London is known for many things, one of which is its fashion. London’s fashion industry is one of the biggest in the world, generally categorized into two—its High Street fashion and its independent label fashion.
Seeing that fashion is a huge thing in London and the UK, it only stands to reason why there are so many London fashion photographers as well. But while London fashion is categorized into two, its fashion photographers are not. Is there a difference between High Street and independent label photography?
High Street vs. Independent
High Street fashion refers to fashion for the masses. These are the fashion pieces that are mass-produced and are ready to wear, and are commercially available to most people. Simply put, these are the clothes, shoes, and accessories that most people see in malls and clothing stores.
Independent labels, on the other hand, are stores and shops that carry exclusively one line—the clothes and items from the specific label or designer. Usually, these are names and companies of well-established clothing or fashion companies that are known all over the world.
London fashion photographers are not categorized between High Street and independent, simply because fashion photographers are versatile and can work in any setting. However, there is a noticeable difference in how High Street fashion is portrayed in photographs versus independent fashion.
If one can put a High Street fashion photograph beside an independent photo spread, one will see the difference immediately. More often than not, High Street photography carries its mass appeal approach even to its photographs—the lines and colors are usually clear, crisp, and uncomplicated—it is simply a beautiful photo of people wearing wonderful clothing. Independent fashion photography often employs other tricks, such as themes, gorgeous settings and scenarios, as well as evocative modeling.
So, should London fashion photographers stick to honing one aspect of their photography over the other? The answer is that they should hone their artistic eye in general. Being skilled in both will be a great asset in an industry that is as diverse as heaven and earth.
