Phylis The Pearly Queens of Islington
United Kingdom
The Pearly Kings and Queens began in nineteenth-century London, when street traders decorated their clothes with mother-of-pearl buttons to show pride, community, and charity.
For their 150th anniversary, I collaborated with the Pearlies to document the current members within their homes and community spaces.
97-year old Phylis lives in her immaculate, ornately decorated home in Clapton. She is the oldest living Pearly queen and hopes the younger generation will continue the pearly tradition.
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United Kingdom
The Pearly Kings and Queens began in nineteenth-century London, when street traders decorated their clothes with mother-of-pearl buttons to show pride, community, and charity.
For their 150th anniversary, I collaborated with the Pearlies to document the current members within their homes and community spaces.
97-year old Phylis lives in her immaculate, ornately decorated home in Clapton. She is the oldest living Pearly queen and hopes the younger generation will continue the pearly tradition.
