IS THIS THE FUTURE OF STREET STYLE?
There’s an argument that says street style has become increasingly contrived. It’s no longer about authentic individual style but rather has become a parade of famous faces and it items. No where is this more evident than during fashion week. People flock to the shows with the hope that they’ll get photographed. They strut their stuff, pose while looking at their phone and wait for the desperate lenses to descend. The only problem is this has all become a bit fake. It’s no longer about a person’s style but more about whether they have the right mix of designer items.
Outside the Chanel show in Paris this season the madness of street style reached an all time low. Behold, the mini studio that was erected outside the venue. Complete with a massive reflector and a wall of photographers all getting the exact same shot. Authenticity and originality are lacking. It’s one step further in the direction of making street style obsolete and uninspiring. Fingers crossed we never see this sort of set up again.
Please note: This studio setting was put up by French Elle but other people were snapping the same photos from behind their photographer.
Wowza this is ridiculous. And I thought fashion cant get any ridiculous today – hundreds of people were queueing up for Topshop opening here in Sydney, even though Melbourne has had one for almost a year. Fashion is.. weird
Couldn’t agree more. It used to be to much more interesting and varied, when people were still being surprised by photographers on the streets rahter than having their shot taken during Fashion Weeks in a “proper street style outfit”.
Ahahaha this is actually hilarious. I’ve never seen anything like that before!! I really hope that was set up by Chanel or somebody to take official photos of the attendees but it doesn’t look like it…
It’s all getting too much, and I would say that for me at least, street style already *is* obsolete and uninspiring. People dress up just to get photographed. People go to the shows just to photograph the guests (or even the people who shop up without tickets). People borrow clothes from PRs to get snapped in them in the hopes of becoming the next street style star. It’s all really quite pathetic.
I am sooo bored of seeing photos of people coming in/out of Somerset House or hanging around the Tuilleries. Where do these people disappear to the rest of the year?! How come they don’t get street style snapped except during fashion week? Is it because they don’t normally dress like this and so the whole concept of these looks being “street” is totally fake? Blaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I also don’t understand why so many people want to shoot street style now too. How do they develop any readership when the net is already flooded with street style images (of the same people in the same it looks)? I always find it weird when I hear bloggers who normally only post personal style type shots saying “I’m just going to Somerset House to try to get some street style”. But you’re not a street style blogger! I just don’t get it.
P.S. I’m loving all these debate posts. Anywhere to get my rant on.
So glad you like them. xx
Any method to increase my daily spam procrastination level is greatly appreciated. It’s either this or America’s Next Top Model All Stars.
Oh wow. This is such a bizarre set up. Isn’t street style meant to reflect…the street – with a real background? The whole studio set up is ridiculous. I’d love to know what Susie thought when she was guided over to the white backdrop to get her photo taken.
I think it would be better to ask French Elle as to what they are doing. I don’t think they’re taking photos and branding them as candid streetstyle photographs as clearly they’re not! They’re being shot in a controlled environment because they want to have good lighting (something you can’t control on the streets) and do uniform shots. It’s no less ridiculous than street style shots which are set up in other ways – i.e. streetstyle photographers asking their subjects to walk up and down the street, pretend to speak on the phone or stand beside a particularly potent background on purpose (streetsign, vehicle etc0.
Like I said though, not sure what the purpose of these photos are for so I think it’s best to ask French Elle.
I’m really glad that you shed a little bit of light on this Susie! You’ve certainly reminded me about the realities of street style. Without any other context apart from ‘street style’ this makes for a rather bizarre image so I wonder if we’ll ever find out the purpose of these shots. Pretty interesting.
PS – Great post Jen!
Oh my, this is really hilarious!! (and a shame too maybe?
)
I agree that fashion weeks are becoming all about getting street snapped, and dressing to GET photographed.
But what is more sad is that photographers are now all choosing the same people to shoot, the same 20-30 persons that can be seen over and over again.
If it goes on like that it’s really the end of what I really enjoyed about street style, individuality and authentic style. It’s just designers pieces. And all styled the same way.
This “studio” was actually just for the French Elle and no other photographers were allowed to take pics from that angle (front) so it wasn’t about the streetstyle pics, but more like a project for Elle. They did the same thing at a few other venues.
