Shot on location in a brutalist house outside Mbour, Dakar, Senegal, HOPE’s CORE Collection is captured through the lens of photographer Sofía Fernández Stenström. Shaped by an atmosphere of connection and grounded in HOPE’s ethos of “style before gender,” Stenström brought together a close group of Senegalese creatives — Nourou Ndoye, Khadija Sow, and Ebene Niang — whose practices span modeling, styling, and video. What began as a single production has since evolved into an ongoing creative exchange, rooted in trust, openness, and friendship.

HOW DID THIS COLLABORATION COME TOGETHER?
I found Nourou on Instagram, and he helps me with all my productions in Senegal. Alongside him were Khadija Sow and Ebene Niang, both Dakar-based models, each bringing their own relationship to modeling as a form of expression, emotion, and identity. I think that through working together, we’ve made a genuine connection that has resulted in an environment filled with positivity and strong creative energy.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH TO PHOTOGRAPHY?
As a Swedish-Spanish fine art photographer, I merge creativity with cultural diversity. I try to bring fashion into new contexts around the world, revealing emotional depth and human connection. Through my lens, fashion becomes more than appearance — it becomes a dialogue between identity, culture, and feeling. I seek to blur boundaries, celebrate differences, and find beauty in what connects us.

WITH THIS APPROACH IN MIND, WHAT DREW YOU TO SENEGAL IN PARTICULAR? WHAT ABOUT YOUR WORK THERE MAKES YOU WANT TO KEEP GOING BACK?
I always wanted to go to Africa, and in the last few years I’ve had several Senegalese friends in Barcelona and Marseille who sparked my curiosity to discover Senegal. The people welcome me so warmly every time I go there that I’ve built close friendships with them. They are very generous, curious, and open, and they truly make you feel at home. Working with them is not only work; it’s a creative process where we all feel free to share what we want to express.

HOW DOES COLLABORATION SHAPE THE EMOTIONAL OUTCOME OF YOUR WORK?
I try to spend time with them outside of our work together, in their everyday lives, to get to know them more as friends and not just colleagues. We talk a lot and open up about our life experiences, which brings us closer and creates a deeper level of comfort on set.

HOW DID YOU APPROACH THIS PARTICULAR SHOOT, TOGETHER WITH THE MODELS AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN SENEGAL? AND HOW DID HOPE FIT INTO THIS ENVIRONMENT AND DIALOGUE?
The energy of the house we shot in felt like bringing a family back together, so the shoot became more than just work. We spent time cooking, listening to music, dancing, and getting to know each other better. When I saw HOPE, I immediately felt that this house was perfect — it’s so simple, yet so strong. I think the shoot beautifully places everyday garments in an elegant form, thanks to the brutalist architectural lines and the contrast of Africa: the sounds of animals, paired with the beautiful models and their intense personalities.

YOUR WORK OFTEN SPEAKS TO IDENTITY AND HUMAN CONNECTION. HOW DO THESE THEMES UNFOLD IN THIS SERIES?
I think HOPE brought a modern and clean look that the models could approach with emotion, personal expression, and passion. Knowing it came from Sweden also gave the shoot a unique perspective, and the contrast of white against their young, Black skin was truly sublime. The mood of each project naturally varies depending on the garments’ forms, colors, and style. With HOPE, it was clear that we focused on simplicity, balanced playfulness, and genuinely enjoying time together.

HOW DOES HOPE RESONATE WITH YOUR CREATIVE VALUES AND THE WAY YOU WORK WITH PEOPLE AND PLACE?
HOPE felt very much like home to me. Growing up in Sweden, I carry a direct, honest, simple, and intimate search for truth, and mixing that with strong cultural contrasts is always inviting. Nourou, Khadija, and Ebene are the opposite of simple, so understanding them through the experience of a shoot is deeply interesting and gives me the chance to explore new approaches in my work.

HOW DOES THIS PROJECT CONTINUE YOUR ONGOING DIALOGUE AROUND IDENTITY AND THE CELEBRATION OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES?
I hope this series showcases a contrast of feelings and emotions through simple yet strong characters. I’m definitely not done with Senegal — I will go back for more projects and continue mixing daily African life with European style. I love it, and I’d love to explore how HOPE could be further integrated into the culture.

LOOKING AHEAD, HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF CONTINUING TO EXPLORE THESE THEMES OF CONNECTION AND IDENTITY?It takes time to open up to people, but every time I return we share more stories. The deeper we connect, the more hidden emotions I discover. The relationships I’ve built encourage you to pause, listen, and feel — helping you turn off the mind and turn on the heart.