Californian photographer and costume designer Jasmine Benjamin pays tribute to Los Angeles in 120 portraits
Jasmine Benjamin represents the ease of Northern California, where she was raised, and the cosmopolitan pace of Hollywood, where she lives, and has brought her ever-creative spirit, considerable talent and infallible eye to music industry titans and anonymous citizens alike. City of Angels: A Book about L.A. Style features more than 120 portraits of daring, expressive Los Angeles creatives shot in locations across the length and breadth of this vast metropolis. The project showcases the dynamic fusion of style, music, and art in Los Angeles, capturing the city's distinctive identity and cultural importance. Photographed exclusively by Benjamin, this book also features a unique illustrated map of Los Angeles by the artist Isaac Escoto, also known as Sickid, adding an exceptional artistic dimension. City of Angels promises to be both a tribute to and an in-depth exploration of the essence of L.A. street culture. It celebrates the rich and diverse style scene of Los Angeles, highlighting a blend of celebrities, local figures, and everyday residents who embody the city's authentic spirit and fashion. Notably, approximately 80% of the individuals featured in the book are native Angelenos or hail from the greater California region, offering an intimate, homegrown perspective that enhances the project's authenticity. This body of work perfectly juxtaposes beauty with edginess, glamour with rawness.
Jasmine Benjamin has worked as a stylist and sometimes creative director for Miguel, Anderson .Paak, Donald Glover, Vince Staples, and Chaka Khan, as well as a costume designer for commercials by Nike, the WNBA, Apple Music, and Google. Benjamin has been featured in Vogue and Billboard and was named "Top Stylist of 2016" by i-D magazine.