interview | fred stauffer

shirt + trousers. SHWETAMBARI
earrings. Amber’s collection of
Native American jewellery designers

shirt + trousers. SHWETAMBARI
earrings. Amber’s collection of
Native American jewellery designers

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Credits

Amber Midthunder is currently making a double-impact debut: The high tempo of ‘Novocaine‘ and the quiet depth of ‘Opus‘ prove her versatility from two different ends. With these projects, both released on the same day, Midthunder discusses her collaboration with Jack Quaid, working with A24 and director MAG, the transformation of her acting since ‘Prey’ and the importance of authenticity and cultural storytelling. Whether it’s her inner strength or her explosive charisma, Amber is proving in every form that she is one of the most dynamic voices of her generation – and this is just the beginning.

jacket. SARAWONG
jeans. ICON DENIM L.A.
shoes. KAZAR STUDIO
opposite
jacket. THEO
necklaces. Swarovski

jacket. SARAWONG
jeans. ICON DENIM L.A.
shoes. KAZAR STUDIO
opposite
jacket. THEO
necklaces. Swarovski

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Credits

You have two exciting projects releasing on the same day — ‘Novocaine’ and ‘Opus’. How did working on these two very different films back-to-back shape you creatively?

I really appreciate getting a chance to experience variety and I love being challenged – however that may take shape. Novocaine was such a fun role and a little intimidating because I’ve not really gotten to play a character who is so normal, so in a way that was extremely vulnerable but, at the same time, the movie is so energetic and fun that reaching that level of energy was new for me.

Opus brings together an impressive cast and is being released by A24. What can you tell us about your character and what drew you to the project?

This character has almost no dialogue but to still be challenged to create someone with a full life, story and presence was a fun idea to me. I love A24 and MAG is such a talented director, he has so much vision and style and also kindness and he really seemed attuned to something that made me really excited to see and be a part of what he’d do with this movie.

jacket. THEO
necklaces. Swarovski

jacket. THEO
necklaces. Swarovski

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Credits

‘Novocaine’ leans into action-comedy. How was that experience different from your past roles, and what did you enjoy most about working with Jack Quaid?

It was so much fun. Sherry was a fun new challenge, she’s a little guarded but she’s also charming and fun and I liked getting to play with that balance. I could not have asked for a better partner in this film than Jack, he absolutely killed it in this movie.

You gained major recognition for your role in ‘Prey’, which earned you both awards and nominations. How do you reflect on the impact of that performance now, nearly three years later?

I’m so grateful. That movie changed my life in so many ways and just to be able to be a part of showing what Natives have to offer as collaborators and storytellers. I’m so proud and I’m excited to see hopefully what other doors that can open up.

sweater. Michael Kors
necklace. Amber’s collection of Native american jewellery designers
opposite
jacket. SIXDO
trousers. SHAO
earrings. Amber’s collection of Native american jewellery designers

sweater. Michael Kors
necklace. Amber’s collection of Native american jewellery designers
opposite
jacket. SIXDO
trousers. SHAO
earrings. Amber’s collection of Native american jewellery designers

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Credits

Looking back at ‘The Ice Road’, what was it like acting alongside legends like Liam Neeson and Laurence Fishburne so early in your film career?

I’ve been able to witness a lot of amazing actors and they’ve all been so different. I never went to acting class or formally studied. It’s been like having the ultimate master class in all the different actors I’ve worked with and witnessed.

You’ve taken on physically demanding and emotionally rich roles. How do you typically prepare for a new character? Do you have a process that evolved over time?

It always starts with chemistry. Finding the natural places of connection. I think with every character it’s a little bit different but that’s part of the fun.

How do you balance instinct and technique when approaching a role—especially one that carries cultural or emotional weight like Naru in ‘Prey’?

Honestly, the fact that culture was involved made it so much easier and more fun. I loved getting to learn about Comanche culture and history and have that be a part of my job, I felt so fortunate and I would love to get to do that more.

shirt. AKNVAS

shirt. AKNVAS

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Credits

As someone who began acting at a young age, how do you feel your relationship with the craft has changed as you’ve grown and taken on more complex roles?

