Lina Lecaro
“Attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places.” That’s how revered American photographer Slim Aarons described his work, which wasn’t just lovely to look at, but really made the viewer feel like they were right there lounging amid the posh worlds he captured. His best known images featured vibrant slices of Mid Century Americana, but they weren’t exactly diverse.
Launching just in time for 4/20, the new campaign for Jay-Z’s MONOGRAM cannabis brand debuts, featuring famed director/photographer Hype Williams’ re-interpretation of Aaron’s work thru a modern, more multi-cultural lens that also includes marijuana as both amusement and accessory.
The gorgeous sun-drenched photos portray contemporary cannabis culture in an inviting and aspirational way. Shot at the Frank Sinatra House in Palm Springs (which any Coachella party-goer with connections knows well), Williams recreates Aarons’ recognizable poolside set-ups with a stylish cast including music artist Chika, activist Ghetto Gastro, rapper Curren$y, designer Aleali May, and model Slick Woods, all styled by High Snobiety’s Corey T. Stokes.
Look for more installments of the campaign out later this the year, coinciding with the debut of Slim Aarons: Style – a new chronicle of the photog’s work to be released in September. Says Williams in the project’s press release, “HOV has a vision for the industry that he’s bringing to life through MONOGRAM. His focus for this campaign was to showcase how beautifully cannabis fits into the good life today, and I am honored to be a part of it.”
Learn more at monogramcompany.com/.
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