Sean Brown has a knack for finding beauty and meaning in unlikely places, from houseplants to shipping containers. His mantra – finding context through process, research, and exploration has allowed him to break into the world of fashion and design with uniqueness, quality, and grace.
Based in Toronto, Canada, Brown is a creative director, designer, and photographer. Brown has applied his artistic talents to a range of ventures, including fashion and architectural design, album photoshoots with artists, promotional shoots with major brands, and more.
Touting an impressive portfolio, Brown has worked with prominent artists such as Daniel Caesar, and has helped establish up-and-coming artists such as Jay Whiss, Jesse Gold and Amaal. Brown directed and photographed Daniel Caesar’s well-known and eye-catching album covers for Pilgrim’s Paradise, Freudian and Case Study 01 (Freudian’s album cover was later nominated for a Juno award in 2018). He also has an admirable range of filmographic achievements, having directed music videos for Daniel Caesar, Amaal, and New West.
Brown’s work is unique, as it does not rely on any single dimension – each of his carefully-curated works, involves multiple mediums and disciplines, creating a unique viewer experience. His designs achieve a bold and dramatic effect despite their minimalistic composition. This quality is especially prominent in his design projects, including fashion, architecture and art exhibitions.
In 2013, Brown curated a luxury outerwear line “NEEDS&WANTS”, which has since grown into a successful brand featuring highly coveted designs. His clothing designs aim to represent the idea of well-rounded living while maintaining premium quality. Brown expressed his unique take on fashion design in an interview with Notable Life: “My job has become little to do with designing or selling clothes, but more to do with the design of living. The design of perspectives. The design of forever”.
His knack for uncovering hidden meaning also led him to establish his first solo art show entitled “CURVES”. First displayed at the Peter MacKendrick Gallery in Toronto, and later expanded to the Letter Bet in Montreal, and the Royal Ontario Museum, the show is a collection of the many lessons that Brown has learned through his industry experience. A “reflection of study and process”, this exhibit gave inside insight into the inspiration behind some of Brown’s proudest projects and photos.
Brown’s approach to inspiration can be summed up in a single quote. “The base of creativity is not so much just doing things that other people think is cool, doing things for attention, but more so [out of] your sense of curiosity… I think that’s at the core of creativity” Brown said in an interview with Artscape Daniels Launchpad.
Visit Sean Brown’s website to learn more about his accomplishments and creative works.
