The shows may be in full swing in Milan but I'm still recovering from the mayhem that was London Fashion Week. I've finally gotten round to looking at some street style shots I took around Somerset House over the five days. To be honest, true style seemed a little thin on the ground, with many try-hard bloggers and "fashionistas" doing their best to grab photographers' attentions with weird and not-so-wonderful outfits. Alongside them were the less dramatic, yet unfortunately no-more-stylish followers of fashion who had clearly paid attention to the many guides online of how to get snapped by the street style paparazzi. There was a serious epidemic of girls in vertiginous heels stumbling over the venue's cobblestones, desperately grabbing at jackets "casually" hanging from their shoulders (because putting your arms through your sleeves is so last season don't you know?). It doesn't take much of a guess to link these looks with images of editors who wear similar outfits, yet their looks also include the logic that they have just hopped out of a car, with no chance of them walking too far between shows, coats hardly needed for the brief chill between their chauffeur and their front-row seats. There was also an obvious penchant for floral headpieces and tutus - a little more Halloween fairy than whatever (chicer I'm sure) woman who spawned this trend..
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with flamboyance, nor "planned" outfits, nor an embrace of trends, however, you can tell when style is natural or forced. It's hard to explain, which is one of the essential elements of style - often referred to as that certain "je ne sais quoi", especially apt as the French are a nation that seem to be born with chic running through their veins. I can also understand why photographers choose to photograph extravagant, colourful, over-the-top outfits- because many chic outfits, especially the subtle ones, just don't have much effect in a photo. Although things went too far when I saw girls changing outfits while a photographer rolled about at various angles on the ground while his assistant tested the effects of a reflector - for what will eventually be portrayed as spontaneous shots.
My comment may sound harsh, as perhaps it is, but I never failed to be amazed during those few days at how people fail to grasp the concept of style. I was more amazed still by the looks photographers chose to shoot and my frustration grew and grew at the encouragement these people were receiving. I was unsurprised however, by the lack of London street style snaps by much-admired shutterbugs such as The Sartorialist and Garance Dore - something that confirmed my own view. Nevertheless, the crowd kept me greatly entertained and certainly added to the enjoyment of people watching. Take a look below for some shots of outfits I admired over the week.
