Cover star Kesewa Aboah knows that pure, unadulterated joy is held in life’s simplest moments. A text from a friend, the sudden recollection of a childhood memory, the power that lies in creation. These are the layers that underlie her deepest emotions. London-born and bred, Aboah became a face to watch as she followed in the runway footsteps of her sister, Adwoa – further cementing her place in campaigns for Miu Miu and Alexander McQueen. Fashion, however, isn’t her only love. Modernising traditional techniques of embroidery and body imprinting, her art speaks to 20th-century tapestry in its most untamed, yet equally precise form. With process at the heart of her work, Aboah prefers to let her art do the talking, exclaiming that when it comes to words, she can “never seem to find the right ones.”
A childhood memory that brings me joy is …
Driving in the car, singing and dancing along to Diana Ross.
The person I am when I feel like my best self is …
Free and uninhibited.
Art allows me to convey my deepest emotions by …
Allowing me to articulate my feelings more precisely than words, of which I never seem to find the right ones.
Home to me feels …
Cosy and warm, enriched with lots of colour.
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Something that I read or heard recently that made me smile was …
A sweet text from a friend the other day. Put a big smile on my face.
My star sign is …
Aries.
The qualities I admire most in others are …
A lack of inhibitions, also kindness, manners and a good sense of humour, of course.
How do you remain inspired creatively?
For me, inspiration comes in ebbs and flows, which is natural, so I just go with it. But when it comes, I always try to be ready and willing to receive it.
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The most important lesson I’ve learned is …
Always say what you feel.
The music that fortifies me is …
Soul music.
Introvert or extrovert?
Introverted extrovert.
My friends would describe me as …
I asked two friends, I got – calming and an overthinker. Think that’s pretty on the money.
The 'Joy' issue is available on newsstands and through our RUSSH store Thursday November 19. Find a stockist near you.
MODEL Kesewa Aboah @ Viva London wears FENDI shirt, bra and skirt; CARTIER Clash de Cartier necklace, bracelet and Pasha de Cartier watch.
PHOTOGRAPHY Tom Craig
FASHION Anna Foster
HAIR Earl Simms @ Caren
MAKEUP Naoko @ The Wall Group using Armani
PHOTOGRAPHER'S ASSISTANTS Maya Skelton and Katie Burdon
STYLIST'S ASSISTANT Malina Robotin
CASTING Megan McCluskie
PRODUCTION NM Productions
With thanks to Laylow.
