The Face Magazine: The Race is Worth the Fight

Aug 2025

For The Face Magazine, photographer Alasdair McLellan captures entertainer Ethel Cain in a sweeping editorial titled The Race is Worth the Fight. The series spans both stark, high-contrast studio portraiture and atmospheric woodland settings, utilizing a monochrome palette to lean into a gritty, cinematic aesthetic. Styled by Danny Reed, the feature showcases a range of silhouettes—from tailored wool blazers and structured corsets to layered knitwear and sculptural masks. The imagery relies on the tactile interplay of analogue film, natural light, and clean flash photography to highlight the subject's distinctive tattoos and layered, moody compositions. Production credits include hair styling by Anthony Turner, makeup by Lynsey Alexander, and manicures by Jenny Longworth.

Editorial, Vertical, Monochrome

Editorial