The Sartorialist Interview

As promised, here’s the extracts from the interview in Canadian paper Metro, along with a few of my favourite shots from The Sartorialist site.

When did you first develop an eye for fashion?
Reading Sports Illustrated [magazine]. I used to play football, baseball, wrestling and basketball. I’d read the articles about the athletes I liked and notice the things they talked about: the clothing, cars, stereos. I eventually became more interested in the clothes than anything else. And as I got older, I began noticing that my clothes helped me pick up more girls than the sports I played.

When you’re walking the streets, what sparks your ­interest?
Many think that they have to shoot the boldest, biggest, most dramatic looking person. I took tailoring in college, so I look for details that are a million times more subtle and real-life-like. Instead of shooting a Harajuku girl, I’ll take a guy in a great suit and say, “Look at that lapel,” or “Look at that pocket square and scarf.”

Of the cities you’ve shot in, which have been the most fruitful?
I love shooting in Milan. But I’ve been getting a lot of great shots in Paris and Stockholm. I go to Russia and to Rio in November. I love looking back at the similarities and differences between the cities.

Are there any trends that you’ve seen on the runway that don’t translate well to the street?
There’s a huge disconnect between what you see on the runway and what people are wearing on the street. In some ways, it seems like the people who are in fashion are out of fashion.

Scott Schuman on…
… his own style: “My personal style is a mix of old school Italian with a kind of American sporti­ness and a bit of Jil Sander and Dries van Noten mixed in. I like shopping in places that are classic.”
… black: “A lot of times all black can be uninspiring. It’s harder to use all of the elements of design – color, pattern, texture and detail.”
… what he loves: “I love it when things are slightly off. Imperfection is more interesting.”

* Source The Sartorialist