Bridging Two Worlds Through Grillz18 Images
Sukii Baby is no stranger to contrast. Born in Japan and raised between there and Houston, the dancer, model and nail artist’s upbringing was a constant negotiation of cultures. “I grew up a bit confused, travelling back and forth between two countries,” she says. In Japan, life was structured, family-oriented and steeped in heritage. In Houston, she had to fight to be understood, learning resilience from her father. “My dad taught me how to be a strong Black woman who doesn’t take shit from anyone.”
Finding a way to make sense of her identity, Sukii turned to grillz. “I’ve always been obsessed with the anatomy of a mouth, teeth are so strong, and they look cool even when they decay,” she says. What started as a childhood obsession with silver teeth became a creative pursuit. Now, she collaborates with her trusted jeweller to design custom pieces that bridge her cultural influences.
This exploration of identity forms the subject of her latest shoot, Bridging Two Worlds Through Grillz. Each set carries meaning. Her hand-painted kintsugi grillz are a nod to the ceramics in her grandmother’s home. Her Ohaguro-inspired set pays homage to the Japanese tradition of teeth blackening, an ancient practice which is now being revived by a new generation of artists including musician Sailorr and rapper Molly Santana. “Teeth show culture,” Sukii says. “There’s no such thing as perfect teeth.”
Below, she talks to Dazed about the shoot, the meaning behind her grillz, and how she defines beauty on her own terms.
Tell us about yourself and where you grew up.
Sukii Baby: My first language was Japanese and I started school in Yamaguchi, Japan, where there was culture everywhere every day. Most of the time, things were peaceful and family-oriented. On the other hand, America was really chaotic. I had to adapt to a lot of new culture, and my dad taught me how to be a strong Black woman who doesn’t take shit from anyone. It was way more aggressive than Japan.
During my time in America, I was fighting with kids because I was too different – from the food I liked to how big and curly my hair was and everything in between. That helped me develop individuality, and my parents are strong people, so I felt like if I showed how strong I was, I’d be like them.
Can you talk us through the sets in the shoot?
Sukii Baby: All my sets were made by Danny, my favourite jeweller to collaborate with. He and I designed everything from scratch. My Ohaguro set gets so much mouth-time, it was only right to have them in the shoot. I have my new kintsugi grillz on, and they’re one-of-a-kind, hand-painted by the best. They’re so detailed and true to what is in my Bachan’s (grandmother’s) house. I relate to kintsugi because my life felt broken, and up until recently, life is so worth living for.
My black open face is just an open-face version of my Ohaguro. When I want a light touch, it’s still indeed Ohaguro. My pink dragon set is a mix between old and new – my mother’s name is Ai, which means love in Japanese, so I put her name next to the dragon because the dragon is my family’s spirit animal, and it reminds me of them. The bottom is my name in Japanese, ‘Sukii’.
You’ve spoken about the history of Ohaguro grills online – what do they represent to you personally?
Sukii Baby: It was a low-key present to myself. I didn’t think anyone would care, and I initially got so much hate for them, but I was stuck in Texas and couldn’t celebrate my coming-of-age ceremony in Japan. I was actually really sad about it, but I always remind myself that I’m going to be somewhere one day, and I need to treat myself as if I’m already living in my future. My mom used to show me old shows, and we would go to festivals. There’s always a lot of Japanese lore, and it’s the little things that keep me grounded. Sometimes, you need reminders to keep going.
There’s a lot of debate in beauty at the moment around the idea of ’perfect teeth.’ What’s your take on beauty standards when it comes to smiles?
Sukii Baby: I think everyone’s smile is unique to them. There’s no such thing as perfect teeth. Where you’re from, what language you speak, and what you eat show culture. Personally, I like my crooked teeth, but my outlook on beauty standards is skewed because I’ve seen so many different people and countries at a young age. I love everything about everyone. Veneers were originally for people who lost their teeth from accidents or old age, so it’s funny to me that it’s a trend now.
How do people react to your grills?
Sukii Baby: They either love it or hate it! I love seeing reactions because you can genuinely tell someone has never seen anything like it, and to be a woman moving crowds as if I was naked is pretty cool.
Photographer JAYSON PALACIO, lighting/first photography assistant MILES CALIBOSO, make-up artist CRYSTAL ADRIAS, hair stylist KAYLA CASEY, wardrobe stylist ESTELLE APORONGAO
