Meeting the Sartorialist
What fash-ionista doesn’t know The Sartorialist? This wildly popular blog follows photographer Scott Schuman as he hops around different countries and captures amazing street style. His blog reminds us that despite the proliferation of couture fashion shows and magazine spreads, the most fascinating styles can be found on the streets. His talented eye spots total looks down to little details, and his gorgeous photos are pored over and discussed by fashion blog hoppers all over the world. His subjects range from distinguished men in neatly pressed suits to young ladies in ripped jeans and killer heels, from famous fashion personalities to anonymous characters with a fierce sense of style, from New Yorkers to Parisians. All of their distinct looks elicit different comments from readers.
His latest endeavor is compiling some of his favorite looks into a small paperback coffee table book. (A limited-edition hardbound copy is available as well.) The book is filled with striking photographs of Scott’s fashion forward subjects, and, save for a few images peppered with a little text, the pictures are unaccompanied by names. Just like Scott’s blog, you won’t focus on the person’s status in the fashion world but on his or her personal style. Of course, you’ll still recognize icons like rapper (and serial interrupter) Kanye West, Paris Vogue editor-in-chief Carine Roitfeld, renowned designer Carolina Herrera, and fellow street style blogger Garance Dore, who happens to be Scott’s girlfriend. But for practically all of the photographs, that person is what he or she is wearing.
When I heard that his book signing would coincide with my trip to New York, I made sure to bring my copy of the book. Aside from being one of the world’s fashion capitals, New York is one of the cities that Scott often snaps pictures in. I figured a lot of his fans were based there and would hurry on over to Barney’s to meet this phenomenal tastemaker. I found myself in Barney’s one full hour before the book signing was supposed to start. As soon as I stepped into the men’s section on the third floor, I knew I was in the right place. Right in the middle was Scott’s pop-up shop called The SartoriaLUST, a small collection of items handpicked by Scott that make up a Sartorialist look, from designer brands such as Dries Van Noten and Marc Jacobs, to smaller ones like Duckie Brown and Fairfax. As Scott said on his blog, “It has everything a Sartorialist would lust for... a specially curated mix of clothes and accessories pulled from the entire men’s store at Barneys New York.” All the items were arranged tastefully and beautifully, and I’m sure the blog’s male fans would jump at a chance to own a piece selected by Scott himself.
The area was pretty much empty except for some people setting up the place. (I guess that’s why the words “fashionably” and “late” go together.) As I awkwardly waited around the room, I spotted a familiar-looking man (in a very Sartorialist-looking suit) and I realized that he was one of the Sartorialists featured in the book. I flipped my book open — yes, I had gone through it several times that I knew where to find his picture — and confirmed that he, indeed, was Lino, one of Scott’s favorite subjects. I shyly asked him to sign my copy, and he turned to his companion with a quizzical look. Apparently, he only spoke Italian, but when his friend translated my request, he smiled ruefully and nodded. As I slowly spelled it out my name, he dutifully and carefully wrote down “MOMAIQI” and cheerfully handed me back my book. Oh, well. Maybe my high fashion alter ego’s name is Momaiqi.
Thankfully, a while later, a couple of people trickled in, clutching their copies and looking as wide-eyed as I probably did. Wordlessly, we all starting clumping together and eventually formed a line. Even though I was the first one there, I ended up second in line. I got to talking to a couple of the people, and we swapped stories about how we found about the blog and our favorite snapshots. The line grew and the crowd thickened, with more fashionistas and Sartorialists in the flesh. We got offered champagne and little hors d’oeuvres, which made us feel less like fan girls and fan boys and more like, ahem, fashion enthusiasts.
Scott took his seat at around 5 p.m. (on time! I love it) and Elizabeth, who was officially first in line, went off to get her book signed. While waiting I met and chatted up Scott’s pretty sister. (I thought she was one of the girls from the book and was going to ask for her autograph, but anyway...) Then, it was finally my turn. “Hi!” I chirped as I handed him my book. “It’s nice to meet you! I’m a big fan.”
“Thank you!” he said, adjusting his glasses.
“I’m from the Philippines,” I said.
He looked up and grinned. “Really? Wow!” He turned to Timothy, his publicist. (Yes, I had been there so early that his publicist half curiously and half suspiciously introduced himself to me.) “We should put a map here and pinpoint the farthest distance that people have traveled!”
“Yes, it’s very far,” I assented. “I just arrived today! I’m jetlagged! I’m sorta tired!” And I’m blabbering, I thought. “Can you put there that I’m the second in line?” I added quickly before putting an imaginary clamp on my effusiveness.
He gave me a bemused smile and started scribbling, and before I could ask him one of the many questions I had, Simon Doonan, the creative director of Barney’s and author of Eccentric Glamour stepped up beside Scott and started congratulating him. “Wow, so this is it!” exclaimed Simon, flipping through one of the books on display. Photographers gathered around and started taking pictures of the scene unfolding in front of me. (Later, I’d find the photographs of this moment in Scott’s blog and other fashion sites.) I realized it was a pretty major moment, and I couldn’t believe I was standing right there as two international stylemakers were exchanging pleasantries. I was happily processing this in my mind when Scott handed me back my book and I gleefully said, “Thank you!” Crap. I hadn’t gotten to ask him any questions! I still shuffled away happily anyway. Even if I hadn’t been able to interview Scott on what stops him on the street, The Sartorialist is about finding what inspires you about these images. What do you find chic, confusing, beautiful, boring, avant-garde, or glamorous about these people? No hot-or-not lists, no trend reports: just styles and your say. This is how you — all of us, really — eventually form your individual sartorial style. The Sartorialist isn’t just Scott, but you.