I moved to LA to pursue acting when I was 17 and I love who I was as an artist then and who I’ve become now and I’m excited to see who I’ll be in another 10 years. I was so serious then, I’ve learned to live with a lot more lightness. That seriousness is still my foundation but if you’re going to do something for as long as I plan to do this you learn that it’s okay for it to take shape in all different kinds of ways. As a person and an artist, you’ll always be transforming and evolving. As an actor part of the job is to translate different life experiences of a character so gaining more life experience as a person has undoubtedly influenced my work.

You’ve worked in both independent film and larger studio productions. Do you approach these environments differently as an actress?

Every project and every character takes shape in its own way. The practicality of working in these environments is different of course but as far as the work itself the approach is consistent.

Being named one of Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch and a TIFF Rising Star are huge industry nods. How did that kind of recognition affect your sense of direction or responsibility as a performer?

It’s hard to say exactly. It’s an honour to be included and it’s definitely affirming and I’m so grateful and at the same time, that’s not what I’m doing it for. This job has so many different facets and areas but it’s nice to be out there and feel seen.

sweater. Michael Kors
skirt. SCULPTOR
necklace. Amber’s collection of Native american jewellery designers
opposite
shirt + trousers. SHWETAMBARI
shoes. KAZAR STUDIO
earrings. Amber’s collection of Native American jewellery designers

sweater. Michael Kors
skirt. SCULPTOR
necklace. Amber’s collection of Native american jewellery designers
opposite
shirt + trousers. SHWETAMBARI
shoes. KAZAR STUDIO
earrings. Amber’s collection of Native American jewellery designers

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Credits

Representation is still evolving in Hollywood. As an Indigenous actress, do you feel the kinds of roles being written today are changing—and do you see yourself influencing that shift?

I think some people are starting to get it, while others are still catching up. There’s still a lot to be done but I’m so proud to see so many of my (native) friends and all of their successes and that we get to come up and celebrate together. I think what’s important is that while we celebrate we also continue to apply pressure and keep the growth going.

What’s something you hope audiences take away from your work—whether it’s in genre films like ‘Prey’ or more grounded dramas like ‘The Wheel’?

Every project has a different purpose. I always want people to feel something, to walk away having some sort of conversation whether that’s something fun like Novocaine or emotional like The Wheel or all of the cultural conversations that came out of Prey, which obviously matter to me the most. I think they all fill a different spot.

jacket. SIXDO
trousers. SHAO
shoes. VANDA NOVAK
earrings. Amber’s collection of Native american jewellery designers

jacket. SIXDO
trousers. SHAO
shoes. VANDA NOVAK
earrings. Amber’s collection of Native american jewellery designers

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Credits

‘Novocaine‘ and ‘Opus‘ are both out now.

photography. Tyler Nevitt @ Kate Ryan
fashion. Karolina Frechowicz @ Hype Creative
talent. Amber Midthunder
hair. Kat Thompson @ The Wall Group
make up. Amber Dreadon @ A-Frame Agency
set design. Jason Jensen @ Art Dept
interview. Alper Kurtel

shirt + trousers. Louis Vuitton
shoes. Gina
jewellery. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own

shirt + trousers. Louis Vuitton
shoes. Gina
jewellery. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own

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Credits

An artistic threat across multiple media, Charlotte Colbert is a creative with no bounds. From penning scripts, taking turns behind the camera, and creating worlds with the express purpose of provoking thought, she has always been obsessed with telling stories. But it goes deeper than that, finding her niche within fairy tales, the land of dreaming, and the idea that everything from the computer you type on, to the teacup you drink out of, had to be imagined and brought to fruition by someone’s creative prowess.

The role of the contemporary artist is a tricky one, but Colbert takes on the challenge with gusto. As she speaks with us, she delves deeply into her headspace, giving a glimpse into her own thought process. Themes of feminism, body image, dreams, the subconscious, and our existence permeate her work. Currently, Colbert’s putting her mind to multiple projects (which she prefers), keeping busy with art installations in the UK and soon to be in the US.

