Filling Pieces collaborates with photographer Kenny Germé to capture the cultural essence of what influenced the brand’s Spring-Summer 2022 collection, titled Caribbean Riviera. Together, they travelled to Martinique, exploring the island’s rich culture via Germé’s family roots, and paying homage to the Caribbean’s influence on fashion.

Having a strong personal connection to his homeisland Martinique, Germé curated a week-long shoot around several things that, to him, represent island living, including a Bèlè ceremony, rooster breeding, sugar cane fields, fishing, as well as the craftsmanship and use of the traditional Coutelas Machete.

About the editorial, Germé says:

“I wanted to show the cultural aspect of Martinique in a way that is authentic, yet relatable on a universal level. So I blended these classic aspects of Martinique culture with something more modern and relatable, like streetwear, because I didn’t want to go so deep into traditional Martinique culture and references that no one would get it. At the same time, I didn’t just want to bring a bunch of models to a Caribbean beach and shoot them in the clothes. That’s too expected, and there is not really a story there, at least in my eyes. I tried to find a balance in order to be able to speak to the widest possible audience; so that people from Martinique would identify with it, and people from Europe would get it and be intrigued by it. With that in mind I went ahead and captured an editorial that was inspired by five key aspects of Martinique culture.”

While many reduce the idea of the Caribbean to hot weather and white beaches, few truly know about the rich history that the West-Indies have to offer. For this reason it was important for Filling Pieces to work with someone who truly understands the essence of what Caribbean culture is, as to not perpetuate a western image of it.

“It was important to us that we tell this story through the eyes of someone who has a personal connection to this culture, as it is the only authentic way of bringing something like this to life. Not only is Kenny’s photography extremely beautiful, but it also always carries an underlying message. The fact that this story is so closely tied to his roots is what makes this such a powerful body of work.”, says founder and creative director Guillaume Philibert.

At the start of Black History Month, the images will be exhibited in both Amsterdam and Berlin, where Filling Pieces will host several panel talks featuring Germé, as a way to dive deeper into the creative vision that he had for this project, and how it was influenced by his personal ties to the island of Martinique.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Kenny Germé (@knngrm)

STYLING: Edem Dossou (@edemdl)