Campaign captured by Atsushi Nishijima, New York City, 2023.
PHOTOGRAPHER, Atsushi Nishijima
STYLIST & ART DIRECTOR, Stephen Mann
CASTING, Çiçek Michelle Yusuf
FILM EDITOR, Jim Helton
PRODUCER, Hattie Gable at Willson Project
RETOUCHING, Ring Studio
Baron carrying bags of vivid bouquets. New York City, 2023.
Jima observes Kenzo on a park bench, an artist and friend. New York City, 2023.
In-between moments with Mayfield. New York City, 2023.
Cathy browses job listings. Newly acquainted strangers converse. New York City, 2023.
Jima photographs his daughter, Koa — their gaze reconnecting after some time. New York City, 2023.
“Nobody kisses anymore”, Carl and Denise. New York City, 2023.
Photographer Atsushi ‘Jima’ Nishijima – acclaimed for his candid photographs of actors on film sets – captures this intermediate, off-kilter energy within the SFTM x ADIDAS 002 campaign.
Training a documentary-like lens on the dichotomy that predicates both collection and the city that Jima calls home – New York – each image is a testament to the medians that arise when people’s lives cross. Friends and relatives counterposed by street-cast individuals, couples strolling downtown streets seen next to Jima’s own daughter; kins gaze reconnecting after some time. Newly acquainted strangers converse, individuals find solace amongst chaos - all harbour an ineffable aura of character, all intuitively echo the coexistence that defines city life.
Stylist Stephen Mann enriches both Ty and Jima’s visions by utilising garments lifted from the subjects’ own wardrobes, enhancing wearers unique personas. An individual carrying a bag of vivid bouquets wearing a smock, shirt and zip-open pants. The polish of a shirt and tie counterposed by the casual ease of a three-stripe charcoal tracksuit. The childhood reminiscence of basketball shorts and high socks with gradient t-shirts. An ancillary light-heartedness is introduced via an empty silver canteen chair and video of footwear being juggled.
A sense of optimism within the urban landscape’s sea of grey.