Photographer Ariel Pedatzur recently collaborated with db_happiness on a fashion shoot in Vienna. Founded by Lisa-Caroline Knoll and Charlotte Defant, the brand is an interdisciplinary project that aims to build a bridge between Shanghainese and Viennese club culture through garments, accessories, events, and more. Featured in the photos is a limited collection, “Outside our window,” with sales benefiting a local Black Lives Matter chapter. Below, Pedatzur, Knoll, and Defant, share their vision for the production.
“When Lisa-Caroline Knoll and Charlotte Defant reached out to me about their project, I was hyped. They recently left China because of the Coronavirus, after spending time there studying fashion in Shanghai. They had this vision of db_happiness. They wanted to create their own small brand emphasizing their nightlife community,” said Pedatzur. “We set up a date to shoot their first production, ‘Outside our Window,’ for their limited collection. I met Lisa, Charlotte, and their group of friends on a hill in Vienna, and with a DIY approach, we shot this editorial…They told me they decided to create this collection and to donate all the money from the sales to the black community in Austria.”
“Outside our Window” by db_happiness, courtesy of Ariel Pedatzur.
“As for a lot of people, Covid-19 changed our plans and whereabouts completely. Right now, we are based in Vienna. Building a community, supporting and uplifting each other are our key values, which have shaped the way this project came to life. The ultimate motivation was to translate our shared values into garments—playful sets, a harmonic and calm color palette, and matching materials,” said Knoll and Defant.
“The boldly colored accessories highlight individuality within the group. We’re aiming to build our brand in a sustainable way, therefore our pieces are all produced in Vienna and made out of surplus goods, second hand or recycled materials,” Knoll and Defant continued. “For the two of us, sustainability also includes giving back to society, raising your voice against injustice, and being substantially inclusive. With this little capsule collection, we found a way to contribute to financially supporting the black community in Vienna and showing our appreciation for a community that has enriched us in many ways.”
“Outside our Window” by db_happiness, courtesy of Ariel Pedatzur.
Photography: Ariel Pedatzur
Design and Styling: Lisa-Caroline Knoll and Charlotte Defant
Assistant: Pauli Spendier, Teresa Gatterer
Models: Anton Defant, Katia Curie, Nizar Sarakbi, Elias Marcus, Miriam Adefris, Mihriban Keske, Türkan Vural
“Outside our Window” by db_happiness, courtesy of Ariel Pedatzur.