With ‘The Big Egg Hunt,’ launching later this month, she joins other artists, transforming the city of London and some of its most iconic landmarks into a large-scale showcase of over 100 egg sculptures. In June, ‘The Coral Collection’ sees Colbert mobilize alongside her contemporaries to bring global awareness to the deterioration of coral reefs. And from the beginning of March this year, the artist has partnered with UN Women UK on an ongoing basis, designing shirts with her iconic eye symbol. It’s going to be a busy year, and she’s only getting started.

In conversation with Schön! Magazine, Charlotte Colbert discusses the inner workings of an artist’s mind, what inspired her to follow this path, her upcoming work, the questions she finds herself asking as an artist and citizen of the world, and so much more.

jewellery. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own
opposite
vest + trousers. Moschino
necklace. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own

jewellery. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own
opposite
vest + trousers. Moschino
necklace. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own

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Credits

Before we dive too deep, I’d love to ask about when you first fell in love with making art, whether it was writing, sculpting, or directing? Was there a definitive moment to you that sticks out in your memory?

I think I was always obsessed with stories and storytelling, inventing worlds, and putting characters together. Even as a little kid, whether it be with bugs or drawings or that space of trying to make sense of the world. That evolved into this twofold practice. I always wanted to get into film, and I didn’t know anything about it. I thought it was sort of this thing that happened by magic. I could draw, and I did a couple of animations, short animations. Then I thought, “God, I need to learn how to write and tell stories.” So, I did an MA in screenwriting and then started getting work as a writer. When you write, it’s completely bonkers, as you know, as a writer yourself, but you spend all that time sitting down alone with these crazy thoughts.

I’m not very good at sitting down [laughs] I started taking pictures about how it was nuts, you know, to kind of exist in one’s head and how the house became like a sort of prison, but also kind of the landscape where everything is possible. So, the series is called “A Day at Home,” and that got picked up by a gallery. I had this double practice, where on the one hand, I was writing films and pushing the film stuff. Then, on the other hand, I was doing photographs. In the photographs, I was using more and more costumes and props.

The gallery was like, “Oh, can you show those as sculptures in the space?” Then my first short film, a live-action short film, not animation, was funded half by my gallery, and then half by the production company I was writing for. That started this odd double practice.

I was about to ask what it’s like having multiple worlds running through your head?

Oh, my God, I think it’s perfect for anyone with ADHD [laughter]. I think, for the longest time, I was trying to do things, you know, as they should be, one after the other. I realized that I much prefer trying to do everything at the same time. Which is probably not advisable. But that’s such a vibe. Because I mean, anybody with ADHD knows that you’re only really satiated when you’re doing multiple things at the same time.

Just a few years ago, I found it hard to do one thing at a time. I find this system, which I’ve been doing for the last couple of years, more beneficial to my way of thinking. But you know, God knows how long that will last; it works for the moment.

full look. Loewe

full look. Loewe

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Credits

Your work touches on dreams, female sexuality, identity, and so much more. There are so many layers. Why is it important to you to highlight these themes? What questions do you find yourself asking? What answers are you looking for when you’re creating?

That’s so interesting. When I find myself being confused by something or not having an answer to something, that sort of takes me down a rabbit hole. I’m interested in stories, and I guess the stories we tell ourselves culturally and historically, in terms of evolution, and identity; the fairy tales, the stories we tell our children, and how that kind of evolves. So, I guess a lot of the stuff I seem to keep coming back to is these notions of identity, and how we become individuals, but societies, and how we evolve to that stage. I did a whole series on Terence McKenna’s missing link, this idea that we sort of ate our way to consciousness. There’s this whole theory that the missing link was the moment where humans discovered magic mushrooms and ate these magic mushrooms, which opened their minds away from utilitarian thinking, from just survival to stuff that doesn’t have an immediate necessity. Stuff like belief in something bigger than us, religion starts emerging, and magic, and all these kinds of things are useless to our survival, but nevertheless, make us human. This idea of becoming more in ways than what you’re meant to be. I hear a lot now, “Oh, it’s human nature, it’s human nature.” Isn’t the point that we try and surpass that? Isn’t becoming human something that we strive towards every day?

