Chris Fenimore - Street Style

SNYLIFE

I know you do a lot of fashion and street photography – How did you get into it?

In high school, I used to sit on Tumblr and scroll through the menswear tag. I thought all of the content was really refreshing, and I wanted to dress like a lot of the dudes I saw. A kid at my school was selling a not-so-great DSLR around the time of my birthday, so I asked my parents for some money to purchase it and begin bringing it with me every I went. Shooting on the street adds so many variables, from ever-changing lighting to quickly moving subjects, so the more you shoot on the street, the better you get. My first step from hobby to occupation came when I was 21. I shot street style for my blog outside of a tradeshow called Capsule and I happened to photograph, and subsequently meet, Lawrence Schlossman who was heading up Four-Pins, a new menswear focused venture from Complex. He liked my photographs and asked if I’d shoot street style for the site. From there, my network grew as I kept photographing people on the street and making more friends in the industry.

 

"Style also requires confidence"

Who is the ultimate person from history you would like to photograph and why?

I’ve never been asked this question; it’s a good one. The more I think about it, the more my answer changes so I’ll go with what’s most recently on my mind: Jimi Hendrix. When shooting someone new, I start by breaking the ice and I find one’s ability to have a meaningful conversation is extremely important for finding the best results. Stating the obvious here but to pick Jimi Hendrix’s brain about his personal life and guitar playing. He created a new musical language with the electric guitar; one that is still not quite replicable and probably never will be. To capture someone so special and truly unique would be beyond an honor.

 

Who is your style icon and why? 

I don’t think I have any specific style icons, but I’ve drawn inspiration from a number of sources: brands like Visvim and Jil Sander, friends of mine like Justin Dean and Cam Hicks. Style should be constantly evolving, but rooted in the same foundations you began forming your style appreciation with. People with the best style don’t hold it hostage to trends and group-think. I try to evaluate each potential purchase for a good amount of time before buying; anywhere from a month to half a year. Ask yourself if you’d wear a piece you have your eye on five years from now, or if it feels time-stamped by what’s currently en vogue. Style also requires confidence, and if your clothes wear you, it is rather apparent.

"SNY is my go to deo, it gets a lot of use" 

 

Have you seen health and wellness and men’s grooming shift in the past few years?

Wellness seems to be a buzzword, but it’s a buzzword I can get behind. A lot of brands, in fashion and more adjacently in the activewear space, are seeking to seamlessly bind the facets of a healthy lifestyle together. You see Prada making reusable water bottles, and brands like Asics working with avante-garde designers like Kiko Kostadinov. As for men’s grooming, it’s following suit with this wellness craze. Men are growing more beards and longer hair, but the nonchalance is calculated. Haircuts and barber relationships are as important as they’ve ever been. Manufactured scents take cues and inspiration from those occurring naturally, perhaps in a forest or on a beach. They’re less refined than what we’ve come to think of as cologne. The same goes from hair products. One would rather use a sea-salt spray than thick pomade. Everything is moving toward ease and naturality.

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