A to Z of Street Style
These days, photographers are just as likely to snap people attending fashion shows as they are to shoot the models on the runway. As the pack travel from city to city, the outfits have been thought out and are always camera ready. We meet the models, influencers, photographers, editors and brands who are changing the street-style game and taking up our Insta feeds.
Compiled by Michelle Duguid
A is for Aimee Song
Korean blogger turned fashion designer Aimee Song started her Song of Style blog back in 2008 and was one of the first to prove that providing social media content could become a full-time job. She has since turned it all into a global brand with a YouTube channel, a fashion brand shopshop.songofstyle.com and two books, the first of which, Capture Your Style, made it to The New York Times’ bestseller list. She reached number 25 on the Forbes list of top internet creators, too.
B is for Billie Bhatia
Billie Bhatia works as a fashion and beauty features director on magazines and has established herself as a brilliant columnist. She instantly understood the mood of the nation when she launched an Instagram account dedicated to the fine chain worn by Connell in the TV adaptation of Normal People. Follow her for an exercise on how to wear her go-to uniform of joyful dresses (she really needs to launch a fashion range) and for witty one-liners that accompany her take on fashion, whilst pushing for inclusivity across the industry.
C is for Copencore
A brilliant fashion week that has branded a trend, Copencore, Copenhagen plays host to the perfect mix of sustainable brands and youthful, playful fashion. Look out for Copenhagen brands Ganni (@ganni), Stine Goya (@stinegoya)and Saks Potts (@sakspotts), along with influencers from the city, Pernille Teisbaek (@PernilleTeisbaek), Josefine HJ (@josefinehj)and Anna Sarlvit (@annasarlvit).
D is for Digital photography
The focus on street style is a relatively recent phenomenon, brought on by the rise of digital photography, the ubiquity of camera phones and a fascination with influencer culture. There used to be 10 photographers outside catwalk shows; now there are hundreds vying for the best picture. Look out for Acielle @styledumonde and @tommyton for chronicles of the street-style circuit.
E is for Emma Fridsell
With a fondness for vintage clothes, Emma is representative of a new generation of Swedes unafraid to brightly stand out amongst the Scandi minimalism. Her bleach blonde buzz cut hair cuts through all the joyful, colourful clothes, adding a touch of the tomboy.
F is for Fashion month
Traditionally, the circuit would be New York, London, Milan and Paris in turn twice a year, but now there are several new fashion capitals that also host their own runway week, including Kiev, Lagos and Seoul. Key viral moments from the S/S 2023 shows saw Kim Kardashian turn designer for Dolce & Gabbana, Linda Evangelista return to the runway, and Coperni made fashion history for spraying a dress in layers of liquid material directly onto a nearly nude Bella Hadid.
G is for Genuinfluence
WGSN coined this new phrase ‘Genuinfluencers’ to describe social media stars who use their voice beyond just product placement. They go above fashion and talk about the environment, racial injustice, mental health and LGBTQ+ rights.
H is for Heels
Gigantic platforms from Valentino, high octane spindly heels from Louboutin, and chunky slanted heels at Prada add to the plainest outfit. Stilettos are embellished with all manner of OTT decoration. Loewe’s shoes have surrealist-inspired shiny balloons acting as heels. Enthusiasm for extra height is the key and look out for the styling trend of matching your shoes to the same-colour hosiery.
I is for Imaginative
The past couple of years have been really difficult so we all need something to smile about. Imaginative, happy fashion ticks the boxes. Could it be our longstanding obsession with wild swimming or the fact that the new Little Mermaid film is about to come out? There was definitely nods to the underwater on the runways regardless, and we love Moschino’s offering for Aerial’s wardrobe.
J is for Jeanne Damas
We love Jeanne’s Parisian style and her feminine and quintessential French brand, Rouje Paris. This brand focuses on the clothes that Jeanne is always photographed in; simple, pretty dresses, sexy denim and very girly underpinnings. @jeannedamas
K is Kenya Hunt
An American based in London, Kenya is editor of British ELLE magazine and author of GIRL. She advocates greater diversity within the fashion industry and last year was recognised by the British Fashion Council for her work and given a Global Leader of Change award. We also love her for her easy, beautiful style and her pride in supporting new talent on and off the page.
L is for Looks
Who wears what look on the front row now plays a huge role in the changing landscape of fashion promotion. According to Vogue Business and influencer intelligence platform Lefty, 1,000 impressions is worth approximately US$15 to a luxury brand in earned media value, so the benefit of dressing the ‘frow’ is massive. It was a real joy to see a line up of influencers all wear beautiful pink looks from the A/W 22 collection by Valentino at its SS23 couture show including Sarah Lysander @sarahlysander who wore Look 2.
