The Interconnectedness of Creative Design, Journalism and Photography in Fashion

Having the ability to succeed as a fashion designer requires possessing a multitude of skills that transcend the current time period. Those who leave a mark on the industry know how to build a portfolio of skills transferable across numerous jobs. A few designers, in particular, have honed their skills in areas of creative design, journalism, and photography, taking what they have learned and finding success in several professions. 

Hedi Slimane first stepped foot in the fashion industry in the 90s as a marketing assistant at Yves Saint Laurent. A few years later, he was promoted to director of the ready-to-wear men’s collection at YSL shortly before his departure in 2000. Slimane worked on publishing his own photography book during 2000-2002, titled Berlin. At the same time, he was appointed as creative director of Dior Homme, where his style became analogous with silhouette designs, going on to win the CFDA International Designer Award. 2007 was the year Slimane left Dior to focus on his photography, a skill he has been mastering since the age of 11. In an interview with the NY Times, Slimane noted that sincerity and authenticity are traits that permeate the boundaries of fashion and photography. His shooting style is best placed somewhere between Peter Lindberg and Richard Avedon. He possesses a certain charisma far, and few between that found in other public figures. His dedication to his work and drive to push the limits of fashion are what have propelled him through his long-standing career as both a successful designer and photographer.

After shooting the 2009 Spring/Summer campaign for Lane Crawford, a well-known department store chain based in Hong Kong, Tommy Ton became one of the most notable Canadian street style photographers. In 2005, Ton created his own street style blog, Jak and Jil, which built up his credibility and made his name recognizable among the fashion elite. He sat front row at Dolce & Gabbana in 2009, solidifying his presence in the industry. Ton was given the role of creative director of the label Devaux in 2017, a first for the street style photographer. His success proved how much can be transferred throughout specific jobs in fashion, eventually taking on a womenswear line and showing at New York Fashion Week. Ton balances a unique workload as a main contributor to Vogue Runway and GQ while also finding success in areas of creative design.

The career of Bill Cunningham dates back a bit further than that of Tommy Ton and Hedi Slimane. Nevertheless, he holds immense influence over prestigious street-style photographers today. Cunningham has even been deemed the “first street style photographer” by the Business of Fashion. His contributions to fashion journalism are invaluable, which actually gave him his start in the industry. His passion for writing about street-style looks inspired him to take pictures of the people he was writing about. Cunningham found his big break by publishing his images in the NY Times, specifically Greta Garbo. The ability of Cunningham’s career to stand the test of time is owed to his aptitude to capture the essence of often overlooked moments. He never owned a T.V and would ride around New York on his bike in his blue Moleskin jacket, never to be seen without a camera. His simplistic lifestyle choices have connected him closer to the everyday people he photographs and has arguably been one of the more defining parts of his career. He keeps a large amount of his work hidden away and unpublished, keeping to his personal philosophy that money is the cheapest thing and liberty is the most expensive.