Photo courtesy of The Sartorialist
New York Fashion Week begins tomorrow and if you’re like me, the thought of celebrity filled tents and models strolling down designer runways has you in a frenzy. Why a frenzy you ask? Because every serious fashionista knows, this is the time of year when some of the chicest, most avant garde designers put there most beautiful creations on exhibit for all to admire — those invited, of course.
But, just as chic as all those designer confections are the looks donned by the Who’s Who in the fashion world — from insider to celebrity — who will be in attendance such as Anna Wintour, André Leon Talley, Fern Mallis, Rachel Zoe, and Victoria Beckham.
The hottest looks are sure to be captured by Scott Schuman — you know him as The Sartorialist. His keen eye for chic looks has garnered him the attention (and favor) of GQ magazine and style.com, where you can view his sartorially intriguing photos of stylish people out and about in chic cities such as New York, Paris, Milan, and Stockholm. I’ve saved many of his chic pics in my lookbook on style.com.
I recently caught up with him for a Q&A via phone to talk fashionable people, chic looks, and stylish cities. Here’s what he had to say:
The Chic Spy: You’ve snapped some of the most stylish people around the globe. What was the most memorable look?
The Sartorialist: For me, the most fun comes from comparing and contrasting the looks and how they reflect the people and the environment. I enjoy photo exhibits — since I take lots of images of different people I can see their similarities and character.
The Chic Spy: You are gearing up for fashion week. Do you attend the shows or do you just snap images of people coming and going?
The Sartorialist: I go to certain shows as well as catch people coming and going.
The Chic Spy: Which shows do you plan on attending?
The Sartorialist: Marc Jacobs, Rodarte, and Proenza Schouler.
The Chic Spy: What is it that you like about photographing everyday people on the street?
The Sartorialist: It’s what I like — fashion, people, photography, and natural light. I’m able to tie my interests into what I shoot.
The Chic Spy: You capture some truly stylish people. What draws you to a particular look or person?
The Sartorialist: I shoot on instinct … I just shot a girl a few minutes ago in a beautiful print dress coming out of a Mac store. The dress looked expensive but she told me she bought it for $20 at a flea market … [When looking for clothes] be honest with yourself, if it is not proportionate or cut right it will not look good, whether you pay $20 or $4,000, it needs to fit correctly. [Read more about the dress here]
The Chic Spy: What style tip do you have for looking chic?
The Sartorialist: When you buy something get it altered to fit correctly. Most women will just buy something like jeans and say they don’t fit, unlike guys who are use to getting things altered and fitted.
The Chic Spy: What trend would you like to see go away?
The Sartorialist: I don’t think about that. Since I am not a reporter, I only shoot what I like.
The Chic Spy: Which city seems to have the most stylish people?
The Sartorialist: Style per capita it is Milan — it’s a smaller, design conscious city and many people are in design-related jobs. Stockholm too — everybody dresses nicely and there are fewer looks or trends.
The Chic Spy: What type of camera do you use?
The Sartorialist: I use a Canon EOS 5D.
The Chic Spy: Do you always have it with you, ready to snap a chic passerby?
The Sartorialist: Not always. Sometimes I will have it with me, but I will do it when I’m ready or in the mood. For me it is artistic and I try to capture the romantic idea of how I saw the setting.
Look for The Sartorialist’s images during fashion week at thesartorialist.com and style.com.
Chicly Yours,
The Chic Spy
