This Photographer Wants to Give Fashion a Political Conscience

Tunisian photographer Moez Achour on his new series

31-year-old Dubai-based Tunisian fashion photographer Moez Achour started his career seven years ago, taking street style photos for Style.com/Arabia. “I used photography to get in to the fashion industry because I’ve always been passionate about fashion first and foremost”, he says.

 

But Achour eventually grew tired of basing his work solely off of fashion.  Asking himself “how can I use fashion and photography to raise awareness?” is how he decided to produce his latest photographic series entitled The Real Issue, a series of images that bring to light serious global issues from gun control, pollution, safety and water to the refugee crisis.

 

 

“What can fashion photography do that documentary can’t?” is the question Achour reflected on for a while before shooting the series. “Reach a wider audience” was the answer. “People are more inclined to like a fashion image than a reportage picture”, he says before adding, “I have a responsibility to use this power to raise awareness and contribute, in my own way, to making a difference in this world”.

 

Since becoming a father, the street style photographer has radically changed his priorities and taken time out to delve in to wider political issues. “I always hear about the latest trendy jackets we must own but in truth, a bulletproof jacket is the only clothing essential we actually need”, says Achour referring to how safety is an issue that now concerns us all, no matter where we live. “Whether you’re in New York, Paris or Beirut, we’re all in this together now, but for some reason we still take these things for granted”, he continues.

 

 

 

With his provocative new series, Achour wants “people to feel connected to the world”, he says. The message couldn’t have been clearer.

 

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