For one of my high school characters, I wanted portray just a regular kid from Philly, and I felt Matteo was perfect for that role. He's a loyal Philadelphian and he's proud of it. I show this partially through his preference in sports jerseys and graphic tees, which show his devotion to the local sports teams. Besides his Philly Identity, I wanted to show his more boyish youth and creative side. Matteo is the class clown of his school, as well as an artist. He's not afraid to wear more effeminate patterns, but he sticks to a basic color scheme, and tends to accompany them with jeans. I gave him a bit of a sporty aesthetic, of course within the jerseys he wears, but also through shorts and tanks tops. Matteo doesn't just watch sports; he plays them too! His favorites are basketball and roller skating.
I based Matteo's appearance and style primarily off of Jean Michel Basquiat and Michael Jackson/ the Jackson five. Basquiat connected back to Matteo's identity as an artist, while the Jackson Five were supposed to emphasize his Identity as a young boy living during that period of time. I based Matteo's formal wear off of 70s prom outfits I found through research. Once again, I wanted to emphasize Matteo as a goofy teen, with a creative side. He's lively, spirited, and driven, especially compared to his more dour and neurotic counterparts.
(From Left to Right) The Jackson 5, Michael Jackson, and Jean Michel Basquiat
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