Model Awa Diallo with sculptural black hair and green eye makeup posing against a dark gradient background.

Portrait of a Black woman model with sculpted brown hair and glossy pink lips against a dark gradient background

Black woman with voluminous dark hairstyle and vibrant green eyeshadow posing against a gradient grey studio backdrop

Black woman with sculpted red hair and dark top posing against a gradient studio background.

Model Awa Diallo posing in a black long-sleeve dress with a sculptural auburn bob hairstyle against a grey gradient backdrop.

Beauty portrait of Black model Awa Diallo with a sculptural retro hairstyle and yellow eyeshadow against a dark gradient backdrop.

Special Projects AWA 2025

About

AWA is a beauty editorial project by Special Projects featuring model Awa Diallo. The series focuses on sculptural hairstyling and precision makeup, captured through a lens of high-contrast, low-key lighting and clean studio compositions. Photographer Calvin Pausania works with hair stylist Ilham Mestour and makeup artist Naima Bremer to define the project’s aesthetic. The work utilizes chiaroscuro techniques to emphasize architectural silhouettes, varying between polished, graphic, and moody visual textures throughout the portrait series.