Yearbook Photo Day. A campaign strategized and shot by Fashion Photographer Andrew Mkize for the Australian watch brand, Duance & Co.
Together with model Taylor Makhoba, they brought to life their own twist on how Andrew perceives Duance & Co’s 006B Black Automatic movement 21 jewels steel watch with a black face. Fusing the unorthodox shape of the watch with preppy relaxed styling.
Andrew Mhize & Duance Co, are a match made in heaven. Mixing hobbies, passion & brand work continues to add the seamless collaboration they have.
The story dates back to mid 2023, where Mkize grew a new love for timepieces. In this time Andrew would hunt for vintage and pre-owned watches from sunday markets, online stores and social media pages that sell used watches.
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With his new found interest, he ended up deep within watch research and became an overall geek about them. Fast forward to 25th December, where he stumbled across a tiktoker, while late night scrolling. The tiktoker was reviewing a watch from an Australian brand. The brand was Duance & Co.
Andrew then shot an ambitious shot at the brand in their DM’s, basically expecting he wouldn’t get a response. To his surprise the brand replied and agreed to work on something with him. He then sat down and strategized how he could mend his world of fashion photography & his new found love for watches.
Duance & Co agreed to seed him the Duance & Co 006B Black Automatic Movement 21 Jewels Steel Watch. The watch is easy to style and adds class & elegance to the outfit paired with the watch. To speak on the interesting shape of the watch’s face, this actually happened by mistake.
The watch was being inspected after completion then mistakenly fell into molten cause it to melt & once removed from the heat and cooled down it resulted in a distorted face and giving birth to the 006 Black Automatic wrist watch.
Mkize got straight to the drawing board to formulate an impeccable campaign. With him being a well recognised fashion photographer, he knew immediately that this would be a campaign he wanted to shoot in a studio, editorial style. He paired up well documented and recognized model Taylor Makhoba. Taylor’s track record in the modeling scene is one to be praised, with him working with South African streetwear & high fashion brands.
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The main tone & idea behind the shoot is ‘Yearbook Photo Day’, with the subject playing the role as ‘the school’s most popular guy’. With the play on the preppy look students dress in for school & background of the set, he married the watch & the idea. He also involved his love for thrifted clothing through the styling of the outfits whilst still keeping the watch as the main event and pull factor.
This campaign is the epitome of organic collaboration and how what is meant for you, will always come to you. Andrew continues to stay true to his craft and Duance & Co will carry on their journey to become a well rested watch brand and together will grow a beautiful, fruitful & beneficial (both ways) relationship to give the consumer a really dope reason to buy into the brand and experience.
Written by: Kutlwano Hlomuka
