OFF THE PITCH
CREATIVE DIRECTION
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This project explores the relationship between youth, freedom, and refinement. It reflects on a time when athleticism and elegance coexisted naturally, creating an ideal of confidence that felt effortless rather than excessive. The imagery draws from nostalgia not as a desire to return to the past, but as a way of revisiting the values associated with it: optimism, simplicity, confidence, and belonging. By contrasting the energy of youth with a sense of timeless sophistication, the project examines how these ideals can be reinterpreted within the present.
Creative & Art Director: Vivien Nikfardjam
Photographer: Vivien Nikfardjam
Stylists: Vivien Nikfardjam and Elisa Oliveira
Makeup Artist: Vivien Nikfardjam
Model: Elisa Oliveira
BRIEF​
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The project was created to explore a nostalgic vision of youth through the intersection of athleticism, regality, and old-money fashion. Drawing from early 2000s imagery and the timeless codes of preppy culture, the aim was to capture a sense of effortless confidence, status, and freedom while reinterpreting these ideas for a contemporary audience.
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I took on the roles of creative director, photographer, stylist, and editor, overseeing the concept and visual direction of the shoot. I directed the styling, composition, location, movement, and overall mood, before selecting and editing the final images into a cohesive editorial that balances youthful energy with sophistication and nostalgia.
MOOD BOARD & RESEARCH:
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The mood board draws from the polished, aspirational world of early 2000s Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, and Ralph Lauren campaigns, referencing their balance of athletic youthfulness and understated luxury. Styling combines polo shirts, soccer jerseys, tailored shorts, tracksuits, loafers, and classic shirting to create a visual language rooted in preppy, old-money fashion while maintaining a sense of casual athleticism.
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The setting takes inspiration from countryside estates, suburban landscapes, and boarding-school environments, using open green fields and natural surroundings to create a feeling of freedom, privilege, and nostalgia. The contrast between the refined styling and relaxed environment reinforces the idea of effortless elegance, creating imagery that feels youthful, aspirational, and timeless.
