yesterday i was watching this video, when Scott Schuman cites one of his inspirations - early “street-style” photographer Jacques-Henri Lartigue – and goes on to talk about his thoughts on street style being a form of social documentation. I laugh-snorted, finished the video, ate a cookie, and then got to thinking…
who is this man Laturge and what exactly did he photograph? was it even relevant at the time? did other fashionable women look at the black and white image of one-piece, halter-top swimsuit and think, navy blue is SO 1922? i ate another cookie and googled the idea.
what I came up with is a series of lovely images from Paris in the 1910’s, 20’s and 30’s. as he photographed from age 8 on, you can almost see Lartigue maturing in his high-end, luxurious world, from a privileged boy photographing amusing and cheeky jumping and flying images, to a man inspired by seductively stylish models and Parisian women. It was his world and he documented it with a sense of freedom and abandonment.
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| Bichonnade 40 rue Cortambert Paris 1905 |
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| Drag-racing Day at the Auteuil races, Paris, 1911 |
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| Zissou, Rouzat, 1911 |
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| Ave du Bois de Boulogne, Paris, 1911 |
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| Untitled, Dancers, Untitled |
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| Renee Perlee 1930-1932 (1 & 2), Bibi 1930 |
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| Another of his muse, Renee Perle, 1930-1932 |
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| Chou Valton a la plage de la Garoupe Cap dAntibes, 1932 and Flourette Monte Carlo Beach |
turns out nobody really saw Lartigue's photographs of these women during that time, and it wasn’t until later that he was celebrated. it makes sense really, how The Sartorialist would identify with Laurtigue, who has been called an “ultimate amateur.” Schuman shoots the middle to upper-classes of New York City and Europe, drifting towards the model physique and everyday glamour.
But is it a true social documentation?
maybe. maybe not. only time will what the blogosphere saturated with “what I wore today” sites and photos of girls in jean cut-off brings to the future of fashion.
back to my cookies.
keeses,
yaya
all photos are from here.
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