The Stillness Archive

In keeping with our mission to support and inspire creativity, we ask the artists we collaborate with to offer insight into their work, a look behind the scenes, and the opportunity for our readers to learn more about the process. For our latest fashion feature, photographer Luke Stoychoff answers our questions.
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What was the inspiration behind this shoot?
For this shoot, I wanted to explore the idea of feminine strength, how a woman can be both powerful and delicate. The goal was to try and build this archetype of a woman and explore a bit of what comes from it.
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What was the first step of putting together the concept and idea for this shoot?
I’ve been collaborating a lot with Ale and we have this great back and forth with ideas. For this shoot, I began by putting together a mood board to pitch the concept to her. From there, we kept exchanging ideas, gradually shaping the overall creative direction.
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Who or what are some of the biggest inspirations for your work?
Peter Lindbergh is a big influence for me—his ability to capture people in such an authentic, raw way really resonates with me. I’m also deeply inspired by post-war Japanese photography, particularly the emotion and grit captured in black-and-white imagery. There’s a quiet intensity in those photos that feels very real and vulnerable.
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What is your favorite image from this shoot and why?
My favorite image is of Emily covering her eyes with her hands. I remember looking through the lens and just feeling the image as I shot it. It felt like such a tangible thing—to have an incredible team build this little world, then to have Emily create that moment, and to be there not just to witness it, but to capture it—felt very special.