Sometimes I hear things from alt-right movements, this kind of thing where man eats man that’s the way of the world, that’s what humans are. We’ve tried that for thousands of years, and now we’re trying to surpass the limitations of what our nature tells us to be. We try and create things that transcend that. With the way the world is going right now, I think art and music, and everything creative is even more important, so we don’t forget ourselves. Music is so amazing. I love it so much. I tend to work with a lot of musicians. I just think that they’re just so extraordinary, that talent. Music transcends. I think it’s an inspiration to other artists. It’s all so interconnected, isn’t it? Like music, art, photography, and filmmaking, they all interconnect to make something beautiful.

Can you take me through your creative process from conceptualization to the final product?

It depends on which medium, but often it starts with something a bit subconscious of being perplexed by something, and the theme sort of emerges from that. But a lot of time, obviously, especially in film work, it starts with the script. When I was doing photography, I’d also write a script for the images. With art, I’ve been working with a lot of poetry and spoken word poets as well. I did a collaboration with Hollie McNish, who’s an incredible spoken word poet. We worked around archetypes and symbols, for a show I had called Dreamland Sirens, which had this massive sculpture of an eye and a musicscape that I developed with Isabel Waller-Bridge, who’s a wonderful, wonderful musician.

In terms of inspiration, like what you were touching on earlier, fairy tales, and magic, what draws you to those stories in particular, would you say?

I think it’s Marina Werner, who’s an amazing writer, who said fairy tales are stories in code, that women tell each other from one generation to the next.

Oh, I love that.

(Carl) Jung set up the idea that we all sort of meander in each other’s dreams. There’s something so universal, and so uniting about that. I became obsessed with making beds in galleries. The bed for me is like a portal, it’s the rabbit hole within which you navigate these different worlds. The world of the mind, the world of the unconscious, and then the sort of accepted world of our everyday.

It’s giving ‘Alice in Wonderland.’

‘Alice in Wonderland’ is such an extraordinary story. Every story is an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ story, with falling in the rabbit hole, experiencing something and then coming out changed. It’s a brilliant story, it questions all of our sense of reality by turning it upside down and making it really comedic and absurd, so that we remember that everything is just a convention.

full look. Loewe
opposite
jacket. Michael Kors
shirt + trousers. Moschino
shoes. Manolo Blahnik
necklace. Charlotte Colbert

full look. Loewe
opposite
jacket. Michael Kors
shirt + trousers. Moschino
shoes. Manolo Blahnik
necklace. Charlotte Colbert

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Credits

You mentioned in the past that the eye symbol, which is prominent across your art, represents the power of imagination and the ability to come together and visualize utopias. What does a utopia look like to you in your world?

I became obsessed with the fact that the visionaries of our society today, the kind of big tech entrepreneurs, guys who are creating the reality that we live in, are kind of geeky. They grew up as geeky kids, and they were reading science fiction books and comic books and stuff like that. And these science fiction books influenced them to the point that they ended up creating the aesthetics of those dystopias. Even if you look at the driverless car, as I hear it’s a very 80s idea, it’s very dated. We can probably do better than this.

The idea of utopias is as dangerous as dystopias, because they’re static. It’s more this feeling that we’re in a war of images, where big corporations are pushing an aesthetic idea of what the future looks like. I guess we believe it is what the future looks like, without remembering that we, in a grassroots way, have the potential to impact and reimagine what it looks like. The shape of our buildings, the crockery we use, the shoes we wear, it’s all been imagined. What we imagine today becomes tomorrow’s reality. In some ways, it’s remembering that the power of imagination is something everyone has.

