Long before you will see their faces on the covers of the glossy magazines, they have to walk through countless castings, photoshoots, while also living and traveling through a handful of foreign countries. A photographer and a model, Alicja Łabądź, while traveling through China and Asia, has been capturing a non-filtered life and competitive realities of the models’ life.
Alicja is a graduate of The Academy of Photography in Warsaw and a current student of the Institut of Creative Photography in Opava. Her work is mostly focused on the theme of voyeurism, stalking, as well as finding dreamy Lynchian moments in everyday life.
Within 2 years, she has established a photographic journal depicting struggles and not- so glamour sides of striving for a career in modeling. While working as a model and photographer, she has been taking hundreds of pictures from backstage capturing models working in Asia on contract. Her raw and sometimes lo-fi aesthetic subvert the common, luxurious understanding of the fashion world, instead, she offers to us an honest and non- polished view on what is behind the curtains. The stories captured by Alicja strip off the Instagram candid illusion and reveal, what normally would be hidden behind a glamourized veil of expensive brands and ”fashion lifestyle”. She fearlessly shows us the truth, that the fancy fashion world has got its casual and not-so-fancy side.
Alicja Łabądź about her ongoing project:
‘’ Nobody said it’s going to be easy – If you’re lucky you’ll earn some money after that second contract you had in Asia, which will help you wipe the tears of frustration and demotivation. You have to remember to be strong, self-confident, and patient. Don’t forget to smile, even when your 16-year-old contract-bound roommate from East Europe is driving you crazy. (…) Just don’t give up, cause, eventually, someone might give you a chance. At that point, all you have to do is strike a pose.’’ – Alicja Łabądź about her project.
All photographs above are taken by Alicja Łabądź.
Read about Alicja and other talented upcoming artists in our printed and digital magazine. Purchase here: https://shop.opencallmag.com/
