Performance has always been an integral part of Opening Ceremony – remember when director Spike Jonze and Jonah Hill staged a play to showcase the SS15 collection, or when the models/dancers fell over at the SS16 show? Sticking true to this, designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim teamed up with Jonze again to create a dance slash fashion show – entitled “Changers” – to present their SS18 collection for the brand.

Choreographed by Ryan Heffington, it features Mia Wasikowska and Lakeith Stanfield and is an exploration of the beauty of relationships. While movement is hard to portray in images, the design duo decided to continue an accompanying portfolio shot by photographer Brigitte Lacombe. “The premise stems from the idea of how relationships evolve,” Leon told us. “This goes for lovers, friends, family, etc… so we wanted to capture that by photographing all different people we love that best represent this.”

Photographer Collier Schorr and hair stylist Holli Smith and Ryan McGinley and boyfriend Marc Armitano Domingo are among the couples featured but it also includes families – like Leon’s – and friends, too. “I wish this could have been a book,” shared Leon, who included Tom and Jerry and Peppermint Patty and Marcie as fictional pairs that he would have loved to include in the project.

More than just a way to show off the new collection, the portfolio is even starting new relationships, as Leon explained. “Someone came in to shoot as only friends and then later that afternoon they professed their love for each other!” 

Head to the gallery above for the full portfolio.