In lieu of the ordinary daily post format I've been using to chronicle New York Fashion Week so far, I thought I'd give you some insight into the psyche of all of us bloggers out here working the streets. All of these are complaints I've been hearing all week, but they are getting even more pronounced as Fashion Week drags on. Here they are, interspersed with some of my photos from Day Six:
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| Outside Sophie Theallet, 22nd St |
2. "I got the same shot as Tommy (or Phil or Koo or Adam) but now that he posted it on Style.com (or Vogue.com, Elle.com, etc) everyone's gonna think I ripped him off." Blogging may "democratize" the fashion industry, but that doesn't mean it's a democracy. If you're not Tommy (or Phil or Koo or Adam), no one cares about your shots.
3. "Those Asian bloggers are really aggressive!" This comment is usually followed by something along the lines of "I mean, I hate to make sweeping generalizations and all, but they just get right up there in your way, getting their interviews and releases signed without giving a shit who's trying to get a shot."
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| Chiara Ferragni of the Blonde Salad (literally) stopping traffic on 22nd St after Marc by Marc Jacobs. |
4. "Everyone's so dressed down this season." The Russian heiresses, the editors, the famously narcissistic bloggers, they just don't seem to be putting in the same effort as last season.
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| Outside Marc by Marc Jacobs before the stampede exiting the show. |
5. "I'm so tired of running from show to show." A typical blogger's day begins at roughly 9am when the first shows start. Using whatever calendar they prefer (in my case the Fashion Week schedule posted on New York Magazine's The Cut) they choose the shows they predict will have the best turnout of style stars and editors, then hop in a cab or a subway train and traverse the island of Manhattan. My own day began at Lincoln Center just after 10am where J. Crew and Badgley Mischka were taking place. I then hit Rodarte on 22nd, Wes Gordon on 11th between 27th and 28th, Sachin & Babi at Pier 59, Marc by Marc Jacobs at Pier 57, and finally Sophie Theallet at Milk Studios on 22nd. All things considered a relatively mellow day. Except for a brief sojourn up to Lincoln Center (at 66th), I stayed within a ten block radius of Chelsea. No wonder I'm less exhausted than my other days. Or is this some newfound endurance? If Fashion Week is like gym training, as Simbarashe of Lord Ashbury said to me in the comments, I'm building up some serious street style muscle.
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| Outside Sachin & Babi |
6. "(Fill in your favorite style star here) is being such a bitch today!" Whoever she is, she used to be so much easier to shoot, posing, hell, even frolicking in front of the cameras. Now she just goes straight into the show and ignores all the bloggers out front. The novelty of being a street style star wears off after a while.
7. "I haven't slept in days!" Most photographers have some deadline to meet, even if only self-imposed, which means that after a long day of shooting they still have to edit photos, send them off to whatever publication they work with, and plan their next day's shoot. And that's if they aren't attending the parties. If they're doing those too, it makes for an even later night.
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| A model, exiting the stage after Rodarte. |
8. "______ Magazine is totally trying to fuck me!" If you sell your stuff to fashion magazines and websites, you're being ripped off. That's just how it goes. Especially now that there are so many bloggers out there willing to give their stuff away for free. Free is hard to compete with. And not every magazine is as selective as you might think.
9. "The scene at _______ sucked today." Everyone gets at least one show a day that falls flat, not delivering the style potential one imagined it would in advance. It's not always predictable which will be good. Of course a show can also suck if it's too big, with way too much competition from other photographers making it hard to get good shots. Marc by Marc Jacobs was like that today. Total chaos, with at least 200 photographers present. I was so relieved to flee the scene and head over to the relatively quiet Milk Studios, just a block away.
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| Hanging out away from the crowds before Marc by Marc Jacobs. |
10. "Just after we left ______ Lindsey Wixson (or Karlie Kloss, Hanne Gaby Odiele, or some similarly famous model) showed up! I can't believe I missed her!" Alas, some other photographer friend of yours stuck it out and got exclusive shots. Poor you. You just had to move on, didn't you?
