Creative Direction

GALLERY

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The Dollhouse

The Dollhouse is a whimsical, scale-bending editorial exploring the thin line between self-discovery and losing yourself in imitation. This shoot is a love letter to childhood wonder, avant-garde styling, and storytelling. The project utilizes vivid contrast to create the feeling of a storybook come to life. It plays with tensions. Soft and sharp, movement and stillness, conveying what it feels like to feel trapped in The Dollhouse, and what it takes to break out of the mold.

TEAM:

Creative Directors:

Toluwanimi Ajani | @toluwanimiajani

Valentina Espinosa | @val_val_tina

Photographer: Alexa Jayden Bell | @alexajbell

Videographer: Godard Aristil | @godard.media

Styling & Design

Designer, Yi Nan Kang | @yinanagon

Designer, Ari Arvand | @ariarvand

Stylist: Nihal Sundari | @n6hall

Models

Toluwanimi Ajani | @toluwanimiajani

Valentina Espinosa | @val_val_tina

Gracie Palumbo-Alkire | gracie.pa

Jacob Tran | @jacobvantran

Richard Alton | @richardthered14

Makeup

Makeup Artist, Hannah Seeger | hannah_seeger

The Beautiful Game is Black.

This sports editorial campaign reimagines soccer as a story of Black joy, heritage, and identity - bridging the global game with local culture. Merging fashion, storytelling, and strategy, it reframes the 2026 FIFA World Cup as an expression of belonging for Black fans around the world.

TEAM:

Produced, photographed & styled by @toluwanimiajani

FIFA 2026 World Cup Cultural Campaign Proposal

A creative direction and cultural campaign proposal for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, celebrating the power of representation and community in the world’s most unifying sport.

I Bloom Wherever I'm Planted

"I Bloom Wherever I'm Planted" is a striking editorial exploring the multiplicity of self, surreal identity, and introspective growth. Orchestrated by Creative Director and Model Toluwanimi Ajani alongside photographer Na Young Yi, the visual narrative seamlessly blends high-fashion surrealism with deeply personal themes of becoming.

Set across a series of evolving visual scenes, the editorial traces an emotional evolution. Using mirrors to convey hidden dimensions of identity and water reflections to symbolize duality, the project subverts standard editorial boundaries. Ultimately, the project masterfully merges artistic craft with a poignant, ethereal perspective.

The innovative wardrobe features handcrafted elements created by Ajani, including a custom structured cage skirt interwoven with delicate florals, and a gold wire-traced corset. These foundational components are elevated by bespoke accessories, including delicate floral pearl earrings and a gold wire-traced bouquet, also by Ajani.

Completing the team are: Dafne Calderon (Photographer’s Assistant), Ashley Klepitsch (Makeup Artist), Denver Dukes (Hair Stylist), Jada Lee (Stylist) and Ayah Yusuf Abdulkadir (Nail Artist), whose contributions further elevated the project.

Published in 17:23, Figgi, GMARO and Quadro Magazines.

TEAM:

Creative Director: @toluwanimiajani

Photographer: @nanayphoto

Photographer's Assistant: @moldingflowerss



Designer: @toluwanimiajani

Model: @toluwanimiajani

Stylist: @jadaestherlee04

Hair Stylist: @dld.lotus

Makeup Artist: @kleptobeauty

Nail Artist: @ayah_.exe

404: Time Not Found

This anachronistic shoot is a love letter to NYC’s layered history and ever-evolving spirit.

TEAM:

Creative Directors: @toluwanimiajani @briablackett

Photographer: @kj_light_life

Narrative Visual Videographer: @alexajbell

BTS Visual Videographer: @jacktakouezim



Designer and Historical Seamstress: @karebearg

Designer, When The Xu Fits: @veronicaxmcnally

Designer, Authoress Personae: @vie.withjane

Stylist: @lulivborges

Models: @toluwanimiajani @ioniemarie @abigailryu_

Hair and Makeup: @briablackett @veronicaxmcnally

Special Thanks To:

Location Consultant (Chinatown Manhattan): Maia Villalba @maiaaaiaaa

Elizabeth Center Gift Shop: @elizabeth_st._sanrio_bandai

404: Time Not Found | Part 1: Chinatown

The first chapter of our story follows a time-bending trio through Chinatown where corsets, subways, and storefronts collide. This anachronistic shoot is a love letter to NYC’s layered history and ever-evolving spirit.

404: Time Not Found | Part 2: Central Park

The second chapter of our story takes us to Central Park, where our trio arrives in inside-out elegance. What began in Chinatown as a homage to fashion history has become a thoughtful reinterpretation, and a vision not just of time, but outside of it.

404: Time Not Found | Part 3: Behind the Scenes

This anachronistic shoot is a love letter to NYC’s layered history and ever-evolving spirit. This is New York City through the lens of student creatives with big visions. Shoutout to all of the creatives who brought this vision to life! Watch the full BTS video below.

Afro-Futurism: The Future Is Now

A visionary fusion of past, present and future, this shoot reimagines cultural narratives through a bold, Afro-Futurist lens. Inspired by the grand portraiture of artists like Kehinde Wiley and Y2K Nollywood's bright aesthetics, my team and I leveraged Ankara fabrics, intricate hairstyles, and avant-garde makeup looks to bring the vision to life. The result? A striking collection of images that defy time - where the future is not just imagined, but vividly alive.

TEAM:

Creative Directors: @toluwanimiajani @summerrrtian

Photographers: @summerrrtian @lailahoffphotography @beyoncerosee

Models: @toluwanimiajani @iamtyrahughes @alexajbell

Stylists: @abigailryu_ @toluwanimiajani

Hair & Makeup: @iamtyrahughes @toluwanimiajani @alexajbell

Videographer: @godard.media