Behind the Vision: The Creative Process of 'Beyond the Veil'

Fashion as Storytelling: A Journey Through the Veil

Fashion is more than just fabric—it’s a visual language, a way to capture emotions, memories, and transitions we can’t always put into words. When I stepped into my first role as a creative director for a fashion editorial, I knew I didn’t want to just create beautiful images; I wanted to tell a story that felt deeply personal.

'Beyond the Veil' is that story—a surreal journey through the different stages of life, woven together through fashion, symbolism, and collaborative artistry. This editorial reflects the fluid, cyclical nature of existence, exploring youth, maturity, and the passage into the unknown. It’s an ode to transformation, a meditation on what lies beyond.

The Inspiration: A Love Letter to Surrealism

Surrealism has always been one of my favorite artistic movements—not just in painting but across all forms of expression. Whether it be literature (Magical Realism, a movement deeply tied to my Mexican heritage), sculpture (Salvador Dalí), fashion (Elsa Schiaparelli), painting (Magritte, Kahlo), or even cinema, surrealism has shaped the way I see the world.

To me, surrealism isn’t about escaping reality; it’s about elevating it. It reveals the layers of a moment that may not be physically present but are still deeply felt. It depicts the way we experience life—not always as it appears, but as it feels.

Coming from Mexico, a culture rich in legends, tales, and superstitions, I’ve always resonated with the idea that there’s more beyond what meets the eye. Take the Day of the Dead, for example—it’s a reminder that those we love never truly leave us. Even if they’re no longer here physically, their presence lingers in memory, in energy, in the way they shaped us.

So, when I was invited to be the creative director for this editorial, I knew I wanted to tell a story that felt close and personal. Fashion, to me, has always been a means of self-expression, and this was my first opportunity to blend that love with narrative storytelling in a visual format.

Building the Vision: A Narrative That Took Shape in the Process

Initially, I had the concept of exploring transformation through surrealism, but the exact stages of life depicted in the editorial didn’t solidify until later in the process. This was due in part to limited clothing availability, which meant that we had to shape the narrative around the pieces we could actually use.

It wasn’t until the fitting day that everything fully came together. As we started placing garments on the model, the story began to reveal itself. Unexpectedly, new garments that we hadn’t originally considered—pieces we weren’t aware we could use—seemed to almost knock on our door, as if by fate, as if they had been waiting for their story to be told. It was in that moment that the final narrative truly solidified. I wouldn’t recommend this approach for every project—it was a challenge to build a cohesive vision around last-minute elements—but it pushed my creativity to new levels. It reinforced something I’ve always believed: fashion is a language, and every garment carries a story waiting to be told.

Garments, much like surrealist art, hold more layers than what meets the eye. Each piece carries meaning, a history, an energy that lingers beyond its physical form. If you pay close attention, you can uncover the narratives woven into fabric—some universal, some deeply personal. These stories are not always visible to all eyes, nor will every person interpret them the same way. In the end, the meanings we find within objects often reveal more about ourselves than about the objects themselves. By allowing ourselves to feel the energy within these garments, we begin to understand the stories they carry.

The Symbolism Behind Each Look

💫 The Youthful Beginning – A vibrant dreamscape of imagination and possibility, where whimsical elements capture the exuberance of youth. The bright colors and playful poses reflect a wide-eyed curiosity, the excitement of discovering the world. The first photo, where the model lays on the floor in awe of her surroundings, encapsulates this stage. A key transition moment? The use of shadow play behind her—representing what’s to come. The second photo further emphasizes this shift, subtly hinting at the transition into the next stage of the narrative.

🌹 The Maturity of Commitment – A passage into awareness, purity, and responsibility, framed by soft veils and bridal symbolism. This stage represents the coming of age, a time when a woman begins to define herself beyond external validation. The white, the movement, the lights—each element was chosen to highlight self-realization and quiet confidence. The veiled shot strips away color and focuses on purity, and introspection, showing a stark contrast to the playful chaos of youth, paving the way for the following look.

🖤 The Final Veil – A moment of quiet reflection, where fashion and concept merge to explore legacy, acceptance, and the unknown. Draped in a black gown adorned with brass eyes, the model becomes a striking reminder of the gaze of the past, the weight of memory, and the things we carry with us. No longer just a bridal symbol, the veil transforms into a representation of the passage between life and what lies beyond.

Harsh shadows and long exposure techniques enhance the feeling of blurring away, embodying movement, the acceptance of an ending, and the seamless transition between stages of existence. Bird imagery interwoven throughout the composition intensifies the theme of passage, suggesting both freedom and departure. The final image, where she holds the veil as if about to remove it, is where the story ends—or perhaps, where it begins again.

Collaboration & The Power of Collective Vision

Though this was my concept, it was entirely a collaborative effort. The richness of this project came from the voices, skills, and perspectives of my team.

✨ Styling by @igor.guslykov , whose expertise and vision made these looks possible. Every detail, from fabric choices to accessories, contributed to the storytelling.

📸 Photography by @christa_br1, who captured the raw emotion and depth of every moment, elevating the narrative through lighting, framing, and composition.

🎭 Garments by ALTÜST and IFA Paris Istanbul graduates, whose designs brought this vision to life.

As creative director, my priority was ensuring that everyone on the team felt their voice was heard. We bounced ideas off each other, refined concepts together, and built a project that was far more than the sum of its parts.

Final Thoughts: Why This Project Matters

This project wasn’t just about creating beautiful images—it was about learning to listen to a story before it’s even fully formed. It was about embracing the unexpected, finding narratives within clothing, and trusting the collaborative process.

Surrealism, at its core, is about seeing beyond what’s in front of you. And that’s exactly what this editorial allowed me to do.

Continue the Journey

Find the full editorial on our instagram @fashion_gins and share with us which part of the journey resonated with you the most?