It’s true because it’s so easy to slip into the societal norm of doing your job, going home, and being stuck in that loop with no creativity in between. There’s so much power in imagining and creating worlds, but they want us stuck while they dictate the future. I think what’s happening, especially as AI is becoming more prominent across artistic fields, is a rebellious uprising from creators of all kinds.

Yes, exactly. I think there is huge imagination in everything, the clothes you pick, everything is an act of rebellion in a way. There’s such a wonderful power in grassroots movements and in communicating. I feel like one of the most radical things we can do at the moment is talk to everyone. Talk to strangers constantly. Because we’re not supposed to.

As we should. That’s how we learn, right? That’s how you evolve. Why do you think art is so important, especially now? What continues to motivate you to create?

You said it way better than I could say it. I guess, the importance of leaving a trace and making a mark. I think children are the best artists. People often say, “Oh, I’m not an artist or whatever.” It seems mad to me because everyone is unbelievably creatively driven, but in different ways, you know, mathematics or whatever the domain, I think there’s such a scope of reinvention and wonder and playfulness.

It’s something that you can lose over time as an adult. There’s less playfulness when reality hits, I think you have to try to hold on to it.

Yeah, exactly. It’s holding on to the possibility that things could be different. The train doesn’t have to be grey. There’s something in that.

full look. Loewe

full look. Loewe

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Credits

One of my favourite things you said during a sit-down interview at the studio is that there isn’t anything else in human society other than what is imagined. That kind of blew my mind. When did you come upon that idea?

We live in structures that are imagined because we are creatures of language, and language is just a convention between a convention of sounds. This computer’s been imagined, our justice system has been imagined, my children have been imagined, everything that we live in, and we sort of amble within has been imagined by something or someone before. That means that we live in imagined structures, and what we imagine becomes solid in some ways. I think if you can remember that a teacup could be a different shape, then you also remember that your government can.

I love that. It’s almost like free will is a thing, and we can change the norms, if we want to.

Doubt is always wonderful. This idea you can always question the things around you. It’s questioning that’s so important, it’s important, and it’s empowering as well.

On IMDb, there are three upcoming titles on your page, under the director category. There’s ‘Beast of England,’ ‘Butterfly Lion,’ and ‘When Animals Dream.’ ‘When Animals Dream’ is currently in pre-production. Can you tell us anything about that project?

IMDb is not always accurate [laughter]. So, we are in soft prep on something, but it’s not ‘When Animals Dream.’ I’ll have to update you. Do you ever come to London? You’ll have to come for tea.

I’ll be there in May!

Well, pop by the studio when you’re here.

shirt + trousers. Louis Vuitton
shoes. Gina
jewellery. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own
opposite
shirt. Louis Vuitton
jewellery. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own

shirt + trousers. Louis Vuitton
shoes. Gina
jewellery. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own
opposite
shirt. Louis Vuitton
jewellery. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own

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Credits

I definitely will. Can you give us a tease about any upcoming projects?

So, there’s the ‘Big Egg Hunt,’ the ‘Coral Collection,’ and ‘Chasing Rainbows.’ I’m doing a collaboration which is opening soon here in London. I think it’ll be on when you’re here. It’s at Battersea Power Station. I’m putting two massive sculptures there and doing a big collaboration with sort of an activation with the space. It’s in an amazing old industrial building that’s along the river.

Then a couple of projects in the US. So, I’ve got a big public sculpture going up in Dallas. It should be up around September, but there might be some delays with putting it together. I’m working with UN Women, who are amazing, and they do the most incredible work. I collaborated on a range of t-shirts. I’m going to do some other stuff with them, which I will announce a bit later in the year. These guys, they’re doing such amazing work and they’re very stretched.

