this photographer captures the beauty of black vintage, honoring a legend in their photo series “amongst friends”

While mom-jeans and oversized jackets have taken over this generation’s definition of vintage, this is far from the case– and thanks to creatives like photographer Dario Calmese, audiences are allowed a stripped-down, genuine look at a vintage queen.

With his latest exhibition “Amongst Friends”, the acclaimed artist is using his platform to illuminate an African American foothold rarely explored. Featuring the figure and personal wardrobe of Harlem style icon Lana Turner, Calmese goes against the grain to produce a monochromatic wonderland of simplistic representation; stoically depicting vintage culture through the lens of those who live and breathe it, not as a fad, but as a lifestyle.

For years Lana Turner made the concrete her runway– strutting the streets in her eye-popping patterns and carefully crafted ensembles– and though she made little contact with the fashion industry itself, she caught the eyes of many as her fearless statements made her a public figure to her community. Calmese’s piece not only pays homage to the vintage legacy of Turner, but to the importance of black expression in general: her presence fed an environment, and her influence deserved a platform for recognition, one that he provided thoroughly and right on time.

Piecing the project together with accounts from the likes of Fashion’s Andre Leon Talley, “Amongst Friends” holds an almost redemptively poetic nature– melding the old with the new while highlighting an ever-proactive influence.

A gorgeous offering and an important message- your grandmama’s clothes never looked so good!

Check out the beautiful range of a collectors treasure box- and the face behind the magic in Dario Calmese’ latest exhibition “Amongst Friends” below.