Brooklyn-Based Brand K.NGSLEY Spotlights the Soft Side of Black Male Bodies
Championing the communities of Black, Queer and Femme bodies has been at the core of each collection and campaign created by Brooklyn-based brand K.NGSLEY.
Storytelling through style since its inception, the founder of the up-and-coming fashion label, Kingsley Gbadegesin has told the tale of his authentic approach to activism through thoughtful campaign messaging and corresponding clothing lines. Continuing to capture the beauty of his community through his brand, Gbadegesin debuts the "C2" campaign, spotlighting the often-overlooked soft side of Black male bodies, spearheaded by an entirely Black gay creative team.
A year in the making and released earlier this month, the campaign came to fruition as a collaborative effort between Gbadegesin and photographer Clifford Prince King who applied their creative talents to the campaign's compelling art direction. "I've been a huge fan of Clifford's work for some time, so I was happy he came on board to make this happen," the Nigerian-American designer tells Hypebae. "Black boys lensing Black bodies just hits different and I wanted to capture something that was uber soft and tender."
Through the concept of "C2," Gbadegesin pens a touching love letter to his upbringing in the South, specifically Maryland and Texas, where he first formulated his understandings of being Black and Queer, and shares it with the masses. "One of the main concepts behind the shoot was to pay tribute to the "BUTCH" queen we were when we were young," he shares. "[I'm showing] the images and moments that confirmed my identity and sexuality – friendships and a sisterhood that are nonsexual. I'm super happy with what we did."
In the series of shots, lensed by King, the intentional storytelling surrounding "soft Black boys" is felt in every snapshot. The six male models, Mannie, Chris, Max, Romani, Rafael and Delvin, all played their part in bringing memories of Gbadgesin's adolescence to life and helping him share his story.
"[The "C2" campaign] was truly a dream come true, I'm so happy we were able to [make it happen] with the resources given," he says. "I can't wait to do more of this and tell more Black stories through a K.NGSLEY lens."
Scroll above to see the "C2" campaign imagery in full.