I did a collaboration with this very, very sweet 100% community-owned football team. They’re the first to pay their female and male players the same and give them access to the same sort of training and all that stuff. I found out that Reese Witherspoon’s company bought the rights to their story, which is so interesting. I hadn’t realized. Anyway, I did their whole kit. And then we did a song, a little anthem with a wonderful singer friend of mine called Kate Nash. If you don’t know her stuff, you should check her out. She’s amazing. She was recently very much in the public eye again, because she was denouncing the music industry for not supporting young artists. And she did Butts for Buses. It was so funny. She had an OnlyFans account, and she was making more money from the OnlyFans account than her you. She then was doing this campaign where she basically was able to pay her crew properly by selling these images on only OnlyFans, which is hilarious. That raised a lot of awareness as to the fact that the music industry isn’t struggling, but she’ll know more about that than me. She’s brilliant. We made an anthem and a video and stuff for the girls of the Lewis football team, it was very cute, it was quite girl power. It’s so sweet because the young girls in the audience run off to get their little autographs from the female players, who are incredible, it’s just amazing.

Honestly, more of that, please. We need more of that. My last question, looking back on how far you’ve come as a creative, what is something you’ve learned about yourself and your process? What is a piece of advice you’d impart on somebody who is struggling to create right now?

I think the piece of advice that I have, I give myself, and I need to follow more as well, is don’t take no for an answer. It’s really difficult because we’re so trained. I think women are used to not challenging that. But I think it’s so important to try and remember that. Don’t take no for an answer.

shirt + trousers. Louis Vuitton
shoes. Gina
jewellery. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own

shirt + trousers. Louis Vuitton
shoes. Gina
jewellery. Louis Vuitton + Talent’s Own

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Credits

photography. Lee Malone
fashion. Karen Clarkson
talent. Charlotte Colbert
hair. Terri Capon @ Stella Creative Artists using Oribe
make up. Alexis Day using Lisa Eldridge Beauty
fashion assistant. Chisom Diana Dimiri
location. Maison Colbert
interview. Dana Reboe

shirt + skirt. COS
opposite
dress. Sudi Etuz

shirt + skirt. COS
opposite
dress. Sudi Etuz

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Credits

In this renewal-inspired editorial, Schön! celebrates transformation, strength, and empowerment. The “shedding skin” motif symbolizes letting go of the old and embracing a bold, unapologetic self within. Photographed by Cengizhan Ergün with videography by Çağla Polat and Burak Bacacı. Creative direction for the editorial is by İrem Derya Kaplan who also styles Eva Varlamova in looks by Burberry, H&M Edition, Sudi Etuz, and others. Hair by stylist Diyar Şekel with make up by Birce Selçik.

full look. Sudi Etuz
shoes. H&M Edition
gloves. Eli Peacock
opposite
full look. Burberry

full look. Sudi Etuz
shoes. H&M Edition
gloves. Eli Peacock
opposite
full look. Burberry

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Credits

dress. H&M Edition
leggings. Calzedonia
opposite
full look. Maje

dress. H&M Edition
leggings. Calzedonia
opposite
full look. Maje

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Credits

full look. Burberry
opposite
dress. Sudi Etuz

full look. Burberry
opposite
dress. Sudi Etuz

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Credits

full look. Sudi Etuz
shoes. H&M Edition
gloves. Eli Peacock
opposite
dress. The Kooples
shoes. COS

full look. Sudi Etuz
shoes. H&M Edition
gloves. Eli Peacock
opposite
dress. The Kooples
shoes. COS

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Credits

full look. Burberry
opposite
full look. Burberry

full look. Burberry
opposite
full look. Burberry

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Credits

dress. H&M Edition
leggings. Calzedonia
opposite
jacket + skirt. H&M Edition
shirt. Maje

dress. H&M Edition
leggings. Calzedonia
opposite
jacket + skirt. H&M Edition
shirt. Maje

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Credits

This Schön! editorial has been produced by

photography. Cengizhan Ergün
creative direction + fashion. İrem Derya Kaplan
talent. Eva Varlamova @ Tanks Management
hair. Diyar Şekel
make up. Birce Selçik
videography. Çağla Polat + Burak Bacacı
production agency. C2 Production & Studio
producer. Mustafa Caner
colorist. Didem Yılmazer
photography assistant. Bedirhan Topçu
fashion assistant. Tuana Sofuoğlu
production asisstant. Sabri Çolak