetti and other Millais.

Research for inspiration 

For initial inspiration I researched into the overall aesthetic of the artwork of pre-raphaelites to get styling inspiration.

Resources used: The Pre-Raphaelites by Tim Barringer and The Pre-raphaelites and their World by Rachel Barnes (Books)

Proserpine 1873-7 by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Tate Gallery

From book - The Pre-raphaelites and their World by Rachel Barnes pg. 51

Painting of Jane Morris, who artist Rossetti had a love affair with. He described the subject himself as: 'The figure represents Prospering as Empress of Hades. After she was conveyed by Pluto to his realm, and became his bride'. In this painting the mouth was the sensual aspect. The bitten fruit chose the shape of the lips and colour. The ivy often used in pre-raphaelite paintings is a 'symbol of clinging memory' and a 'decorative appendage'. The painting emphasis on her feminine beauty, focusing on the red hair, which is the focal point that the viewers eye immediately leads to. I will apply the same approach to my images, using the hair as the main focus of the image. The clothing is like a kimono draped over her body or a satin robe. The colours used are dark, and uninspiring to the eye of the magazine readers so for my images I plan to use a pink or nude to brighten, minimalist and modernise the inspired image.

Update: Change of concept and development

After researching this concept, I found that this would be too serious and complicated for my audience, as I intend for my magazine to be light-hearted and inspiring. 

For this shoot, it will be based loosely on the pre-raphaelite look but modernised and based on the concept of gender neutrality. I plan to interview the model, who is a alternative band artist who considers his sexuality as gender neutral and likes to reflect this in his dress. My new concept for this shoot is to discuss the gender neutral topic in a feminist perspective and create images that portray a feminine male, who is blurring the gender lines. Using a hybrid of male and female clothing to create an avant-garde, cutting edge and quirky look, which will be of interest to my readership. 

Pinterest Moodboard of concept ideas

Theme of styling, is modernised male pre-Raphaelite with pink hues, tailored suits, and hints of floral print.

Outcome of shoot

'Blurring the lines' 

Backstage shots

Edited Outcomes

In my estimation, the shoot was successful in regards of high quality photography, lighting and hair styling. The production of images appear polished and the clean crisp aesthetic aligns well with the high quality of the magazine and target market. The styling worked to an extent and conveyed a feminine gender neutral male that I had envisaged. Though the floral prints didn't quite work well as it was clashing too much. The use of prints were used to emphasis the influence of the pre-raphaelite art, although it didn't quite capture the richness of florals I saw in my research into the aesthetic of pre-Raphaelite artwork. The suit worked well as it was minimal, yet provided a mix of masculinity with femininity. Playing on the idea of blurring the lines and being gender neutral a juxtaposition to femininity and opposite to pre-raphaelite style. The styling was intended to be a hybrid of menswear and womenswear to purposely emphasis the concept of gender neutral and blurring the lines.

 The close up images work better as it focuses more on the pre-raphaelite hair and femininity of the male is portraying. The head to toe shots don't work as well, and this was an issue me and the team encountered during the photoshoot. Finding the right composition for a long shot was hard and didn't compliment the posing or styling of the model.  To solve this problem we instead did mid shots that worked better with the poses of the model and styling. 
#Good work practices

The model hair styling envisioned the pre-raphaelite image I intended to create. Although what didn't work so well was the poses of the model. He was confident but the props were hard to compose with. The props were used to create a link with the pre-raphaelite art work. The link to the flowers in the artwork is unclear in the images.


This work engages with a feminist topic very well, as it references a gender neutral look that can be interpreted as either feminine, masculine or just neutral. It references the theory of gender roles, gender dress restrictions, and how the gender neutrality trend is breaking down those gender barriers.  Hence blurring the lines. It challenges the styling conventions of men and women and establishes a new way of dressing a human being, without defining their sexuality through either menswear or womenswear. 
It also references the current pink trend appearing in men and women fashion. 
#Understanding of trends and styling conventions 

My only concern is that they are not vintage inspired enough for the style of my magazine, however these images are appropriate for the article I'll be writing.

 I believe I have created images that are innovative in the sense that I'm fusing fashion with a gender neutral topic, and reversing the gender roles in my images. Using a man to portray a feminine character is something cutting edge and not explored enough with in the fashion industry. 

So overall I have produced some high quality fashion imagery that show experimentation with menswear and womenswear and will compliment the content topic of the 'blurred lines' section in the magazine.