Hi Christine. Oh, I see. Chanel was the only venue I saw this set up at. I saw someone standing next to it with paperwork they were filling out for each person and I noticed it said Elle at the top. When I was there though there was a crowd of photographers standing behind Elle’s photographer taking the same photos. xx
Ahhh I thought it looked too official to be just over enthusiastic street stylers. Phew.
Gosh i love Susie but that picture is kinda hilarious.
agreed
Ewwwwwww! …Not at susie, but this is a joke! Fashion week is about street style and celebrities now.
Shame.
I had never thought of the idea of Street Style becoming another rigid institucionalized ritual. I suppose most things in society started off spontaniously and then ended up being part of a process.
It’s too bad that this is happening, but surely some new spontaneous acts will start to emerge to fill in for what what street style was inicially.
Loved this post by the way! It’s rather different to what you usually write and the insight is great
Cheers!
I don’t think I agree. I see where you’re coming from, but the issues of ‘integrity’ being raised here suggest that there are absolute values to hold the medium against. Streetstyle is a new concept, and one which is evolving and will continue to. A lot of people (myself partially included) make a living from it in a time when it’s incredibly difficult to support yourself in the industry.
As Susie said, those images were for a specific brief which doesn’t really fall within the remit of streetstyle photography. It is the perogative of other photographers/tourists as to whether they want to capture what’s going on with that (as you have, I suppose) but any ‘legitimate’ streetstyle photographer working in the area could never sell a photo shot in that context (inconsistent with the rest of the day’s shots, disregarding the requests of French Elle not to shoot that way).
It is also the perogative of show-goers or fashion week visitors how they dress themselves, whether in loaned garments or new-season designer pieces, but that’s still, in my opinion, a reflection of style – either in their investment in high-end or their choice to work with a brand who want them to create a presence at fashion week. A lot of people do dress like that all year round, but they don’t live anywhere which is as saturated with photographers as fashion week venues obviously are. Posing for a shot is no more contrived than asking somebody to turn into the right light – streetstyle is centered around generating images and thus aesthetics are key.
Just as a final note, I think it would be a mistake to write off an entire a medium which is documenting the fashion industry in a way which is entirely new and of our time. We would do well to embrace a construct which has given rise to some incredibly talented photographers and an entirely new way in which fashion (in terms of marketing) can be disseminated. It has aspects of advertising, and it has aspects of art, just as, arguably, any visual documentation of fashion must. Streetstyle might not encompass what it did in its emergence, and might not encompass the values which you are looking for within it, but at the end of the day it is becoming an industry within its own right, with its own evolving relevance.
I do think a particular issue which has emerged particularly this season concerns the behaviour of various photographers, both towards each other and their subjects. We/they need to remember the context in which they’re working, with an unregulated environment and unpaid ‘models’, in which nobody has any less right to be than another. It’s undeniably hard work, tensions run high, and patience and respect are becoming increasingly scarce.
Frances x
P.S. This isn’t a dismissal of any points raised, I just guess I have a different perspective on the issue as a whole; one which I think is in need of discussion but not rejection.
WORD.
I think street style might be dead because it’s not spontanious at all anymore ( but was it the case before?).
But I think there’s a creative initiave, so for me it’s still quite interesting.
Even if sometimes it’s a little over the top (or to much product placement…)
It’s not this I despair for, more the fact that people with a genuinely interesting and well put together outfit are shunned for the ‘famous’ bloggers, the ones with the apt hair, face of the moment, long wavy hair etc. For instance someone wearing jean shorts and a t shirt will be praised and snapped endlessly for their ‘casual chic’, ‘off duty look’. Despite this being a valid outfit to be commended for, it doesn’t hold the same sentiment as other outfits on the platforms it is published. Contrariwise, some wear the most ridiculous outfits not, I think, not for the stylistic credibility, but to be snapped. These outfits are completely unmemorable because they have rhyme nor reason. They just look absurd. The ‘others’ rarely seen as they are favoured less. Basically, my problem with street style at the moment is… Everyone just looks the same.
i’m enjoying these debate style posts too, they’re getting me thinking which is something different from just the regular cruise of a blogs. it does seem a bit daft and contrived this now doesn’t it. i’m not experience in this field and at these events but it’s reminding me a bit of where people get their photos taken in from of an advertising board at red carpet events. street style blogs are still some of my post visited blogs but i must say i’m less excited by them then a couple of years ago. saying that i do love some of them immensely.
