Choose Your Player with Mina Elise
TAP INTO THE IMAGINATIVE STYLING WITH THE ARTIST AND MODEL MINA ELISE. WHICH PLAYER WILL YOU CHOOSE?
This collaboration felt long overdue. Few who are tuned in to Hartford's art scene have not heard of Mina or at the very least interacted with her work, even if they didn't quite know it yet. Currently residing in NYC, her resume is rather aspirational. From modeling to commissioned murals, her work is deeply influenced by the rich tapestry of her upbringing.
Raised in Hartford and surrounded by the creative endeavors of her parents, Mina developed a keen eye for detail and a fascination with color. Her artistry deliberately opposes the mundane, characterized by intense color palettes and provocative imagery. Mina's murals, in particular, have become celebrated landmarks in Hartford, embodying the spirit of communal art.
Storytelling through color and form appears to be a consistent throughline for Mina’s work and became obvious once we connected with her for this editorial.
[We’re] doing 6 looks, each based on a character with their own vibe and role on [a] campsite! Apocalyptic/survivalist vibes just without the weapons…. Encouraging viewers to “pick” which aesthetic they resonate the most with and see the genderless + limitless potential in every piece.
“The Campsite Crew” as she called it became the anchor. The storytelling approach to all of this is important here because you can sense how much fun it was crafting these characters, considering backstories, and sourcing their references. Casting herself as the model led her to be intentional about facial expressions and recruiting Krystina Jackson, owner of Soulful Threads, brought in an eclectic mix of accessories and styling accents, mostly sourced from a recent trip to London for the archivist.
We invited you to explore each character below and items pulled to style each Player with distinction.
Player 1 – The Cook
Traits:
Cares deeply for the team
Quirky/funny charisma
Most vibrant of the group
Dirty/witty mouth
Pieces:
Nanga Mountain Lodge Down Jacket
Gramicci Nylon Tussah Convertible Apron Dress (Sand)
Player 2 – The Fisher
Traits:
Stoic and introverted
Raised in the woods
Animal-like instincts
Loyal and loving to the team
Pieces:
Player 3 – The Forager
Traits:
The airy/ditzy one
Most femme energy
Spiritualist and scientist
Very patient and very high
Pieces:
Perks and Mini Coppice Graphic Crew Neck Knit
Perks and Mini Coppice Knitted Beanie
Player 4 – The Chopper
Traits:
Most charming of the team
Extremely masc energy
Always chainsmoking or reading
Hillbilly with high intellect
Pieces:
Arte Pixel Dancer Workwear Jacket
Only NY SSS Stripe Mohair Cardigan
Player 5 – The Guard
Traits:
Stealthy and shady
Most private
Always disappearing
Effortless appeal
Pieces:
Player 6 – The Fire Starter
Traits:
Coldest/Meanest
Proficient w/ explosives
Always smells of char
Only cares about the fire
Pieces:
Nanga Mountain Lodge Down Jacket
Special thanks to Mina and the team for pulling this off. We had a lot of fun with this one.
Creative direction, beauty, styling + edits: Mina Elise, Style: Krystina Jackson [via @soulful_threads]
Set assistance: Elias Echevarria, PA: Siara Watrous
