Blue dress by William Fan, black dress by Simone Rocha, boots by Louis Vuitton, vintage shirt
The art of braiding is a beautiful tradition that dates back thousands of years. Every region of the world has its own unique variation on the plait, with techniques handed down generation after generation. Consequently, the practice has become more than a trend, with different cultures attributing different meanings to braids – something Sara Mathiasson, a Swedish-born artist, knows all too well.
Currently based in Berlin, she graduated from Gambia’s Gaye Njorro School of Hairdressing and Beauty Cosmetology in 2013, where her research focussed on the history of the hairstyle. Subsequently, she began experimenting with it as a form of artistic practice, and today, her gravity-defying sculptures transform hair into an aesthetic medium. Modest and unassuming, she shyly declines to answer a question about whether she considers herself to be an artist, preferring instead to concentrate on her art. “It’s always exciting to see how different the end result is from when I began,” she says, discussing her work process. “I never have a set idea in my mind. I just begin working and experiment from there.”
Left: jumpsuit by Farida Apparel, top by Paul Smith, boots by Dr.Martens. Right: dress by Nhorm
For this issue’s Icon story, SLEEK escaped to the rural outskirts of the German capital to photograph Mathiasson’s follicular creations in the delicate light of Brandenburg’s plains. Eschewing professional models, Mathiasson invited the DJ behind Berlin club night African Acid is the Future, Maryama Luccioni, to pose with her crew. Over 30 hours were spent on the models’ hairstyles, with each finished look consisting of braids that wind around in every direction. Combining Mathiasson’s art with cutting edge style from Bernhard Willhelm and Paula Knorr, the story captures the movement of each plaited look during a windswept afternoon.
Left: blue top by Paula Knorr, culottes by William Fan, black boots by & Other Stories, vintage top, red trousers by Paula Knorr, brown boots by Sandro. Right: pink jacket by Bernard Willhelm, black jacket by Jack Wolfskin, trousers by Dumitrascu
Photography Luis Alberto Rodriguez
Stylist Rachael Rodgers
Hair Sara Mathiasson
Make-up Victoria Reuter
Location scout Lydia Wagner
Models:
Maryama Luccioni, Ingrid Bigirimana, Thiago Dias
Taken from SLEEK 51, in stores now