New York street style on display during Fashion Week

"Best way to describe my style: If Lou Reed ever had a daughter, it'd be me."

September 9, 2018, 6:06 PM

New York City is one of the fashion capitals of the world and when it kicks off Fashion Week on Sept. 6 stylists, buyers, fashion enthusiasts and celebrities will be keen to see what has been declared "in style" for the spring and summer seasons.

Off the runway, however, a different story about what is fashionable will be told on the streets of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx where vintage pieces, unique footwear and comfort are highly favoured by people living in the city's boroughs.

PHOTO: Seth Hatch, 24, an actor who works at a thrift shop in Williamsburg, poses for a picture in Brooklyn, New York, Sept. 2, 2018.
Seth Hatch, 24, an actor who works at a thrift shop in Williamsburg, poses for a picture in Brooklyn, New York, Sept. 2, 2018. "I think everyday is an opportunity to walk outside and feel really great about yourself and to express your personality and your vision through what you're wearing," Hatch said. "I love an androgynous look, something that can go across the board," he added. "Most recently I've been embracing a more softer and more feminine side to my fashion."
Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

In Brooklyn, fashion is identity-driven and liberating, says actor Seth Hatch, who works at a Williamsburg thrift shop.

"Most recently I've been embracing a softer, more feminine side to my fashion," said Hatch while sorting a rack of women's dresses.

PHOTO: Nia Indigo, 23, a stylist based in New York, poses for a picture wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton Archlight sneakers in Brooklyn, New York, Sept. 2, 2018.
Nia Indigo, 23, a stylist based in New York, poses for a picture wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton Archlight sneakers in Brooklyn, New York, Sept. 2, 2018. "I love galleries and stuff and I get inspiration from installations mostly," Indigo said. "I like to look like walking art," she added. "I'm not 100 percent into fast fashion as far as like the cheaper stores that knock off everything. I'm just not really into things that fall apart."
Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

Abby Felix, a 23-year-old who works in fashion public relations, shops at retail stores such as ASOS.com and American Apparel as well as thrift shops to create a 90's-inspired "eclectic" look. She says one reason for taking an offbeat approach to fashion is that mainstream designers are "starting to all look the same."

"We have to find a new way to create again," Felix said. "There's not a lot of originality."

PHOTO: Frederick Reuben, 24, an employee at The Gap, poses for a picture in the Bronx, New York, Sept. 2, 2018.
Frederick Reuben, 24, an employee at The Gap, poses for a picture in the Bronx, New York, Sept. 2, 2018. "I wear what I like regardless of how people feel about it," Reuben said.
Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

In Queens, Priti Shercsan, a 31-year-old illustrator from Nepal who follows Nepalese-American fashion designer Prabal Gurung, says she does not pay attention to fashion trends.

"It becomes a lot of waste," Shercsan said. "You get to a point where it doesn't matter and it's more about being comfortable and having your own sense of personal style."

PHOTO: Wileen Pagaduan, 35, a freelance artist based in New York, poses for a picture in Brooklyn, New York, Sept. 2, 2018.
Wileen Pagaduan, 35, a freelance artist based in New York, poses for a picture in Brooklyn, New York, Sept. 2, 2018. "I'm an independent thinker and have never been into the hype with upcoming trends. Frida Kahlo is my muse. I dress for comfort and am inspired from traveling abroad," Pagaduan said.
Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

To the untrained eye, Nia Indigo might look as if she left home wearing a night gown and sneakers, but her appearance is quite intentional.

The 23-year-old stylist's affinity for mixing trendy high-end designer clothing with thrift shop finds led her onto a bustling Brooklyn street in a vibrant pink silk dress and Louis Vuitton Archlight sneakers that retail for more than $1,000.

"I love galleries ... and I get inspiration from installations mostly," Indigo explains while waiting with friends for a table at a popular brunch spot. "I like to look like walking art."

PHOTO: Josiah Esowe, a photographer based in New York, poses for a picture in Brooklyn, New York, Aug. 25, 2018.
Josiah Esowe, a photographer based in New York, poses for a picture in Brooklyn, New York, Aug. 25, 2018. "I make everything, bespoke is my style. I just have one rule in fashion, never wear black," Esowe said.
Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

Walking down a lower Manhattan street wearing a white collared blouse, blue jeans and pink suede heels, Kat McClanahan, 23, says she derives her fashion inspiration from film and television characters and music.

"Best way to describe my style: If Lou Reed ever had a daughter, it'd be me," said McClanahan, a merchandising manager.

PHOTO: Elena Azzaro, 23, a model based in New York, poses for a picture in Manhattan, New York, Sept. 3, 2018.
Elena Azzaro, 23, a model based in New York, poses for a picture in Manhattan, New York, Sept. 3, 2018. "I love Rihanna, she's not afraid to mix it up," Azzaro said.
Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

At Zero Waste Daniel, a unisex clothing store in Williamsburg that is the brainchild of Daniel Silverstein, clothes are eco-friendly and made from 100 percent scrap material. Silverstein says he aims to reduce textile pollution and raise awareness about the fast rate of consumption and waste of clothing that is driven by fashion trends.

"I try to make stuff that is wearable and comfortable, that you can wear around and really move in, that you can style in different ways and is versatile for your life without contributing to that issue," Silverstein says while stitching T-shirts on a sewing machine.

PHOTO: Aziza Nicole, a jewelry designer based in New York, poses for a portrait in Brooklyn, New York, Aug. 25, 2018.
Aziza Nicole, a jewelry designer based in New York, poses for a portrait in Brooklyn, New York, Aug. 25, 2018. "My style is androgynous, free, moody, fantasy, chic, bohemian, it's just me, honestly," Nicole said.
Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

In the Bronx, Diondre Cruz, 17, says he sets his style apart from "dressing regular" by tapping into the creativity of Japanese anime characters and rappers like Trippie Redd and A$AP Rocky.

"I'm not really big on New York Fashion Week. I kind of just do my own thing. I wear whatever I like," Cruz said.

Nia Indigo, 23, a stylist based in New York, poses for a picture wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton Archlight sneakers in Brooklyn, New York, Sept. 2, 2018.
Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

Along the Fordham Road shopping strip in the Bronx, Robert Norman, 37, wears an all-white, gothic and western inspired outfit while selling sunglasses on the street. He says a good look starts "from the ground up."

"Your shoe game ... that's the foundation," says Norman while giving a nod to his Versace-inspired white boots with gold charms. "If your shoes are all scuffed up it kills the whole thing. It does the heavy lifting."

Although Fordham Road is not a runway, it is one of the streets New Yorkers strut in all their self-styled glory.

PHOTO: Inge Smith, 61, a retired army personnel, poses for a picture in Brooklyn, New York, Aug. 26, 2018.
Inge Smith, 61, a retired army personnel, poses for a picture in Brooklyn, New York, Aug. 26, 2018. "I like that older style, you know, classic ladies. My mother used to be a model, so when I look at her pictures, I find inspiration," Smith said.
Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

Story written by Gina Cherelus