designers: portraits by aaron lee fineman

(photos via aaron lee fineman)

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aaron lee fineman is a freelance professional photographer based in new york city. a graduate of NYU's tisch school of the arts, aaron's portfolio includes work for a long and impressive list of esteemed publications and major corporations, including but not limited to the new york times, forbes, newsweek, times, mother jones, coke, and IBM. aaron and his wife nicole (also a photographer and illustrator) are good friends of the husband and i...we met them during our time living in nyc in the mid-2000's.
over the past several years, aaron was working on an environmental portrait project featuring designers in their workspaces. a few of the portraits for said project are shown above (top to bottom): kayte terry, whitney mero, and linda permann. see the rest of aaron's designer portraits here.
a while back, i briefly interviewed aaron, asking about what inspired him to do this designer portrait series, how it came together, and so forth. some of the discussion we had about photography and this particular project is excerpted below.

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me: what was the inspiration for the [designer portraits] project?
aaron: a few things...i was sick of the lack of choices for [interesting] menswear options in "regular" stores, another was going to markets like the market and the edge (in NYC) and seeing all the amazing designs there. i wanted to show people that they can get great clothes and other goods without shopping at the mega marts. they can instead support small designers and in doing that, they can look great and avoid looking like anyone else in the process.
me: how did the project get started?
aaron: i found most of the designers through you and mia kim [a fashion designer friend of aaron's who sold her work at edge NYC, a designer's market/store located on bleeker street]. i also sourced some of the designers via the internet.
me: is the project completed, or do you plan to add to it over time?
aaron: the project is mostly completed...but if i can think of some way to expand on the designers project then i would really like to. if i could find a real cohesive group of designers...and not have to pay $ out of my pocket for travel to do the photos then i would like to expand on the project. possibly with video interviews and footage of them working.
me: what do you like about photographing people and their work? what do you find fascinating or interesting about these people you have shot?
aaron: i am facinated by photogrpahing humans in their own element. i did journalistic work for many years but now i think that environmental portraits are a great way of getting a larger story [within the confines of] photograph. but again, essentially...i am just curious about people. one thing that always bothered me about a lot of portrait photos is when they put people up against a studio wall and you miss out on the environment. the environment can say so much about a person.

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you can explore more of aaron lee fineman's work on his website, www.aaronleefineman.com.
thanks aaron!

harputs market: over(alls)

(images via harputs market)

these surprisingly sophisticated overalls are from san francisco's own harputs market, purveyors of their own small collection of clothing (to which said overalls belong) and avant guarde labels like maison martin margiela and pleasure principle.
i have a secret obsession with workwear...denim, denim jackets, jumpsuits, overalls, and the like. things that are sturdy, stiff, things that have intention and use, even if they aren't used as intended and are merely worn for the purposes of satisfying and answering the call of one's aesthetic whims. i like said workwear in all colors, textures, and interpretations. which explains why i love this...
now, if only those overalls above came in denim...(har.)
p.s. i found out about the shop via garbage dress, the intriguing blog of an intriguing gal, zana, who works there. i am delighting in her obsessions and insights and doings...though the life she stylishly leads and the objects over which she obsesses are not anything like my own. which makes her and all of it all the more interesting to me. anyone else like this? inspired and moved by those NOT like you, not just those like you?

(not so) random links

-the big question this week: do you think the current economic crisis will encourage creativity, or stifle creativity?

who's creativity will be stifled, if at all? if so, how? who will be inspired to be more creative?

this question was sparked by a.), this quote from mary quaint, in an article about her that was recently published in the telegraph:

"the energy comes when you need it. i think out of this recession we'll get enormous energy and a lot of new ideas. you create things when you're deprived of them – that's what i did. there will be all sorts of new and exciting things which will grow out of this time now."

b.) the news that many fashion companies are shuttering or perhaps just scaling back due to rising costs and lowered profits in recent months.

it seems to me that...in a time of economic uncertainty, corporations who produce clothing and the retail establishments that sell them would choose to take fewer risks with the styles they deign to offer, instead choosing to lean upon items that they believe will sell (i.e., more classic or plain styles that might perhaps appeal to the masses). also, if a company with innovative ideas was trying to get off the ground these days, i'm guessing they would be harder pressed to find backing or credit with which to start said company. even more so, if the products they were choosing to sell were on the more avant-guarde side of things, fashion-wise.

on a mass level, on a big scale, i'd wager, creativity might be stifled, some.

or maybe not? maybe bigger makers will continue to make innovative product, in hopes of luring people back to stores, back to buying?

so who are the ones getting creative when the economy stinks? i'd guess it's the people out there who enjoy fashion, who crave novelty. if they can't find innovative products they desire in the marketplace, they will be the ones creating the innovative products they want to see, on a personal or small-production level (think: etsy, or perhaps small boutiques).

what say ye? feel free to disagree! what do you think is going to happen in the coming months, and years, with regard to a not-so-good economic environment and the world of fashion? will we be even more pressed to make it all ourselves? will fashion innovation become a grass roots endeavor?

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sort of related to the above, actually!:

-remember the discussion a few (not so) random links posts back where i was wondering if craft/DIY sales would go up in response to this shaky economic climate we're currently "enjoying"? seems they have! see this recent article in the new york times: for craft sales, the recession is a help...

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but of course! the quick and dirty!:

-fabulously intelligent discourse at the crossroads of "fat" and fashion happens over at fatshionista...i just recently started reading (i know, i know, it's been around for a while).

-the rumors are confirmed, the sart has a book deal.

-always mod is having a BIG, HUGE, GIGANTIC sale on some select marimekko stuffs. go, go, go! (my god, i love marimekko. you?)

-whip up recently posted about “'Stickkontact' – a Swedish hard core guerrilla knitting project". said project intriguing and artful (to me anyway). reminds me of knitta please. if nothing else, i'd argue that it's way(!!) better looking than those unreadable, unsightly "tags" thrown up on every non-moving surface in any urban area worldwide...

-this free classic cables scarf knitting pattern from lion brand is quite lovely, and yes, classic. want to make it look a little less classic, but still classy? do it up in a firey bright hue like hot, hot pink or perhaps electric neon blue. would be just as fine for the ladies as the men, methinks.

-nylon magazine (in conjunction with urban outfitters) is giving away free subscriptions at the momento. signing up for such might get you on a myriad of annoying marketing lists (that will likely shower you with their materials), but hey, free magazine?!

-these reconstructed sweaters made of sweaters by outsa pop are AMAZING. i am desperately pining for a tutorial on how to replicate such. please, outi, indulge us, we implore you!

-not strictly fashion-related but i can't stop myself from mentioning: orla kiely is doing a line of homegoods for target (via sf girl by bay). uh, HELLO, OMG, i'm in love with all of it already!! sign me up!

-the interesting origins of 5 famous hairdos, including the mohawk and mullets (via mental_floss). (as an aside: anyone but me remember the beastie boys magazine grand royal and the issue with the multi-page spread all about mullets?? so, so good, and so, so burned into my memory. awesome.)