AYANA’s “Sunday Best” and the Intimacy of Memory and Motherhood

AYANA’s Sunday Best is a visual exploration of memory and motherhood, capturing the small moments that shape daily life. The project focuses on the routines, gestures, and interactions within families, particularly highlighting the role of mothers in guiding, caring for, and influencing their children.

Photo Credit – Niquita Bento

Creative Director Bee Diamondhead and photographer Niquita Bento worked together to create imagery that emphasizes real-life moments rather than staged fashion. The photos show mothers helping their children into Sunday outfits, adjusting collars, and preparing them for the day. Siblings assist each other, and laughter and movement fill the frames, creating scenes that feel familiar and grounded in everyday life.

Photo Credit – Niquita Bento

Clothing plays a central role in the project, not as a statement of fashion alone but as a reflection of memory and identity. The outfits, carefully chosen Sunday attire, mark milestones, family rituals, and shared experiences. Each piece highlights the balance between functionality and presence, showing how clothing can carry personal and cultural significance beyond aesthetics.

Photo Credit – Niquita Bento

Sunday Best takes place in ordinary environments such as living rooms, front porches, and neighborhood streets rather than formal sets or studios. This choice reinforces the authenticity of the moments captured and underscores the connection between clothing, memory, and daily life. The images illustrate how routine actions, small gestures, and family interactions contribute to lasting memories.

Although the project is rooted in South African experiences, its themes resonate more broadly. Mothers worldwide influence their children through daily care, storytelling, and guidance. By focusing on these universal practices, Sunday Best highlights the importance of mothers in shaping both family and cultural identity.

Photo Credit – Niquita Bento

This project is part of AYANA’s ongoing effort to document lived experiences in a straightforward and authentic way. Rather than prioritizing spectacle or abstract concepts, Sunday Best emphasizes the meaningful details of everyday life. The work reminds audiences that memory and maternal care are intertwined, and that the simple actions of mothers often have the most lasting impact.