Wild Love

The ad campaign for the latest sunglass collection from the Spanish brand Etnia Barcelona, WLA or Wild Love in Africa, wasn’t the work of Craig McDean, Steven Klein, or any of the other photographers whose credits litter the fashion glossies. Instead, the images were shot by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who’s best known for his portrait “Afghan Girl,” which appeared in National Geographic in 1985 (not that McCurry toils solely in war zones; he’s also shot the Pirelli calendar). “We admire his portraits, his way of reflecting the personality of the subject, his light and color,” explains Etnia CEO David Pellicer of his brand’s outside-the-box choice of photographer. McCurry’s assignment was simple: Shoot the eco-friendly, animal print, natural acetate glasses in various locals around South Africa. The resulting images, including a stunning shot of an elegant, dreadlocked man wrapped in a regal red cape—McCurry’s favorite—are both sumptuous and inspiring. The WLA collection is a collaboration between Etnia Barcelona and Africa Rising, an NGO dedicated to African development that was founded by Ndaba and Kweku Mandela, grandsons of Nelson Mandela.