I can’t believe this! This isn’t true ‘street style’ at all – it could just be an editorial for a magazine! It’s way too staged and set up. I hope they don’t do this again, and I hope street style doesn’t head in this direction in the future! xx
Kate {Modette}
http://modetteblog.com
as i wrote on my twitter, I think perhaps we/they are the one who makes fashion industry, week boring? we/they are too concentrate on who is wearing what or who comes to the show?
People approach to different ways however I think its important to understand principle of beauty in the images rather than who is what? I’m still trying to figure out but still, most of the people is actually noticed already.
well,,, lets see…..
I think Frances put it best: streetstyle is an evolving industry still trying to find it’s way. I, for one, am still trying to figure out a way of doing my thing differently but still manage to capture the essence of the fashion week crowd. We shall see…
I recently read this article on the New York Times, link below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/13/fashion/new-york-fashion-week-street-style-is-often-a-billboard-for-brands.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&ref=fashion&adxnnlx=1349428911-UCV7j3MDTcqgeoz3Jjfowg
P.S. I’m loving these opinionated-style posts Jen. You set the floor and the conversation begins. It’s really interesting to read peoples’ responses in the comments section.
Glad to hear you like them David. xx
Seriously, I love how you write. How you manage to pin point those issues that are always in our minds.
I just love reading your opinions on things.
I absolutely agree with you. The trends that we have been seeing all around are perhaps not real trends. I am now very paranoid about believing that everybody sincerely adores -for example the Kenzo sweater. I mean, how can we when we know that brands actually send those stuff for free to bloggers for them to strut all over town in them during fashion week.
Thank you again for a great post!
xo
merv
http://www.lateybirdy.com
Jen, you have literally hit the nail on the head for me in this and your other LFW post. So refreshing to hear the truth rather than it’s so great, it’s so fabulous all the time. Which, a lot of the time it is but people need to hear real opinions about the industry too and I’m so glad you’re real enough to write this. Well done keep up the great site.
From a fellow Jen
Gorgeous!!
Late to the party as per! But I love this Jen.
I think street style is still evolving and I hope it will evolve for the better, how other people style themselves is always of interest however its incredibly blah when everyone is shooting the same one individual and sometimes its soley for the craziness of an outfit (yes lady at last lfw with a bird on your head I mean you) or because the recognise that person < this is the type I don't like. I like the organic shots, they are what I see street style as being but there you go.
Jen, I find it a little bit unfair that you write about a lack of authenticity and originality and use Susie’s picture. Why not choose some socialite or the blogging starlet of the moment instead of hard-working fashion insider?
Hi Kasia. The post isn’t at all directed at Susie or the subjects of street style. The point is just that the act of ‘street style’ is becoming increasingly set up and fabricated. xx
Sorry, maybe I didn’t make myself clear. I didn’t mean to accuse you (or anyone taking part in this discussion) of anything.
Still, I think that “set up and fabricated” is not necessarily bad thing, in terms of esthetics.
I’ve seen Elle do this before, but at least then it was in a more on conspicuous place. I can see what you mean about street style. It has definitely changed!
I hardly think you can call this streetstyle since Susie isn’t even standing on the pavement. If streetstyle descends into this, god help the blogging industry
xo Camilla
Into The Fold
This season it was enough to wear a ridiculous jumper with kitschy “Kenzo” on it to be photographed. I swear.
le street style n’existe plus, il s’est perdu dans les meandre des fashion week et autre “m’as tu vu!!”
http://www.classy-dressing.com/wp (ma boutique vintage!)
its becoming more and more deceiving =/ it seems like making money is always more important!
xx
Glass of Fashion
agree!!!
I couldn´t agree more!
Haha hilarious! I hope that isn’t the state!
Damn, I truly hope this gets frowned upon more often so it disappears! The horror, I love the mix of people in streetstyle pictures with busy backgrounds, white is so… white. Ugh.
