Self-Portrait 'Miss Self-Portrait' 2024 Ad Campaign

Review of Self-Portrait ‘Miss Self-Portrait’ 2024 Ad Campaign by Creative Director Han Chong and Photographer Tina Barney with models Emily Ratajkowski, Sasha Allen, Azu Nwogu, Elliot Brakebill, Bo Chapli, Erin Shin, and John Paguaga

Self-Portrait celebrates beauty and personality with a clever riff on the tradition of pageants in its new Fall 2024 “Miss Self-Portrait” campaign. Starring recurring face of the brand Emily Ratajkowski, the imagery was lensed by photographer Tina Barney.

Barney is primarily recognized for her capturing intricate, large-scale portraits of family traditions and rituals, which fits with the campaign’s approach to the complex cultural ritual of a beauty pageant. She lenses the group of Miss Self-Portraits as Ratajkowski is crowned the queen. Leaning into that distinct balance of glamor and tackiness that characterizes these events, the set design faithfully features polysilk curtains, silver tinsel, and a clashing carpet.

Though in some ways the way in which the gaudy glamor of a beauty pageant is so fully realized might distract from the collection itself, it excellently serves to flesh out the campaign’s narrative. The episodic narrative structure also lends itself to a strong social media strategy wherein the brand releases the story across multiple weeks in bite-sized pieces, leveraging existing assets to drive engagement. Balancing parody and pastiche, Self-Portrait once again stays true to its name with a rich look at individuality and persona through fashion.