Screen shot of Fashion156.com courtesy of Fashion156.com. Photography: Fabrice Lachant | Styling and creative direction: Guy Hipwell | Hair & Makeup: Verity Cumming, Teola Wittorff-Lecoq | Models: James Cooper, Marc Massa at Premier| Fashion assistants: Tom Bloomfield, Anna Tatton | Shot on location at the Biscuit-Factory with thanks to Barbara Acheampong
As an avid enthusiast of the digital fashion sites like Fashion156.com as founded by Guy Hipwell has become an important tool.
The online magazine which gives a visual voice to emerging talent, has shaped the way we look at digital fashion.
It was an honor to speak to Founding Editor and Creative Director Hipwell about his online platform, his thoughts on the evolution of blogging, enthusiasm for emerging talent etc.
1. Guy thank you for saying yes to this interview! I am a fan of your work and the voice that Fashion156.com gives emerging talent.What propelled you in 2006 to launch the online magazine platform?
As a freelance stylist I kept seeing all these great new designers breaking through in London. Even some of the more directional magazines I worked for still insisted on inclusion of a list of advertisers in stories -which is understandable – but sometimes they just did not fit the style of the shoot at all. So really Fashion156 came about due to this frustration – I wanted to create a magazine and just be able to place a brand new graduate on the front cover and mix in emerging labels into my shoots.
2. You have been fundamental in the digital fashion. What is it about online fashion that inspires you?
What is exciting is the immediacy. I can see a show or collection and post something about it straight away and within seconds send this information around the world. Moving image and film really inspire my work so it is also great to shoot footage of our editorials and see the clothing moving and coming to life.
Photography: Fabrice Lachant | Styling and creative direction: Guy Hipwell | Hair & Makeup: Verity Cumming, Teola Wittorff-Lecoq | Models: James Cooper, Marc Massa at Premier| Fashion assistants: Tom Bloomfield, Anna Tatton | Shot on location at the Biscuit-Factory with thanks to Barbara Acheampong
3. What are your thoughts on blogs and how do you see them evolving? Which do you read if any?
To be honest I really believe a slight backlash is starting against blogs – in my opinion there are too many and the standard can be variable. The last year or so I have severely cut back on the blogs I read, as many are just churning out the same press releases sent by the PR’s. Some of my favourites seem to have just ‘sold out’ too much and in their quest to monetize have lost the independent voice that made them interesting in the first place. I have always been into film and prefer to watch clips on YouTube for research (shooting a Northern Soul dancing story next week, so doing loads towards that) and look at lots of business sites and slightly more random sources such as News Scientist
It would be great though if some of the newer bloggers trying to break through were given a chance, as rather bored seeing the same individuals mentioned continually. You would think there were only 5 or 6 great blogs around to listen to some commentators.
4. You have obvious love for the emerging talent. How can you tell who will last the long haul and who do you find exciting right now.
What is so impressive is the quality of the collections some of the new designers are producing. A few years back graduate pieces would literally fall to pieces as soon as you put them on a model to shoot, but things are changing, designers have realized to be taken seriously they need to up their game. These are the individuals I admire the most and try to pick out and support – they have a real chance of being successful. There are so many designers I work closely with but a few stands out are Agi & Sam, Shaun Sampson, recent CSM graduate Anabel Luton and many of the designers I curated recently for the Vauxhall Fashion Scout Graduate Showcase.
5. The pace of fashion seems to get faster with each passing day. How is digital fashion and the role of social media influencing this?
With site such as NowFashion uploading runway images in real time I think the pace is now too fast. Even though I am an online editor I do feel the industry needs to rethink, and make some changes. Consumers are seeing runway shots and want to buy the pieces straight away, it will just need some really big players to decide to change things and then the rest will follow. One thing I would love to see banned are those awfully blurred/out of focus phone shots you see posted on Twitter – if I was a designer would certainly not want that to be the first image people see after 6 months of my hard work.
Photography: Fabrice Lachant | Styling and creative direction: Guy Hipwell | Hair & Makeup: Verity Cumming, Teola Wittorff-Lecoq | Models: James Cooper, Marc Massa at Premier| Fashion assistants: Tom Bloomfield, Anna Tatton | Shot on location at the Biscuit-Factory with thanks to Barbara Acheampong
6. Your current Fashion156.com issue is dedicated to head-wear. If the catwalk is anything to go by it would appear that head-wear seems to be having a moment. Why was it important to explore this?
I have always loved to use hats and headpieces in my shoots and like how they totally transform a look. For SS12 there is also this whole move towards facial concealment with fascinates me as it is the total opposite to celebrity ‘look at me, look at me’ culture. I believe people are feeling over exposed – everything we do now seems to be documented and uploaded to Facebook, and so hats, veils, statement sunglasses can just act as a barrier and allow people to keep something in reserve.
7. What is your favourite or editorial from the The Headwear Issue?
I really enjoyed using the fresh floral garlands for our Cardboard Box editor (it rained continually on the shoot day, so the box acted as a massive umbrella like shield) and the amazing hat dresses by Paul Stafford
8. Fashion156.com is seemingly a beautiful conversational-curation of the fashion of our times. Is this intentional?
‘Conversational’ is a word I use a lot actually as that is the way I ask our writers to communicate via our daily blog. Even though I am bit crazy about fashion – at the end of the day it is just a few frocks; we are not saving lives, so I try to ensure we keep a level of realism in the tone of our articles and mix in vintage and high street pieces. Fashion156 is all about images though; that has always inspired me the most and so I dedicate a huge amount of time to our shoots and try to incorporate the latest influences I have seen on the street and at the shows.
9. How vital is for fashion to be a dialogue?
To me it is vital. Unless you engage your audience and give them the opportunity to comment and offers opinions on your work there is no point being online.
10. In an ever-evolving industry, where do you think your platform will be in five years?
We are looking for more global contributors as I worry Fashion156 can be too London-centric at times. I know about London but would love to investigate more about say what is going on in China or Brazil. We have just started interviewing bloggers from around the world to get an idea of what is emerging for them locally, so hopefully this will broaden our appeal. For the future – a dream would be to produce a bi-annual print issue perhaps and even a book of our editorials on really amazing quality paper.
Many kind thanks to Fashion156 Founding Editor and Creative Director Guy Hipwell for this wonderful interview. His insightful answers inspire.
Please visit the Fashion156 site here.
More in this segment here.
