Nya in Little Bohemia
Our latest editorial, created by a team in New York and set in the West Village, contrasts urban decay with opulence. Styled by Davis Carrasquillo, it celebrates the structured elegance of bold designs against raw, textured backdrops, highlighting the resilience and beauty of New York’s brickwork architecture from the last century. Shot by photographer Natalie Kogan in a blend of strength and sophistication, the stunning Sudanese model Nya Gatbel embodies the many facets of a strong and unconventional woman.
Photography Natalie Kogan
Fashion Editor Davis Carrasquillo
Model Nya Gatbel at One Management
Makeup Deanna Melluso at Forward Artists
Hair Jérôme Cultrera at La Atelier NYC
Retouching Antra Barsukova
Production Davis NYCFE
Back in 1835, New York City had a massive fire that burned for almost a day. This disaster led to laws that said buildings had to be made with fireproof materials, like natural stone or brick. There was loads of clay around the Hudson River, so brick became the go-to material for the area. By 1900, there were over 100,000 brick buildings on Manhattan Island. The standard New York building of that century would use roughly 400,000 bricks. Nowadays many of the original bricks are reclaimed and used for new buildings.
The editorial was shot in the heart of the West Village, known for its charming cobblestone streets and iconic brickstone buildings. The area is home to a blend of artistic history and modern creativity, with many historic buildings that have been repurposed for contemporary uses. One such space we used was the basement of 101 Charles Street, a building that maintains its residential charm with 20 units across 5 floors. The West Village, is a vibrant and artistic neighborhood, drawing creatives from all fields. It’s not uncommon for some residents or past tenants to have turned their spaces into studios, including for sculpture work, giving the area its unique, bohemian energy. — Davis Carrasquillo, Fashion Editor
The editorial features the stunning Nya Gatbel, a South Sudanese-Canadian model. Raised in Calgary and now based in New York City, Nya’s story is as captivating as her remarkable beauty. She arrived in Canada as an infant in 2002 with her parents and two older siblings, part of the numerous waves of refugees fleeing the war-torn country of East Africa. At the age of 17, she was discovered and since then, she has graced runways for Giorgio Armani, Marni, Jean Paul Gaultier, Elie Saab, YSL amongst others. Read more about Nya and her story in an interview from 2022 on “Style Canada”.
FASHION REFERENCES
AZ FACTORY @azfactory
ÉCOLE PRIMAIRE @ecole_primaire_nyc
FLEUR DU MAL @fleurdumalnyc
KAT MACONIE @katmaconie
LAUREN ALTMAN STUDIO @laurenaltmanstudio
MARIA PAVAN @mariapavan_oficial
MOLA WALKER @molawalker
MOSCHINO @moschino
PRADA @prada
THE STRING CODE @thestringcode
831 MINHLE @831minhle
To boot…
Davis Carrasquillo is a New York-based fashion editor, wardrobe stylist, and entrepreneur. As the founder of Davis NYCFE LLC, he connects photographers, celebrities, and models with top publications like VOGUE, Harper’s BAZAAR, and ELLE, helping them get global exposure. With a mix of creativity and business savvy, Davis brings fresh visions to life in the fashion world.
He believes in learning by doing, advising aspiring stylists to combine education with real-world experience. A meaningful gift in his life is his Papillon dog, LOLO, who was his loyal companion for almost 15 years. Davis finds inspiration in Puerto Rico and Miami, and swears by Mario Badescu’s cleansing gel for his skincare. Travel is a constant source of inspiration. His wardrobe staple is khaki shorts and Bad Bunny is often on his playlist. His pet peeve? Poor customer service.
Natalie Kogan
Photographer, Art Director & Producer
@nataliekogan I www.natalekogan.com
Natalie Kogan is a New York-based fashion and commercial photographer known for her unique blend of dreamlike and documentary-inspired imagery. She moved to New York City on a talent visa and has since shot cover stories and editorials for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar worldwide. Natalie has collaborated with leading brands, created art projects and exhibitions, and taught master classes.
“With fifteen years of experience in the industry, I have gained a wealth of knowledge concerning all aspects of the creative process: photography, post-production, content curation, casting, creative production, styling, location scouting and modeling – seeing the process from a holistic perspective and expressing my creativity through various media.”
