"Red Hot II" is a collaboration between British photographer Thomas
Knights and British designer Elliott James Frieze, characterized
with its rebranded midnight blue material background."I felt there
was more to say. Many of the redhead models we talked to not only
had issues with their red hair growing up, but also with being
pale. So this exhibition and art book will explore the beauty of
the redhead's pale skin, its supposed fragility, and poetic
appearance ...We will also look at the beauty of freckles as well
as black and mixed-race redheads. We are taking the conversation
further this time, celebrating what makes us redheads unique,
learning to love that uniqueness and empowering ourselves by owning
that difference," says Thomas Knights, creator of the "Red Hot"
project.As with his previous book, "Red Hot 100," this publication
serves a good cause. The charity partner for the book is The Diana
Award anti-bullying initiative. Princess Diana is a globally
recognized household name, and Knights already has a strong
relationship with the charity with proceeds from the original "Red
Hot 100" book totaling over GBP10,000 to date.( The "Red Hot"
project has raised over GBP45,000 in total for various charities
and good causes.)The new look of "Red Hot" will keep the core
message of the original "Red Hot": redefining the "ginger
stereotype" with a strong anti-bullying message. But this time, the
focus of the conversation will celebrate what makes redheads
unique, with a focus on pale skin, freckles, black, and mixed-race
redheads.Unlike the original "Red Hot 100" book, which focused more
on quantity, "Red Hot II" will scale back the number of models,
focusing on slightly fewer that suit this new luxury aesthetic and
turning the attention more on their individual story and unique
look. This will mean the viewer can really explore their unique
experience.Thomas Knights and Elliot James Frieze have scoured the
world to bring you the hottest redheads from Europe, the Americas,
the Middle East, and Australasia.One of the most successful
elements of the "Red Hot" project was the personal quotes next to
each image. This fundamental part of the project will return to
"Red Hot II," as the project creators encourage their models to go
deeper into their past and share more of their stories with
them.Enlightening, heart-warming, poetic, funny or sad-the quotes
give the viewer a unique perspective on what it is to grow up a
redhead in the twenty-first century. The foreword is written by
Jacky Harvey Collins, art historian and writer of the critically
acclaimed "Red-A History of the Redhead"The background image takes
on an alluring luxe midnight blue satin allowing for pale skin to
be explored in a way the bright original blue didn't. The midnight
blue and updated logo will be rolled out across all products,
exhibitions, and literature, so there is a clear change in brand
identity for existing fans and total continuity. The project will
take on a more refined, high-end fashion and aspirational design
look and feel.Pale skin will be the new focus alongside auburn
hair. It will be enhanced by the lighting in all photography so to
appear pale like a statue-placing the models on a pedestal and
poses reminiscent of Graeco-Roman Gods: heroic and strong, but also
with a poetic fragility.The "Red Hot" motto is "Be proud of who you
are." This mission statement goes beyond only speaking to redheads.
It's about celebrating difference. Championing an alternative view
of beauty.It's empowering, owning one's own perceived flaws and
celebrating difference. In the West, we live in a tan culture.The
idea of being tanned (either real or fake) is seen as desirable,
aspirational, and attractive. No matter the health risks associated
with tanning, being "tall, dark, and handsome" and having a
"healthy glow" is what we are told is attractive. If you can't tan,
you are often ridiculed and are made to feel less attractive by
your peers and society as a whole.However, this notion of a tan
looking "more attractive" has been learned. It is a result of a
modern fixation with summer holidays and leisure time defining our
social standing. More holidays equals more leisure time equals a
higher social standing. "Tan" becomes synonymous with
"attractive."It wasn't long ago that it meant the opposite-you were
of a lower perceived social standing if you were tanned, as it
meant you were poor and had to work outside; back then, pale skin
was seen as aspirational. We think we are in control of what we
find attractive and what we think is "beautiful"-but this couldn't
be further from the truth. Beauty is taught to us.Our innate
desires have been manipulated by big business who realized a lot of
money could be made from making us feel unattractive and "less
than." In the West, we are sold the dream of having a tan, and the
East (especially in India and China) are sold the dream of being
pale skinned-skin bleaching products exist, just in the same way as
tanning products do in the West. Essentially, we are made to feel
that what we are, is not good enough, and we are sold products to
fix a created problem. "Red Hot II" will be celebrating pale skin
and freckles alongside red hair. It is another step against the
norm, and cements "Red Hot" as a brand unafraid of championing
alternative views of beauty and our unique core message: "Be proud
of who you are."
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