When director and photographer Ryan Hing was approached by G-Star RAW® to showcase their latest collection and celebrate his individual achievements as a South African, multidisciplinary creative — Ryan decided to broaden the accolade, and centre some of the contemporaries within his community that have inspired him over the course of his decade long career. We talk about community endlessly and ceaselessly within the creative industries, always acknowledging its vitality in advancing us forward and yet, it can be difficult to execute when so much of how we interact in the world is predicated on the pursuit of the individual. Challenging these notions, of the power of ‘many’ over the power of ‘one’, paved the foundation for Ryan and his agency, EVOLVE, as they initiated a new vision for G-Star’s latest collection. Thus, ‘Culture IS Yours’ was born; a call to action that seeks to redefine individual expression within the collective. 

This instinctive response forms the central tenet of Ryan’s approach as a creative, which has culminated in the development of EVOLVE, his creative agency and production company. Whenever Ryan speaks, as in our conversation, he refers to his team above all else and it’s clear that Ryan’s acknowledgement of his own success is interdependent on the circle around him, and the quality of skills and commitment behind the EVOLVE family. The proverbial ‘culture’ is a living, evolving entity, only created by the hands and minds that are committed to its continual existence. We can never be separate from the culture in which we reside — it defines us, as we shape its expression in turn. Each of us has a role in preserving, defining and transforming the cultural expression of today, drawn from those who came before us, in order to inspire those who will come after us. In this way, EVOLVE’s manifesto is totally clarified; keep changing, keep growing, and do it in harmony with those around you. This campaign, then, is a visual archive of this deeply powerful sentiment. 

This campaign within a campaign – as it were —is a fitting alignment for G-Star RAW; a brand that has consistently maintained its counter-cultural, outer-edge appeal even as it has grown to be a wildly successful global brand. G-Star RAW has always been at the forefront of denim innovation, renowned for its pioneering use of raw, untreated denim and its commitment to centering originality in all it expresses. Who better to support Ryan’s endeavour to push the boundaries of the personality-led campaigns currently sweeping the global fashion industry? Ryan shares how it feels being in collaboration with such an indomitable brand, “I’m really, really grateful to work with G-Star – it’s huge. My dad is an art director in the advertising industry and when I was younger, I always asked him how he actually ‘got’ clients. It was such a mystery to me. He’s always told me that it’s just about hustling, it’s about being loud and being clear in your vision. This opportunity has made me feel very seen, and by a brand that I respect so much and I have so much synergy with – after ten years, this feels like a very special moment, especially to be trusted in this way to create work like this.”

G-Star RAW x Evolve “Culture IS Yours” featuring Ryan Hing

For the campaign, shot by Ryan at EVOLVE’s photographic studio with his team on hand, the campaign was a personal homage to some creatives that have enriched Ryan’s career. For his cast of contemporaries, Ryan selected dancer, DJ and physiotherapist Chelsea-Sloan Samuels, founder and creative director of BROKE, Andile Dlamini, DJ and model Mila Rose and filmmaker and fashion stylist Lethabo Motlatle — “the people we worked with for this project all come from different age groups and backgrounds, and they’re each a part of different industries,” Ryan notes, and that “being able to work with people I’ve met along the way, over the last ten years of my career, was really full circle – especially seeing how each of them brought in their own personal style and story.”

Classically G-Star, the star of the show from a stylistic perspective was certainly the denim — perfectly on display and styled, to showcase the versatility of G-Star’s offering through Ryan’s lens as punctuated through the personal energy of each creative. From rugged, raw denim to more refined, tailored pieces, Ryan’s approach centred on minimalism, with a restrained use of props, saying that, “the art direction that my team and I executed was very simple. We just planned it down to the finest detail — I plan and plan, which I think is part of my perfectionism – so that on the day, everything is ready. I am very drawn to minimalism, and as a creative, I take note of details like lines and shapes, drawing on those when I’m thinking about how to compose an image.” This approach is often the hardest to master, as with minimalism – there is nowhere to hide. The details have to be exceptional and that they truly were. “Minimalism seems simplistic on the surface,” Ryan comments, “but there is actually a depth of complexity underneath what appears to be such a ‘clean’ arrangement of elements. I wanted there to be a tension between the simplicity and complexity, and drawing on the attention to detail that is so much part of the G-Star design approach.” With references spanning nautical sailors, y2k nostalgia and sporting sensibilities, ‘Culture IS Yours’ is a distinct expression of finding a cohesive through-line offered up by the nuanced cultural imprints that define the modern era. This allowed Ryan and the EVOLVE team to engender their view that community, in all its varying forms — is the culture itself, and that feeling a part of it is through one’s own ownership of their talent, vision and dedication. 

G-Star RAW x Evolve “Culture IS Yours” featuring Mila Rose

On the words of wisdom that Ryan abides by in both conceptualising this campaign and traversing the landscape of creative expression, Ryan emphasises that “things don’t happen overnight. I wanted to remind all creatives, and especially the next generation, that the culture is yours. It really is – you just have to give it time and commitment towards your art or your pursuits. Live, breathe, sleep and eat your path. Be calm and focused.” 

The path is clearly set out by EVOLVE; it’s all yours for the taking. With the spirit of community in front of mind, Ryan and his team remind us to be guided by one thing; Be Bold, Be You — Be Bold. Yes, please. 

Written by Holly Beaton

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