Introducing our Creative Showcase 2025 Judges' Choice – James Watts with his work High Fashion, It's A Flight Risk.
High Fashion, It's A Flight Risk immediately made an impression with our Creative Showcase judges and was selected as one of the 20 shortlisted finalists by our judges. After weeks of deliberation our six judges agreed that Watts would be awarded the Judges' Choice. His work was called out for its technical ability, storytelling, creativity and striking point of view.
Here, Watts explains how he stays inspired and shares with us the last image that truly moved him.
What inspired your editorial?
My editorial was inspired by subverting different fashion archetypes associated with utilitarian dress. By dissecting the functional elements of aviation-dress, I was able to exaggerate and reinvent these ‘functional’ elements into grandiose and luxe fashion statements.
By upcycling and splicing puffer jackets, trench coats, and cable-knit sweaters – I have been able to display my own fashion-design visions alongside my creative styling and photography. My styling is complemented by other designers who explore functional fashion – Sacai, Helmut Lang, and Prada Sport – that round-off this utilitarian inspiration.
Where do you find your best inspiration for your creative projects?
Music. Each one of my creative projects have their own song.
Whenever I begin my creative work, there is always a mood and emotion that I seek to communicate. I enjoy creating characters within each of my images – there is always a small scene associated with each editorial that becomes so intrinsic to my creative process.
For this editorial, I was inspired by 12 to 12 by Sombr. Despite the more structured and rigid fashion choices of this editorial, I worked to bring out emotions of intimacy and longing. The models’ windswept hair and prolonged eye contact darting down the barrel of the camera – makes you feel like you’ve caught of glimpse of eye contact across a crowded dancefloor. Sometimes I’d just stare at these photos with the song blasting – it just makes them all the more powerful!
What was the last image that moved you?
I recently came across the The narcissist, photographed by Kito Munoz (@kito.munoz) featuring garments by Daniel del Valle (@thevxlley). I am in awe of the way these images collide fashion and editorial photography, with wearable art and sculpture. Observing the humanity embedded within these fashion sculptures be translated onto the human form through thoughtful creative and posing direction – really elevated how I view storytelling within my craft.
I was really moved by the designer’s statements, who viewed this collection as his garden – and that everything growing within it was a reflection of himself. I really resonate with this sentiment when it comes to my own creative projects, as each photograph I style and shoot is spurred from, and becomes interconnected, with my own ideas of ‘self’.
In a world increasingly flooded by computer and AI-generated imagery, how important is the role of human creativity?
The process of human creativity within design is truly irreplaceable. I find that computer and AI-generated imagery is too calculated – you jump from start to finished product within seconds. You already know what the final outcome will be before you even jump in – for all you need is a prompt. I find that the most human aspect of creation is what comes from the experimentation and evolution of the design process – particularly, having to adapt when things don’t go right.
I’ve found that my some of my favourite images come from when I’ve had to adapt to when everything goes wrong!
What are you excited for in the future?
I’m excited to begin working toward resolving more of my own individuality and design identity, as I move into the next phase of my creative journey. Next year I will be working on my signature graduate project for my final year of ‘Creative Direction and Styling’ at The Whitehouse Institute of Design, Sydney. I am excited to continue to refine my craft and creative vision in the next stages of my training, and ensure that my final project fully encompasses what I wish to contribute to the creative industries.
I’m always on the look out for new opportunities and creative collaborations, and am so excited to see what this next chapter holds.
High Fashion, It's A Flight Risk by James Watts
Our Judges' Choice receives a spread in the March 2026 issue of RUSSH Magazine and a $5,000 grant to pursue their creative aspirations courtesy of Omoda.
The RUSSH Creative Showcase 2025 is proudly supported by our partners Omoda and Camera House.
Both Omoda and Camera House share RUSSH’s commitment to creativity, innovation and self-expression, representing a passion for pushing boundaries and seeing the world through a fresh lens. The RUSSH Creative Showcase is a celebration of imagination, craft and the creative spirit that drives our community forward. Their partnerships have helped bring this initiative to life in 2025.
Photographer, Stylist, Editor: James Watts
Models: Mandy Wang, Oliver Weir (Priscilla's)
Garments: Sacai, Helmut Lang, Upcycled Garments (Designed by James Watts, Seamstress Josephine Tan - Whitehouse Institute of Design)
