Editorial for Wonderland Magazine

Creative direction, casting and styling - Matthew Josephs

photography - David Uzochukwu

Art Direction - Patrick Waugh for BOYO studio

Cast - Phoebe Collings-James, Raleigh Ritchie, James Massiah, Munroe Bergdorf, Ibrahim Kamara, Gaika, Londone Myers, Brian Whittaker, Montell Martin, Eliott Brown, Tschan Andrews, Rha Rha Nembhard

At the Superbowl’s halftime show Beyonce dropped a new track. “Formation” was a call to arms for people of colour — in particular black women — to step up and fight for equal rights, which, in today’s society, is still a problem. With references to the Black Panther Party, which formed 50 years ago this year, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, two African-American athletes who raised a black power fist salute on the winners podium at the 1968 Olympics.

I feel that this is one of the most important political movements in pop culture history. The video to accompany “Formation”, directed by Beyonce, tackles issues such as police brutality in the form of a sinking police car and the Black Lives Matter movement in graffiti that reads “stop shooting us”. “Formation” was unapologetically black in both sound and visual imagery. I’ve never been so inspired.

After looking at the collections this season I find myself in dismay. I What was once an industry which seemed committed to diversity in casting seems to have returned to the dark ages. The runways are whitewashed, and, where there are models of colour, it seems insincere and tokenistic. The problem is not just specific to the fashion industry: from the Oscars and Brit awards, talented people of colour are being overlooked.

Wonderland Magazine, and myself in particular as it’s Fashion Director — and a person of colour — have always championed models and talent of colour where others dare not to. I feel that in these times, it is important to champion and push new talent from all walks of life, ethnicities and backgrounds.

For this issue, I would like to present a portfolio of talents and beauty from people of colour: models, actors, dancers, musicians and personalities that matter, people who inspire confidence and empowerment in black culture.

I would like you to be part of it.

Get information and get in formation.

Edited by SOVEREIGN 

MATTHEW JOSEPHS AND PHOEBE COLLINGS-JAMES