Photo courtesy of John Fromstein
“Chicago Fashion Through A Chicago Lens” presented by The Curio x NoMI Gallery
Exhibition Open to the Public: October 9 - November 15, 2024 (10am-6pm)
VIP Reception: Wed, October 16 (Special Guests + Curio Members)
See photos from the VIP Reception here.
Chicago Fashion Through A Chicago Lens
Featuring photography by Brody Boggs, Ashley Chappell, John Fromstein, Kirsten Miccoli & Sandro Miller
Curated by John Fromstein
About
Fashion photography plays an essential part in conveying a designer's vision for their clothing. In an increasingly digital world, fashion photography allows designers anywhere to have a global reach.
Unlike painting, which tends to be a solitary pursuit, fashion photography is an interplay between multiple artists whose work must harmonize to create a cohesive final product.
Photographers and designers here are pushing the boundaries of this art form without the constraints found in fashion capitols creating cutting-edge art that is uniquely Chicago.
The artists chosen for these events show the breadth of what fashion photography looks like today. From portraiture to street style, these photographers are defining what modern fashion photography looks like.
Below are brief biographies and sample images for each of the five photographers selected for the NoMi exhibition. They represent a range of age, gender, and ethnicity, and life experiences–– reflecting the multi-cultural fabric of the city and the Chicago fashion community.
Please note the images included here are merely samples of each photographers’ work to show their style. They are not meant to represent the actual works ultimately exhibited.
Photographers:
BRODY BOGGS:
BRODY BOGGS is a Chicago based photographer who specializes in fashion and portraiture. Originally from Kentucky, Brody moved to Chicago to attend Columbia College Chicago in and graduating with a degree in photography in 2019. Through his distinctively clean, natural, and deeply personal photographic style, Brody has quickly established himself among Chicago fashion photographers, building an impressive client roster that includes British Vogue, North Face, Soho House, Notre, SVRN, and Chicago Magazine.
Brody believes that the collaborative and supportive environment among Chicago creatives provides the fertile soil essential in developing one’s own voice as a photographer. Referring to Chicago as an “incubator for emerging artists,” he credits this rich environment for his rapid success.
ASHLEY CHAPPELL:
Ashley is a Chicago based fashion and fine-art photographer. Her photographic style embodies both an earthy beauty of nature, and a fascination with opulence and luxury, reflecting her longtime interest in African art and rich textures. Drawing on her interest in painting, Ashley employs a painterly technique, creating photographs with a unique aesthetic that blurs the line between photography and painting. Ashley’s work is characterized by a more ethereal, interpretive style and pushing the constraints of photography while remaining technically precise.
Ashley continues to produce work for several of the Chicago-based fashion designers to be featured during Chicago Fashion Week in October.
JOHN FROMSTEIN
John Fromstein has been in the visual arts for over 30 years, as an advertising creative, a film producer/director, and as a photographer. During the last four years, John has concentrated on fashion photography specifically, working with many Chicago designers such as Niczka Design House, Sheila Rashid, Anne Everett Designs, Libinati, and Production Mode. John’s photographic style reveals his advertising and documentary roots––his photography is typically graphic, composition-based, and always seeks to create a human connection between the subject and the viewer.
John is currently working on a major brand development campaign for Niczka, a designer that will be featured during Chicago Fashion Week in October.
KIRSTEN MICCOLI
Kirsten Miccoli has been a beauty, fashion, and portrait photographer/director based in Chicago, IL for over 16 years. Throughout her career, she has produced work for some of the world’s largest brands, including Gap, Walmart, Virgin, and major fashion magazines like Vogue, Glamour, Marie Claire, and GQ.
Where editorial and advertising collide is where Kirsten's unique style comes to life. Kirsten has focused her creative attention on fashion editorial and documentary photography. She has an innate knack for quickly connecting with her subjects on a personal level which allows her to capture those candid moments that bring a unique personality and style to her work.
SANDRO MILLER
With numerous award-winning commercial campaigns to his credit, Sandro is one of today’s most respected commercial and fine art photographers. He has photographed man national ad campaigns for a long list of blue-chip clients such as Adidas, BMW, Nike, Dove, and Anheuser-Busch.
The self-taught photographer traces the roots of his success in this highly competitive field to hard work, belief in himself and commitment to following his ambition. “I came from a poor family with no funds for art school. Love, desire, passion and a very huge dream have kept me going.”