Mari Giacopelli is a Chicago-based queer photographer working in fashion and portraiture. Their images evoke a sense of nostalgia and youthfulness through vibrant color, experimental editing techniques, and playful props that reference the aesthetics of the 1990s and early 2000s.
Working at the intersection of fine art and fashion photography, Giacopelli approaches image-making through a distinctly queer lens. Their work often explores themes of identity, gender expression, and pop nostalgia, and they are passionate about collaborating with a diverse range of LGBTQ+ models, artists, and brands to challenge traditional ideas of gender within fashion.
Giacopelli earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion and Commercial Photography from Columbia College Chicago in 2022. Their clients include Chicago Fashion Week, Little High Little Low, and deadAir Records. Their work has appeared on artist profiles and cover art across Spotify and Apple Music, and has been featured in Office Magazine.
Influenced by a wide range of media and pop culture, Giacopelli cites the band Alvvays and the film But I'm a Cheerleader (1999) among their favorites. Outside of photography, Mari spends most of their time with their two-year-old tabby cat, Lilo.