Infusing Authenticity into Beauty Standards: Lupine Hammack's Work With Everything Hand Tied
Growing up on a hippie commune, Lupine Hammack was raised in an environment that nurtured individuality and self-expression. In a time when social media platforms have completely transformed the way beauty brands advertise, Everything Hand Tied wanted to stand out as one that challenges norms and expands people’s perception of beauty. So, it was a match made in hair heaven when the two founders reached out to Lupine to help them bring their vision to life.
Lupine’s work with Everything Hand Tied aims to create an intimate and authentic look that celebrates diversity in all its forms - age, gender, body type and skin color. The real magic of this project exists in the celebration of the inherent beauty in all of us, highlighted by Lupine through genuine smiles, natural movement and confidence.
What was your most memorable moment on this project?
Have you ever had one of those moments where something feels as if it’s come full circle? Well, I grew up on a hippie commune, so as you might expect my hair was down to my shoulders. Until I was almost 10 years old it was long, blonde and frequently rocked in double french braids. It wasn’t until we moved “into town”, and everyone kept telling my Mom what a beautiful little girl I was, that I begrudgingly cut it into a “boy” haircut. Fast forward to being on set with Everything Hand Tied and it all came back. Their two female founders are into challenging social norms and expanding people's perception of beauty. With this in mind one of the people we featured is a friend and colleague of theirs, Dinnie, whose pronouns are they/them. Dinnie doesn’t fit into the gender binary and they wear extensions as a way to express themselves. Taking their portrait and seeing them as their authentic long-haired self brought me back to my childhood. It reminded me that before outside forces told me otherwise, I loved my long hair. Though I like my “boy” haircut now, it felt really good to actively participate in changing the conversation around beauty and, ultimately, self-expression.
What did you learn on this project?
In building a relationship with the founders of Everything Hand Tied, Rachel and Lena, it was never just about getting their products shot. We spent a lot of time getting to know them and learning about their lives and their craft. What I didn’t expect to find out was how impactful hair can be on a person’s life. The stories of transformation were remarkable in the sense that it is always more than just getting extensions. When people have extensions put in it’s an emotional experience, they describe the sensation of regaining a part of themselves that they’d lost or finally being able to show a part of themselves outwardly that they’ve felt inside.
What do you hope people learn about you and your work after viewing this?
The goal of our work with Everything Hand Tied is to create an intimate and authentic look that is inclusive of all ages, genders, body types and skin colors. When looking at this work my hope is that people see that real, authentic magic. Their smiles, their relaxed demeanor, the way that they let their bodies sway to the music… we made space for these humans to be themselves and their inherent beauty really shows. As an artist I love building deeper relationships with the brands and people I work with. What you see is a reminder of the power of these relationships, creating work with a deeper meaning.