Trends in Contemporary Fashion Photography

Trends in Contemporary Fashion Photography Doina Tatu

Milan, 2012

Tattoo Culture If back in the ’90s the God like physiques could assure the place for a model in the fashion industry, nowadays the most important is the criteria that make him or her unique. Tattoos are one of the characteristics that can separate a successful model from an average one. Models like Rick Genest (known also as Zombie Boy) or Dario Tozzi that have their whole body (including their faces) covered in ink are really wanted for edgier photo shootings right now. Mariano Vivanco, Ryan McGinley, John Agcaoili, Aline & Jacqueline Tappia, Mary Kuzmenkova,Hedi Slimane, Easton Schirra and Chelsea Vance are just a few names of the photographers that are deeping in the “tattoo culture” trend. If in the past tattoos were mainly a badge of belonging and were generally the preserve of armed forces personnel, bikers and tribes, after shows like “Miami Ink” and “LA ink” people started to indulge more in the getting inked trend, so you can see more and more people on the streets with tattoos. Even though there are still some taboos surrounding tattooing, the art is increasing its popularity in many parts of the World. Of course the obsession went into magazines as well. People nowadays want to see originality, they are not attracted to normality anymore. The crazier – the better! Uniqueness sells a lot and tattoos can guarantee that this is delivered. Tattoos have left the underground and became mainstream and a easy way to make a fashion statement.

Aline & Jacqueline Tappia

Mary Kuzmenkova

Ryan McGinley

Mariano Vivanco

Easton Schirra and Chelsea Vance

Hedi Slimane

John Agcaoili

Ryan McGinley

Mariano Vivanco

Eating Habits Fashion was always linked to anorexia given the skinny look of the models from the catwalks. After entering the era of eating habits disorders, many blamed on the image of the perfect women which is really thin created by the fashion industry, the public started a war against this perfect dimensions-ill looking figure. The big names in fashion realized that is good for them to get on the people’s side, so plus size models and photo shootings in which the models are eating high calories foods started to appear. Photographers like Terry Richardson, Juergen Teller, Sally Parker, Amber Gray, Jean-Baptiste Fort, Shannon Skloss and Steven Klein (among others) adopted this trend. In the pictures resulted after filtered on the “eating habits” trend you can actually see the satisfaction on the models’ faces while they are eating foods like spaghetti, ham, steak, pizza and other fattening dishes.

Terry Richardson Jean-Baptiste Fort

Steven Klein

Sally Parker

Amber Gray

Terry Richardson

Shannon Skloss

Juergen Teller

Dark Fairytale Giving that all of us grew up reading fairytales and dreaming of a fairytale-like life, the desire of “happily ever after” was translated in the fashion language into lavish gowns and captivating jewelry. When mixed with the edgier approach of some photographers like Annie Leibowitz, Amber Gray, Mario Sorrenti, Larissa Kulik, Irina Istratova, Eugenio Recuenco, Mario Parsotto, Mert & Marcus, Natalie Shau , Bruno Vilela and Anna Dobos, the fairytales become dark. The colors are dark but powerful calling you in this mysterious world. The feelings that this images express are very strong, transposing you into a world of a fairytale full of evil characters. The expressions on the models’ faces make them seem malefic. The location is usually an open space, most likely forests that intensify the shadowy look of the story. The use of blood is also a key element sometimes.

Annie Leibovitz

Amber Gray

Mario Sorrenti

Larissa Kulik

Irina Istratova

Eugenio Recuenco

Mario Parsotto

Mert & Marcus

Bruno Vilela

Natalie Shau

Anna Dobos

Bad Boy Attitude The rebellious look was always captivating, in real life and in fashion also. The “bad” attitude all the time held an attractiveness to people. The “bad boy attitude” is achieved by mixing the biker look with leather, tattoos and metal accessories. The models are typically worked up boys with God-like looks, revealing the upper part of their bodies. Contemporary fashion photographers that approached the “bad boy attitude” trend are Steven Klein, Nick Knight, Dan Martensen, Mariano Vivanco, Michal Kar & Maciej Piorko, Zed Daemen, Zachary Handley-Garben and Matthias Vriens-McGrath.

Dan Martensen

Steven Klein

Nick Knight

MATTHIAS VRIENS-MCGRATH

Mariano Vivanco

Steven Klein

Michal Kar and Maciej Piorko

Matthias V. McGrath

Michal Kar and Maciej Piorko

Zed Daemen

Zachary HandleyGarben