The well known and highly respected fashion photographer and blogger known to readers as "The Sartorialist" recently photographed a homeless man in New York City. The picture is a departure from his usual subjects: models, the elite of the fashion industry, wealthy well dressed Italian business men. The subject is dressed in multiple layers of tattered, mismatched clothing.
I don't believe the Sartorialist's motive in capturing this man on camera was to wrench the hearts of his readers. Rather, he is visually pointing out the inspiration behind many of the looks he has recently shot. As we discussed in class, recent fashion trends have leaned significantly towards the casual end of the dress spectrum - ripped jeans, torn and dirty t-shirts occupy store windows from Soho to Midtown to the Upper East Side. Fashion houses are drawing their inspiration from the demographic for which high fashion is unattainable - the desperately poor. The appeal of such ragged clothing to the wealthiest, most influential people in the world is a testament to the power of advertising and PR on the part of the world's most famous fashion houses.
On a separate fashion blog, which focuses on shooting models and TV personalities in New York City, the influence of the cities poorest residents is exemplified. Models and many personalities are the vehicle through which designers communicate and display their latest designs; they are essentially walking advertisements. Below is a picture of MTV show host Alexa Chung in a pair of tattered denim cut-offs, reminiscent of those worn by the homeless man in the picture above:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2467/3939607092_9cc1d0df6d_b.jpg
and on models:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2592/3911769386_28e487e628_b.jpg
I wonder if in our current times of economic struggle whether this look will become even more popular, or whether it will become taboo. Are designers capitalizing on economic tragedy and despair by charging an arm and a leg for clothing inspired by people who don't have a cent to their name?
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