By Simona Mezzina, St.Art Fashion Editor

This year, DONT WALK proposes a serious reflection on men’s impact on the natural world, with the words “Another world is possible” to be intended as a real statement rather than a mere slogan. In the creative statement, the directors emphasized how, ‘As we continue to consume, we must realize the extent to which we have come, and what we have left behind.’ ‘Silent Spring’ is a visual representation of this concept, as well as the first large content release of DONT WALK 2020. A photoshoot, followed by a video, converging into Thursday night’s launch event and live performance, all served as clear proof for ‘Silent Spring’ to suggest the human footprint on natural environments, with an ominous aura to emphasize the extent of the destruction caused. Translating ideas into concrete images is always the hardest task when it comes to creative content, especially for a show that, this year more than ever, has a lot to say. The creative directors of DW2020, Ania Juszczyk and Mark Chong, answered some questions to explain their vision and make a clear connection between ‘Silent Spring’ and the creative theme of the year.

What was the inspiration for the shoot?

M: The shoot is inspired by the book ‘Silent Spring’ written by Rachel Carson which explores the destruction of ecosystems and natural habitats due to the overuse of insecticides and pesticides. This chemical infiltration is offsetting the balance of nature causing adverse environmental effects. With this in mind, we hope to highlight the invasion of man within environments, descending from a peaceful world to one of occupation.

How does this relate to the larger theme?

M: The themes raised in this book are one of the many current problems that we face in today’s rapidly developing world. ‘Silent Spring’ provides a haunting reality for the future and is a topic which we think best introduces the theme of DONT WALK 2020. Our aim is to highlight the threat we face in an over-consumerist world, and how we can hopefully prevent this conflict against nature.

Why the Falkirk Wheel?

M: The Falkirk Wheel provided a perfect juxtaposition between machine and nature. The wheel itself is an imposing manmade structure that hugely contrasts with the wild greenery that surrounds it. This balance perfectly resembled our theme of the artificial interfering with the natural world.

What is the aesthetic you’re going for?

M: We wanted to convey a sense of the material world interacting with the surrounding environment. The models wear luminous yellow clothing to make it feel artificial and therefore an intrusion. The models act as machines themselves, for the most part entirely still, to communicate the idea that we as mankind are the problem. This contrast between synthetic colour palettes against earthy tones helped channel our theme.

How did you try to convey the story visually?

A: To emphasise the contrast between the forest representing the natural world and the ‘manmade’ environment, we began from a loose composition with models dispersed around the woods and then moved on to forming more rigid lines and focusing on the symmetry of the composition in the shots featuring the Falkirk Wheel.

Amidst all the colour, there is this one picture that stands out for the use of black and white. What was the intention behind it?

A: I think the reason why I chose to shoot the pictures of Joey in black and white is because of the sense of melancholy I wanted to hint at - he is standing against this metal backdrop, his back turned and eyes closed as if he was avoiding to look at it. There's a sense of escapism there - like he's purposefully not looking at what's going on in front of him. The black and white brings the focus to his pose and expression and makes the whole scene seem pensive.

Models are either turning their back to the viewer or seen from afar. Can we read this as an act of depersonalisation? And if so, why was it important to communicate this message?

A: In our concept shoots the focus is not so much on the individual models as on the idea these scenes convey as a whole. Because of this, there is a purposeful sense of depersonalization in an attempt to portray some themes from the book: the relationship between an individual and the environment and the juxtaposition of the natural world and the 'manmade' structures imposed on it.

You can take a look at the video for ‘Silent Spring’ at this link https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=481321445804582, and keep up with DW2020’s new content on their website (https://www.dontwalkfashionshow.com) or by following them on Facebook (@DONTWALKFASHION) or Instagram (@dontwalk).

Photo credit: Ania Juszczyk. Video credit: Mark Chong.