Aries and Muse Mia Khalifa Unveil Limited Edition Book
Designed by i-D’s Jonny Lu, Mia by Aries features intimate portraits of the Lebanese model as part of the brand’s A/W 23 preview campaign.
Designed by i-D’s Jonny Lu, Mia by Aries features intimate portraits of the Lebanese model as part of the brand’s A/W 23 preview campaign.
Mia Khalifa is no stranger to being in front of the camera. At one time the former pornstar was the most searched name on Pornhub. Described as the quintessential Aries girl by the brand’s founder Sofia Prantera, the model is the brand’s latest muse and the star of the limited edition photo book, Mia by Aries. The innovative z-shaped tome was designed by i-D’s creative director Jonny Lu and split into two sections. As a sneak peek of the cult streetwear label’s upcoming collection, the first part of the photo book is an A/W 23 preview campaign modelled by Khalifa and shot by Conor Cunningham. The second half features intimate portraits of Khalifa by long-time Aries collaborator Clare Shilland which took place in the coastal town of Whitstable.
‘I felt immediately inspired by Mia’s punk attitude’, explains founder Sofia Prantera. ‘She is strong but extremely humble and under her glossy appearance there is a tough young girl who has had to fight her way through so much adversity. I wanted to capture her wild spirit; raw and unpolished.’
The book also includes an interview with Khalifa by the model, artist and writer Deba Hekmat. The two discuss everything from Mia’s love of London to her complicated history with the Arab diaspora. With her Lebanese background, Khalifa’s past profession made her a target of conservative critics online. 'I still very much struggle with my identity. I think that my values, my roots, everything about me is very much Lebanese, and I never want to lose that entirely', Khalifa admits.