Emerging Director, Destinie presents ‘A Kind of Woman’, her ode to plus-sized Black Women in Fashion

Paige’s film carves a new identity and story within fashion: a plus-sized Black woman who unapologetically indulges in greed and exists in spaces of opulence.

A Kind of Woman is an ode to plus-sized Black women in fashion. The art-house fashion film created in collaboration with Somesuch Production Company empowers a new vision of femininity that caters to all sizes. Directed by Destinie Paige, a London-based filmmaker, photographer, set designer, and curator – who was assigned the task of creating a film during their internship at Somesuch in Autumn 2021. Paige collaborated with London-based Stylist and Writer, Tiyana Henriques, for the narration of the film using Henriques’ poem titled “Millionaire” as a voice-over to guide the story of the “Luxurious Woman” in hindsight. 

Destinie Paige’s work explores the unseen beauty in the everyday experiences of women and people of colour. Using photography, film, and set design her imagery has a trademark use of rich colours and elaborate staging that playfully blend inspirations from cinema and fashion to redefine the picture of black culture and femininity.

The fashion film was created by upcoming filmmakers and talent and accompanies the “Luxurious woman” through surreal and extraordinary scenarios that are thrilling and saturated with colour. Paige aimed to create a world that celebrated a plus-sized woman refusing to seek social approval and to prove that plus-sized women create ‘high’ fashion moments too. As a plus-sized Black woman, Paige drew upon her courageous experiences and choices with fashion and beauty to create a moving ode that nurtured a Black woman’s form of self-expression.

The costume, make-up, and set design are heavily driven by colour and texture. Working collaboratively with Henriques to create striking costumes using pieces from designers such as Kawakey, Madeleine Bailey and Pink Piglet to drive the story; to working with Sarah Fletcher to ensure the set design elevated the extreme world our protagonist exists in; and, using make-up artist, Ashleigh Carby, to create complex eye-looks that dramatically enhanced the wardrobe.

The film presents the protagonist in three different environments. At first, we see the “Luxurious Woman” painting a large canvas in her own basketball court. As she focuses on her endeavour, money – a constant signifier in the film- falls around her which embodies the common culture of ‘work hard, play hard’. Next, we see the “Luxurious woman” playing tennis in her elevator adorned with jewels and money. Paige’s idea with this scene is derived from the idea of “time being precious / time is money”; our protagonist is constantly on the go, testing her abilities and working on herself – for herself.

The Team:

DIRECTOR | Destinie Paige (@onlydestt)

PRODUCER | Cqimere Girigari (@cqimeree)

PRODUCTION MANAGER | Junyao Lin (@no.31415)

1st AD | Vincent Holden (@vincejh)

DOP | Nick Bordeaux (@bourdeaux_film)

1ST AC| George Greenwood (@ggreenwood2000)

2nd AC | Mac Baylis (@macbaylis)

GAFFER | Adam Trzcinski (@addywestside)

SOUND RECORDIST | Naomi Omokhua (@naomiomokhua)

PRODUCTION DESIGNER | Sarah Fletcher (@sarahfletcherdesign)

COSTUME DESIGNER | Tiyana Henriques (@yanaalae)

MAKEUP ARTIST | Ashleigh Carby (@authenticc_beauty)

EDITOR | Laura Duncan (@laurabasil)

COLOR GRADER | Nick Bordeaux (@bourdeaux_film)

STILLS/ BTS FOOTAGE| Ryanna Allen (@ry_collective)

The Luxurious Woman | Angel Lulu-Briggs (@angellolia)

The Luxurious Woman | (Voice) Diana Douglas

Poem Created By | Tiyana Henriques (@yanaalae)

Casting | Lane Casting (@lanecastinglondon)

In Collaboration with Somesuch Production Company (@somesuchandco)