In "THE LOOK" OC friends drop by to try on our favorite new arrivals and tell us about their wardrobe preferences past and present.
First published in her teens, 21-year-old photographer and Toronto native Petra Collins has shot for Italian Vogue, Purple, Vice, and Rookie. She's also been named one of Canada's top 30 young photographers. Her age might make her success noteworthy, but it's not the only thing that makes her unique: last October, Instagram deleted her account after she posted a self-portrait in a bikini bottom with an unshaven bikini line. Instagram's censorship was more shocking than the image itself: clearly, all of the scantily clad content that litters the platform is acceptable––until a girl decides not to groom.
Petra's response, however, published in The Huffington Post, elevated her from budding young photographer to new feminist icon: "If the Internet mimics real life, then there is no doubt that real life can mimic it. That if we allow ourselves to be silenced or censored, it can happen in real life too. That if an online society of people can censor your body, what stops them from doing so in real life? This is already happening, you experience this every day. When someone catcalls at you, yells 'SLUT', comments on all your Facebook photos calling you 'disgusting', tries to physically violate you, spreads private nude images of you to a mass amount of people via text, calls you ugly, tells you to change your body, tells you are not perfect, this cannot continue to be our reality. To all the young girls and women, do not let this discourage you, do not let anyone tell you what you should look like, tell you how to be, tell you that you do not own your body."
As her gospel spreads, Petra continues to do photography, and I have a feeling this only the very beginning. She recently dropped by OC recently to talk about sexuality, white leather, and everything in between.
Name: Petra Collins
Hometown: Toronto
What look are you into at the moment? Levi's 501s and an old T-shirt
What look were you into in high school? I was kinda into everything––I went from flower child, to grunge, to 90s rave, to 70s disco, etc.
Most regrettable fashion moment? Caring what people thought about my outfit
Your 3 wardrobe essentials? Levi's 501s, a white crop top, and Nike Dunks
Your 3 wardrobe wishes for spring? Some sort of denim jumpsuit, white leather pants, and a white leather jacket
Most prized piece in your wardrobe? My collection of Levi's 501s––I literally live in them.
Favorite spots to shop? Value Village (a Toronto thrift store) and eBay
How did you start taking photos? I kinda just started documenting myself and my friends
When were you first published? I think I was 16.
Do you think fashion promotes or represses a dialogue on female sexuality? I think it can do both, depending on how it's used.
It's exhaustingly unbelievable that female sexuality and the female anatomy are somehow still shocking. You have made a definite dent in the issue that will not be easily forgotten. How do plan on pushing it further? I guess I'm just going to try to continue making work that represents the underrepresented––revealing things that are meant to be hidden or repressed. <
First published in her teens, 21-year-old photographer and Toronto native Petra Collins has shot for Italian Vogue, Purple, Vice, and Rookie. She's also been named one of Canada's top 30 young photographers. Her age might make her success noteworthy, but it's not the only thing that makes her unique: last October, Instagram deleted her account after she posted a self-portrait in a bikini bottom with an unshaven bikini line. Instagram's censorship was more shocking than the image itself: clearly, all of the scantily clad content that litters the platform is acceptable––until a girl decides not to groom.
Petra's response, however, published in The Huffington Post, elevated her from budding young photographer to new feminist icon: "If the Internet mimics real life, then there is no doubt that real life can mimic it. That if we allow ourselves to be silenced or censored, it can happen in real life too. That if an online society of people can censor your body, what stops them from doing so in real life? This is already happening, you experience this every day. When someone catcalls at you, yells 'SLUT', comments on all your Facebook photos calling you 'disgusting', tries to physically violate you, spreads private nude images of you to a mass amount of people via text, calls you ugly, tells you to change your body, tells you are not perfect, this cannot continue to be our reality. To all the young girls and women, do not let this discourage you, do not let anyone tell you what you should look like, tell you how to be, tell you that you do not own your body."
As her gospel spreads, Petra continues to do photography, and I have a feeling this only the very beginning. She recently dropped by OC recently to talk about sexuality, white leather, and everything in between.
Name: Petra Collins
Hometown: Toronto
What look are you into at the moment? Levi's 501s and an old T-shirt
What look were you into in high school? I was kinda into everything––I went from flower child, to grunge, to 90s rave, to 70s disco, etc.
Most regrettable fashion moment? Caring what people thought about my outfit
Your 3 wardrobe essentials? Levi's 501s, a white crop top, and Nike Dunks
Your 3 wardrobe wishes for spring? Some sort of denim jumpsuit, white leather pants, and a white leather jacket
Most prized piece in your wardrobe? My collection of Levi's 501s––I literally live in them.
Favorite spots to shop? Value Village (a Toronto thrift store) and eBay
How did you start taking photos? I kinda just started documenting myself and my friends
When were you first published? I think I was 16.
Do you think fashion promotes or represses a dialogue on female sexuality? I think it can do both, depending on how it's used.
It's exhaustingly unbelievable that female sexuality and the female anatomy are somehow still shocking. You have made a definite dent in the issue that will not be easily forgotten. How do plan on pushing it further? I guess I'm just going to try to continue making work that represents the underrepresented––revealing things that are meant to be hidden or repressed. <