Photographer and director Petra Collins slips back onto our radar (as she always does, unannounced) with STAR, her new book published by Rizzoli. In what is her most narrative project to date, Collins builds her own pop universe around two fictional icons, Ashley and Siren8, pulling us into that space where the shine of fame begins to flicker… and unsettle. There are no innocent fans or harmless flashes here—just the constant feeling that being watched never comes without a cost.
Shot in and around Tokyo over the course of two weeks, the images carry that dreamlike-meets-nightmare quality Collins handles so well. Having previously photographed real-life pop figures like Charli XCX and Olivia Rodrigo, she sharpens her focus here on what it means to be a young woman under a global spotlight. References to Perfect Blue and All About Lily Chou-Chou hover over the project, giving it an eerie edge that draws you in… even if you’re not quite sure you want to keep looking.
As if the STAR universe weren’t enough, Collins adds an unexpected extra: a soundtrack created with her partner, Jake Nadrich, marking her first step into music (because, why not?). The release also acts as a teaser for her upcoming feature film, still under wraps but already promising. With STAR, Collins doesn’t just play with pop aesthetics—she flips them, reminding us (with plenty of style) that behind every idol there’s a story not everyone would choose to live.
You can now pre-order STAR via the Rizzoli website.
Petra Collins brings her visual universe to “fangirl” in Seoul.
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