Isn’t it funny how the more something becomes a trend the more you look for inspiration somewhere else? At least this is what happens to me. I am a devotee to simplicity and minimalism when it comes to my personal style, but I’m not exactly enthusiastic when I see this theme month after month in pictorials. The dream, escapism or newness quality of fashion photography is more and more rare. Fashion editors and photographers used to strive to bring something new to the pages of their magazines every single issue. It was a must. Not anymore. So few fashion publications have an identity today.
I want stories that enrich my mind and eyes. Let’s take the wild west for example. The amazingly beautiful ethnic motifs and cultural diversity of the Native Americans, their intricate textile arts, turquoise and shell jewellery, the earthy colours of the deserts and prairies, the great outdoors and the free spirit that comes along, bolo ties and beat-up cowboy hats, concho belts and fringed jackets, patchwork woven blankets, the cowboy’s weathered lifestyle, the wild nature and untamed horses, the land of farms and the simple life… Authenticity. I’d like editors to be more fashion visionaries and less stylists.
photos: 1,4: Kayt Jones for i-D Magazine Summer 2012 | Arizona Muse in “The Free Spirit” styled by Havana Laffitte / 2-Bruce Weber for Ralph Lauren ad campaign 1988 | Isabelle Townsend (photographed by me from the book Ralph Lauren) / 3,6-Jaclyn Adams for Plaza Kvinna | “Desperado” editorial styled by Charlotta Rodarp Berggren / 5-Bruce Weber for Ralph Lauren ad campaign 1989 | Isabelle Townsend (photographed by me from the book Ralph Lauren)
It’s a theme I gravitate towards too but didn’t even know until I read this. It’s the raw, earthy elements that I think highlight the fashion by providing a stark contrast. And well, I have always been a sucker for a bit of boho.
these are really fantastic. this is one genre in the americas that i really love – not necessarily in a john wayne way, and definitely not in a cowboy *vs.* indians way. but there is just something about the old west that i really love. and i love seeing it depicted and revitalized. i think it has something to do with our history here – people came, they conquered, it was all pretty terrible. but then there were the cowboys and settlers who tried to truly live off the land and make it, many working and learning from native indians. so to me it really does represent independence and drive.
I love that you draw inspiration from all over – even if isn’t immediately visible in your personal aesthetic. And this first image is definitely a beautiful one!
NEWSLETTER