M is for Moon Kyu Lee
Moon Kyu is a Korean art director and graphic designer, living in France for 15 years. We love seeing her posts on Insta (@mooncube) with a mash-up of modelling for Chanel, animation for FarFetch and Glossier and art directing for Armani beauty. Her personal style combines Parsian chic with Korean cool.
N is for New Sexy
Want to know what the influencers will be wearing next? We predict it’s all about the new sexy. Practicality has been trashed as a crop of young designers show their take on this chilly trend. Led by designers Nensi Dojaka, Supriya Lele, Ludovic de Saint Sernin and Coperni in Paris, we see chainmail bras, harnesses and cut-out dresses in diaphanous fabrics. The key to unleashing your skin this winter? Invest in an oversized coat or blazerto wear over all the sheer fabric.
O is for Owning it
The gram is full of fashionable Millennials, but style inspiration shows that age is just a number and style is timeless if you own it. Follow these ladies for grown-up style: Grece Ghanem at @greceghanem and Lonneke Nooteboom at @lonnekenooteboom
P is for a very stylish Palestinian-Puerto Rican
Maria Alia Al-Sadek is a creative who models with an emphasis on modest dressing. "The way that I style things and even the way that I shop is influenced by my modesty and my choice to wear the hijab," she said in Emperifolla.
Q is for Quality and Quantity
Thankfully, fashion has started to wake up to the fact that the constant consuming of new clothes is having a terrible effect on the environment. A new wave of influencers recognise second-hand or preloved as a way of being creative. Our favourite is Amy Bannerman @amybannermanstylist who works with Oxfam and eBay to show you how to shop in a clever way. It’s by no means a quick fix, but ethical influencing undoubtedly makes the internet a more conscious place. Here’s hoping it’s a fashion and social media trend that stays.
R is for Rotate Birger Christensen
Influencers Jeanette Madsen (@jeanettemadsen) and Thora Valdimars (@thora_valdimars) are founders of Rotate, bringing joyous statement silhouettes at a mid-range price point. No wonder the label is so successful. From sleek evening separates to wedding guest dresses, its pieces turn heads and are also worn to perfection by the owners.
S is for Susie Bubble
The original London fashion blogger, Lau, also known as Susie Bubble, launched her blog Style Bubble in 2006 as a platform for new fashion talent. She is consistently front row at the shows and known for her maximalist love of fashion. Interested in how fashion connects with the wider world, she’s as happy to discuss politics and racial injustice as she is discussing her favourite designers.
T is for The Satorialist
Blogs like Scott Schuman’s @thesartorialist and Tamu McPherson’s @tamumcpherson All the Pretty Birds, which feature photos of stylish people taken on the streets, started influencing fashion in 2005. They have the ability to spot a trend even before it previews in magazines or on the catwalk.
U is for Up Next Designer
Fashion insiders know that the Insta account @upnextdesigner spotlights new talent and gives them a wide platform. Followed by 224k, its USP is that it is a front-row seat for discovering the newest of names. Founded by Albert Ayal, the platform is now a go-to for celebrity stylists to dress their clients in cutting-edge creations.
V is for Veronika Heilbrunner
Former model and fashion editor Heilbrunner is a veteran of the industry. We love the way she pairs a designer dress with Timberland boots or mashed up trainers. It's about glamorous comfort always and the fact that she wears things time and time again is a sustainable tick.
Wis for Wearability
The hashtag #ParisianStyle has been used 4.5 million times on Instagram and #ootd or “outfit of the day” has clocked up 397 million mentions. This shows how much we all want to know how to wear the trends in an easy, stylish way. Follow these stylish accounts for a lesson in how to wear fashion. Donna Wallace @itsdwallace, Alexis Foreman @alexisforeman and Monikh Dale @monikh
X is for X-Ray lives
Influencers brought fashion to the average person and they started to replace fashion editors in the front rows. We expect the influencer to be our stylish friend–they give us guided tours of their homes, skincare routines played out in front of mirrors and introduce us to new babies. Everything is played out on the gram but is it “real” life or a database of curated, shoppable style?
Y is for Youth Quake
Street fashion or street style wasn’t started by fashion designers but from the street up, from urban centres and associated with youth culture. Street style has now been adopted by major designers as high fashion and Louis Vuitton have collaborated with Supreme, and Gucci with Palace skateboards.
Z is for Zips
Louis Vuitton designer Nicholas Ghesquière played with proportions for S/S 2023 with gigantic industrial size zips and oversize buttons. The product game was strong so look out for the playful perspective when the samples hit the street, as they will be all over the grid.
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