september 07 vogue

Grace Coddington

Brassai

papier mâché

Identity

We are always looking for something, to do or to be, in other words, to belong. I always wondered why I was so fascinated by “stylish” people, some people, forces of nature, strong tempers, and unique personalities. I realised that what they have and what appeals to me is their identity. Very young already I looked up to people who seemed to be a sole entity. They knew what they wanted and above all they had a unique style. My dance teacher was one of my first sources of inspiration. It is not what clothes she was wearing but how and what they represented. They represented elegance, passion and freedom, basically her. I am always looking for the perfect balance, the perfect harmony or the perfect beauty in people, by that I mean authenticity. When I see a “well dressed” man or woman, I do not think wow they are wearing the latest trend and their outfit match perfectly but I think how impressive and how powerful they look because they seem to have found themselves. We are always looking for something, our self, our soul and that is what fashion is all about… IDENTITY

That is why I love the work of photographers like Garance Dore and Scott Schumann because they photograph people, not people as a whole, but people as unique entities. What they capture is to me the essence of life or its appearances. Everything means nothing in this world except what one does of it and how one makes it his own. My own is there throughout those pictures!