<3
Another great post and a fascinating debate, Jen. Good to see such honest comments being encouraged too. I’m not sure where I stand on this, I can’t claim to be a professional streetstyle blogger, or anything close, therefore I can’t really understand what it takes to stand out or find your way, as David says. But personally I found the streetstyle at LFW this season such a let down compared to previous occasions – whether that was because there’s an increase in streetstyle ‘stars’ wearing the sort of glossy designer gear that I just don’t shoot, or whether it’s because I just enjoyed the whole experience less this time, I don’t know. I need to get back to the streets of the east to know whether the buzz is still there (and last time I checked, it was, thankfully!) x
Very interesting debate! Streetstyle photography is art. A true streetstyle photographer will always find an individual style to snap, no matter where and when. Everything else is business. For an artist it is not only about the clothes someone is wearing. For a magazine it’s all about the clothes and about making money with pictures. Probably both parties have a value for the fashion industry. If nothing else, because they influence each other.
Frieda for Project Style
oh my god! this is absurd. me no likey!
just discovered your blog and love it very much. Yes, I agree, this is crazy and kind of boring. Only authenticity is interesting, and copy – is only a copy. However, I can see why someone, who maybe traveled for the fashion week from afar, just snapping away whatever they can and think later, who knows!
Authentic street style can always be found — just not during the various fashion weeks.
OMG, I can’t agree more! I hate when people turn themselves into a clowns just to be pictured, like “Look at me, I am so different!”, pfff… :/
I wrote about this last month (http://www.chocolatecookiesandcandies.com/2012/09/the-cause-and-effect-of-street-style.html) after getting increasingly disillusioned by what I’d seen over the Fashion Week. I was pleased to get an insider’s perspective from Kit who’d left a comment. On the other hand, whenever I walk the streets of London, I often see beautifully dressed women who inspire me. I can identify with their individual style, nothing as contrived as this. I’d love to have to courage to walk up to them and ask for a photo.
Can’t agree more. The whole streetstyle thing is quite dead.
What’s left over is some editorial set-up on the actual streets.
A very thought-provoking article here.
Glad I found your blog, its layout and everything is amazing!
Wow! Wild scene. Actually, this is why I skipped photographing NYFW this year. I just couldn’t make myself go. When I started photographing the goings on at NYFW in 2009, it was fun and interesting. Nowadays, it’s a bit of a clique-y mob scene. That said, I will always enjoy checking out the blogs of those more intrepid than me!
I sincerely adore my Kenzo sweater, lateybirdy!
it’s a gift, not from the brand but from the boyfriend who knows how much praise and respect I have for Humberto and Carol! but the debate is not about them – it’s about streetstyle.
I find it silly to comment on the ‘realness’ of people dressing up for fashion week! dressing up for any occasion is in some ways ‘unreal’, there are rules and codes to respect – a gala evening, a funeral or a job interview have their codes, so does a fashion week – the only difference is that there’s no systematic set of codes, there’s only desire to wear what pleases you (and people around you) fuelled by a certain amount of individualism. who cares (but apparently everyone here does) about what a show-goer wears is a gift from a brand or borrowed from a PR agency or bought with Russian millionaire-dad’s money?? and who cares if people at the fashion week dress up to show off? it’s FASHION for dead dog’s sake! and even Suzy Menken’s ‘crows’ dressed up to show off, there were just other priorities in documenting fashion and style back then. why is taking pictures of some b-list celebs at the red carpet or with a sponsor logo backdrop considered absolutely normal?
streetstyle is a new phenomenon, even though we don’t see it as new anymore at the speed with which internet communication and social media are evolving nowadays. and as with any phenomenon there will be highs and lows, but we have to let it grow and develop, not point our finger at the subject on the photo and cry:”Shame!”
do you all really believe that it’s all the fault of a couple of overdressed bloggers with Kenzo sweaters? that it’s all that simple? sometimes I can’t help but to doubt if such popularity is due to popular demand then the only ones to blame is ourselves – the insatiable audience. that’s where the finger of shame should be pointing.
I love your blog! And I totally agree, streetstyle is STREETstyle, not white backgrounds.. I’m SO tired of everybody who’s crying after the classic chanel bag, people who is having the same items as everybody else does not got real style.