Are these really complaints? Sounds more like they are bragging to me. "Look how hard my life is! Look how hard I work against these odds! Look how AWESOME I AM!!!"
ReplyDelete@bruinhb there probably is some of that. But complaining is a big part of photography at Fashion Week. It's the easiest way to communicate with photographers you barely know.
Delete@bruinhb there probably is some of that. But complaining is a big part of photography at Fashion Week. It's the easiest way to communicate with photographers you barely know.
DeleteNumber 3.. mirco-agression much? I find it interesting how the 'oh-but-i'm-not-trying-to-stereotype' comes down to race.
ReplyDelete@Rach Yup, there's no question that race remains an issue at Fashion Week, whether among the photographers or on the runways. At least, however, the photographers are a diverse lot, with ample representation from Brazil, Italy, Spain, France, South Korea, China, Japan, Argentina, and many other places besides. And there was no doubt something of a clash of photographic cultures going on, sometimes resulting in some unsavory stereotyping.
Delete@Rach Yup, there's no question that race remains an issue at Fashion Week, whether among the photographers or on the runways. At least, however, the photographers are a diverse lot, with ample representation from Brazil, Italy, Spain, France, South Korea, China, Japan, Argentina, and many other places besides. And there was no doubt something of a clash of photographic cultures going on, sometimes resulting in some unsavory stereotyping.
DeleteTwo things:
ReplyDelete1) LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.
2) @Rach: you have to see it to believe it. Like paparazzi, photographers come in certain breeds. You have the agressive ones, the cold ones, the super bubbly ones... but the ones that photographers hate most are the ones who get their shot and totally fuck everyone else over by immediately stepping up to the subject to interview them. As Brent said, at Marc Jacobs there were 200 other photographers there. Can you imagine? That sort of behaviour would never, ever fly on the red carpet, or even in a runway show. The unwritten rule is you show up, you carve out your working space, and you stay out of your neighbours way until everyone's good. But it's really like queuing for a train if you think about it - and that's totally a Western phenomenon, so stereotypical or not, it makes sense.
I'm not denying the phenomenon of pushy, aggressive, step-over-everyone bloggers - no one likes a rudey and I sure as hell believe the stampede of street style photographers at NYFW - but it's the use of "Asian" followed by 'oh not making a generalisation or anything' that gets me. There are other ways of pointing out inappropriate behaviour (like you did above) without needing to mention their race.
DeleteAnd I know Brent was quoting others!
DeleteSounds like people are so into being street style show offs now? What's the feel on the ground? It still sounds like hell to me! 200 photographers or so... It'll be interesting to see if the 50+ photogs will grow in number at Seoul Fashion Week in October..
ReplyDelete"Aren't" so into being street style shows offs now?...
Delete@James Definitely some style show offs among the crowd. In fact, lots of people come just to be photographed. But the photographers tend to focus their attention on a specific crowd of show attendees with immediate name recognition among street style fans. Yeah, it can be hell at some shows, but it's also sort of a rush, like an athletic event.
Delete@James Definitely some style show offs among the crowd. In fact, lots of people come just to be photographed. But the photographers tend to focus their attention on a specific crowd of show attendees with immediate name recognition among street style fans. Yeah, it can be hell at some shows, but it's also sort of a rush, like an athletic event.
DeleteI am in love with the post, its truthfully and relatable! Looks like you are having a great time (busy!) at NYFW. I was there Saturday for some shows and yes, it was hot! See ya around. -Anh
ReplyDelete@Mai Style Pages Thanks, Anh! Hope you had a good time at Fashion Week. I did. And I'm glad it's over.
Delete@Mai Style Pages Thanks, Anh! Hope you had a good time at Fashion Week. I did. And I'm glad it's over.
DeleteAs always, I enjoy hearing your account of street style. Thanks for this behind the scenes peak! As a photographer myself, I've contemplated going to the tents each year and wondered what it would be like.
ReplyDeleteBut I really like the shots you've come up with. I hope you are happy with what you've got!