Jessica Alba and Cassie Star in Clothing Brand’s Mexican-Themed Campaign
Clothing brand and retailer Opening Ceremony debuted its Spring 2020 collection and the lookbook, titled The Familia: A Portrait Series, featuring prominent Mexican creatives including actress and entrepreneur Jessica Alba and singers Omar Apollo and Cassie
Photos: Instagram/@openingceremony
Clothing brand and retailer Opening Ceremony debuted its Spring 2020 collection and the lookbook, titled The Familia: A Portrait Series, featuring prominent Mexican creatives including actress and entrepreneur Jessica Alba and singers Omar Apollo and Cassie. Shot by photographer Stefan Ruiz, the spread features inspirational change-makers in the Mexican and Mexican-American community as part of the brand’s “Year of Mexico” initiative to elevate movers and shakers within the Mexican community.
“Throughout our lives, and particularly through our ‘Year of Mexico’ project, we have been privileged enough to witness the breadth of talent and soul that emanates from the Mexican community. In our current political climate, and at a most crucial time to celebrate diversity on both our home front and broad, we decided to bring together friends new and old who pioneer conversation in the global cultural dialogue,” said co-founder and creative director of Opening Ceremony.
Alba, 38, is not only known for her TV and film work but her efforts to promote eco-friendly and safe beauty and baby products after founding the billion-dollar company, The Honest Co. in 2011. The actress, born in Pomona and granddaughter to Mexican immigrants, describes herself in the “Year of Mexico” campaign as a “tequila-loving, Mexican-American” and “SoCal native chingona for real.”
She also writes that she’s proud to be friends with Opening Ceremony co-founder Leon and Carol Lim for “expanding perceptions” and “redefining standards and changing culture.”
The series was shot in Los Angeles and New York, capturing a cast of “established and emerging individuals” which included artists, actors, chefs, designers, multihyphenates, and more.
The 33-year-old singer Cassie, whose mother is of Mexican descent, also modeled in the Opening Ceremony “Year of Mexico” campaign while pregnant with her first child. “My current project is becoming a mother and I can’t wait to experience the transformation that comes through motherhood, especially in creating new music and visuals,” Cassie’s said.
The campaign also features RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Valentina who is a first-generation Mexican American who said she incorporates “her culture into every facet of her work and inherently works to further the awareness of drag within the Latin community.”
Other creatives include The Dog Whisperer César Millán, Cholas y Chulas creative director José Hernandez, LA-based musician Jazzy Romero, singer-songwriter San Cha, Vida actor Raúl Castillo, and Daniela Soto-Innes, the youngest chef to be named World’s Best Female Chef.
The portraits shot for the campaign provide a first look at Opening Ceremony’s new collections, which were inspired by the team’s travels to Mexico.
During the first week of sales for the collection, 20 percent will be donated to Fondo Semillas — a non-profit organization that works closely with women-led grassroots groups in Mexico that help local communities and promote gender equality.
