Jan Hoek, Duran Lantink

Jan Hoek, fashion designer Duran Lantink and trans sex worker organisation SistaazHood present ‘Sistaaz of the Castle’, an ongoing project about the colorful looks and lives of transgender sex workers that roam the streets of Cape Town, South Africa.

Most of the girls are homeless, living under a bridge near Cape Town’s castle. The Sistaaz are eager activists, proud to be trans, proud to be a sex worker, and even prouder of their stunning sense of style. And they want it to be acknowledged.

A series of photographs and a fashion collection based on the girls’ appearance and their ability to turn whatever they find into the most exuberant outfits was created. This has already resulted in a fashion show at Amsterdam Fashion Week (a show in Cape Town in still on the wish list) and a photo exhibition in Foam Amsterdam.