The launch of the Culture@ initiative marks the beginning of a larger movement to embrace and document cultural expression through style. The project will explore style through cultural lenses across age, race, class, identity, socioeconomics, disability, religion, and educational backgrounds; we will amplify voices, preserve legacies, and weave together a global narrative celebrating diversity of expression.
Through Culture@ COP28, at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), BLACK PEARL captured the cultural clothing, accessories, and styles present to highlight the diversity of expression and the visual power of clothing to story-tell sustainability, with the first photographs in the series being captured by photographer Pamela Ea.
At COP28, each outfit represented the wearer’s heritage, history, and identity. BLACK PEARL engaged with attendees to understand the cultural significance of their clothing choices, encouraging attendees to share stories behind their outfits.
Each photograph captured a moment of cultural history, preserving diverse expressions of identity through fashion. Beyond documenting aesthetics, the project aimed to amplify the voices and stories of those wearing cultural attire. Kicking off at COP 28, it highlighted the international event as a convergence of cultures, where each garment represented a chapter in a global narrative, and every participant was a storyteller.
