Sisters is a project by photographer Alicja Wesolowska. Yes, it is a fashion story, but it also depicts a series of sisters interacting with each other. There’s a story behind every photo. The author was inspired by her own relationship with her sister, and wanted to see how other sisters related to each other. The result is heartwarming and fun.
Sisters is a fashion story with a different approach. How did the idea come to you?
I like to take photographs of people, not exactly fashion models. For me it’s important the so called ‘inherence’, that the characters in the pictures have a belonging energy. I made sure that the girls were not dressed up but just dressed, so it was all within the style they wear on a daily basis.
Were they people you met before or you had to do a casting? How did you do it?
Some of the sisters I know personally, some of them are from casting, but conducted in close environment. I wanted to suprise. Not knowing them was the most interesting thing, also watching them dealing with the situation and seeing if they gave each other support or not, etc.
Why sisters? What about the boys? Are you thinking maybe in doing something like ‘Brothers'?
The relationship between my sister and I is a little complicated. So I wanted to observe how other sisters operate with each other, how their relationship looks like.
How does the fact of working with non-professional models influence in the shooting?
None of them is a professional model. When I take photos of amateurs, I do not expect them to pose, it is their naturality what I like. So the way they pose, and how they appear in Sisters, is actually a picture of their relationship, it was their choice. Of course I made some directing, but I tried not to interfere there.
Do you have some nice anecdote from the shooting you want to share with us?
This was an interesting experience and it’s so beautiful observing how the sisters are close physically and spiritually, at least most of them. They were sniffing each other, whispering to each other, retouching each other’s hair, cuddling up. It was easy to see if their relationship was good or bad, or what they struggle with.