BOLD PERSONAL STYLE TAKES LA PHOTOGRAPHER MONIQUE JONES'S CRAFT TO NEW HEIGHTS
Spring always feels full of promise, and this year especially so. It’s a chance to change for the better and positively impact the world. No one embodies that metamorphosis more so than Los Angeles-based photographer Monique Yvonne Jones. While we’re all familiar with the selfie by now, Jones has elevated the popular practice to a veritable art form, reimagining self portraiture for the social media age. That precise hustle and ingenuity is exactly what SOREL is celebrating this season by spotlighting style experts whose work inspires and empowers those around them.
MONIQUE JONES
"WHAT STANDS OUT MOST TO ME ARE THE BROWN DETAILS, I FEEL LIKE I CAN WEAR THEM WITH ANYTHING! AND I ESPECIALLY LOVE HOW THE NEON YELLOW LOOKS WITH THEM."
MONIQUE JONES
If you’re not yet familiar with Jones, her signature style incorporates cinematic imagery that transports you into fantasy worlds of imagined characters — fully created by Jones. (One moment she’s a glamorous ’70s-inspired star complete with feathered hair and wire-rimmed glasses, and another, she’s a ’60s siren, bouffant and all.) “I’m expressing my creativity by showing how I create different personas and scenes only using the objects and locations I have available to me,” Jones explains.
The photographer’s art is a discipline she works at every day, which means never losing sight of her creative purpose. “I have many goals,” Jones explains. “Some are to develop my skills in photography and another is to be a better model by practicing posing and getting more comfortable in front of the camera.” Jones cites her current hometown of Los Angeles as a constant source of inspiration for her, too, as being surrounded by like-minded creatives pushes her to keep challenging herself. “You can do anything you put your mind to, so stay positive and keep trying to reach new heights,” she advises.
The photographer’s art is a discipline she works at every day, which means never losing sight of her creative purpose. “I have many goals,” Jones explains. “Some are to develop my skills in photography and another is to be a better model by practicing posing and getting more comfortable in front of the camera.” Jones cites her current hometown of Los Angeles as a constant source of inspiration for her, too, as being surrounded by like-minded creatives pushes her to keep challenging herself. “You can do anything you put your mind to, so stay positive and keep trying to reach new heights,” she advises.
HOW LA DESIGNER SONJIA WILLIAMS IS SHIFTING THE STYLE CONVERSATION FOR
THE BETTER
THE BETTER
Though spring doesn’t technically begin until a few months into the new year, it feels much more indicative of a brand new start than the weeks preceding it. New opportunities line the horizon, and suddenly we find ourselves encouraged to visualize our goals, get moving, and aim for the gold. If there’s one person who knows the power of the hustle, it’s Sonjia Williams. The Los Angeles-based fashion designer, and Project Runway alum, built her business by herself, from the ground up. Through her line, Something By Sonjia, Williams helps women feel strong and confident as they navigate through the world.
SONJIA WILLIAMS
"DON'T BE AFRAID TO GO AFTER
YOUR DREAMS, STARTING IS HALF
THE BATTLE."
YOUR DREAMS, STARTING IS HALF
THE BATTLE."
SONJIA WILLIAMS
This season, Williams is focusing her hustle on growing her brand. She’s creating more pieces that women can integrate into their daily lives, making sure it all aligns with her design philosophy. “I’m always thinking about pieces that will make women look and feel great,” she says. “I also want to continue to make transitional clothing that women can wear year-round.”
To step into that motivating and empowering springtime energy, she has to have the right footwear — which is where SOREL comes in. “Women come in all shades and sizes and should be celebrated as such. I think brands like SOREL are doing that exactly,” she says. In the footwear line’s ‘New Hustle, New Heights’ campaign, the brand champions unstoppable individuals committed to transforming their worlds for the better. These leaders might be shaping the future of the fashion industry, like Williams, or contributing to their communities in other impactful ways.
To step into that motivating and empowering springtime energy, she has to have the right footwear — which is where SOREL comes in. “Women come in all shades and sizes and should be celebrated as such. I think brands like SOREL are doing that exactly,” she says. In the footwear line’s ‘New Hustle, New Heights’ campaign, the brand champions unstoppable individuals committed to transforming their worlds for the better. These leaders might be shaping the future of the fashion industry, like Williams, or contributing to their communities in other impactful ways.
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TIFFANY REID IS STEPPING CONFIDENTLY TOWARD HER GOAL TO IGNITE POSITIVE CHANGE
SOREL's new campaign ‘New Hustle, New Heights’ highlights those who are taking up space, owning their narrative, and pushing their respective field to new levels. The fashion world specifically, over the last decade, has shifted its stance on global events that directly (or indirectly) impact the progress of the industry as a whole. Tiffany Reid, VP of Fashion for BDG and Executive Board Member of the Black in Fashion Council, has been able to see that shift take place in the style community.
TIFFANY REID
"THE IMPORTANT PART FOR ME IS MAKING SURE THIS ISN'T A TREND. MAKING SURE I STAY ON THE BRANDS ABOUT IT."
TIFFANY REID
Tiffany Reid is stepping confidently toward her goal to ignite positive change. One of her goals this year, and in the years ahead, is challenging the fashion industry to continue having tough and uncomfortable conversations and holding people accountable. “But beyond that, in terms of fashion,” she says, it’s about “putting in real actionable steps to make sure all of the promises and pledges that were made this summer are being executed on.”
