Koto Bolofo Say Cheese

Unconventional and delightful, Say Cheeseepitomizes Koto Bolofo's approach to fashion photography These photos were originally published in 2000 in Vogue Italia, then under the helm of the legendary Franca Sozzani, whom Koto Bolofo (born 1959) first met in 1984 and worked with for more than 25 years. Bolofo fondly remembers the exceptional creative freedom she gave him and other photographers at the magazine--Sozzani provided the clothes, they did the rest. And so it was with Say Cheese: Bolofo was given a wardrobe of female swimwear, and with the help of his regular stylist Nicoletta Santoro, he shunned professional models, instead enlisting a vibrant squad of real synchronized swimmers, California's Riverside Aquettes. The resulting images show a variety of female bodies at ease and play--floating and twirling in sparkling, sun-filled water, clad in retro looks, from Great Gatsbyflair to flowered 1950s bathing caps, and each wearing Bolofo's favorite accessory: a genuine smile.