In the series, An Economy of Grace (2014), Wiley collaborated with Riccardo Tisci – the Creative Director of the fashion house Givenchy, to design dresses for the female subjects. They worked on the aesthetic and conceptual context of the project, focusing on society’s ideals of feminine beauty and the depiction of women of color. The models are captured in poses inspired by historical portraits of society women by Jacques-Louis David, Thomas Gainsborough and John Singer Sargent, among others.

The documentary film project about An Economy of Grace, interspersed with personal dialogue, historical narrative, and critical commentary, describes the creative process of Wiley and his collaboration with Tisci. It also shares the personal stories of the young women chosen as the models, with insight into their lives and backgrounds. “I am painting women in order to come to terms with the depictions of gender within the context of art history”, said Wiley.