ENFNTSTERRIBLES

20 Nov 2017
Fashion

Our Fashion Talk with Tommy Ton

Last week we had a little chat with Tommy Ton during the Fashion Talks event in Antwerp, organized by Flanders DC. In case you never heard of TT (shame on you), he’s one of the most known and talented street style photographers this planet ever produced. Since 2005 he has been capturing inspiring looks and portraits for his own projects, Style.com and many others. Years of experience, an eye for detail made Tommy Ton grew into much more than “just” a street style photographer. As beautifully described on his website, he’s “part of the vanguard of a new generation of cultural and critical observers in the fashion industry”.

We all got to know you as a talented street style photographer via Style.com and of course your own blog Jak & Jil. But since you took a step back from this, what are you doing at the moment?

Everyone always asks me “What are you doing?”. Actually, I’m still doing what I do… just not for a platform like Style.com. An ideal scenario would be to post pictures everyday on Instagram and my website. But sometimes I’m just tired after shooting eight to ten hours for four weeks, day after day. The last thing I want to do afterwards is edit photos.

At the same time I’m shooting content for Dries Van Noten, Givenchy and Chloé. I’ve been very lucky to be able to monetize what I’ve done. However, I also feel bad that I’ve abandoned the people that loyally followed my work. But no worries… I’m still outside the shows, having a lot of fun. For me it’s important to be present because I love to watch what people wear.

You recently said in an interview with Fashionista “I think once you reach a certain age, you realize fashion isn’t everything, and you can only own so many clothes.” Isn’t fashion business getting more and more out of hand the past few years? Like it’s only about harder, better, faster, stronger? 

The fact that I’m saying this at thirty-three is kind of shocking. Someone of my generation saying no more clothes? The truth is that I think it must be the result of the fact that we’re so overwhelmed with so much through social media. We don’t feel like we need to be consuming since we’re already voluntarily putting ourselves out there.

For me there are a lot of factors involved… when you scroll through Facebook you see all these articles about sustainability, environmental factors, climate change and even politics. It makes you loose the desire to cumulate in your life and to re-evaluate what matters. You just learn what to do as a more responsible adult. I haven’t stopped shopping but I don’t buy as many clothes as I used to. When you learn what works best and what you appreciate than you know you don’t need to buy this or that because you wear it only once and that’s it.

What made you decide not to monetize Tommyton.com?

My feeling was that advertising can be a turn-off for someone. Like when you see an ad on top of a page. But this doesn’t mean I’m not monetizing me as a brand, just not the website.

In which ways do you dislike but also like how the street style circus has evolved?

What I like is that it has brought more democracy to the fashion world. It was very exclusive before. You could only come to a fashion show when you were a journalist, a buyer or a stylist. For me this obviously means that I have more options to photograph.

What I dislike is how crazy it is… it has just turned into a zoo and this adds unnecessary stress. In Paris the police can even become physical with you and this doesn’t make photographing easier.

Interview Tommy Ton Fashion Talks 2017
Interview Tommy Ton Fashion Talks 2017

A$AP Rocky by Tommy Ton

What are your thoughts on the #NoFreePhotos movement that got a lot of attention last fashion week?

I really thought it was unnecessary. Some facts were just a bit twisted and someone didn’t understand it properly. An influencer took a street style photographer’s photo without crediting that person. And it was said this was a paid post but actually it wasn’t. She just thought because you borrow clothes that it’s paid.

There was an outrage and I totally get where it’s coming from, you should be credited for your work. But if you want to complain about how much money it costs and how much time you spend on photographing, than I’m like but you chose this job so you better take responsibility for it. As a street style photographer you’re also making money out of the influencers.

Is it still possible for newcomers to stand out in a world where almost everything is oversaturated?

Yes, of course! You can say the same thing about models, there are so many models in the world. If you are different and you have such a distinct point of view, you can stand out. It’s all about knowing how to stand out and being very smart about what you do.

I was very lucky that when I started, there wasn’t all of this. My career has also been about trial and error. At first I thought that I could stand out by crediting all the clothes in my pictures. Because I knew what everyone was wearing. However, it was when I started making pictures of details, shoes, accessories that people started responding and when it all happened.

Everybody eventually finds their way, if you just listen to your gut and stop following what other people are doing.

We read that amongst youngsters it’s becoming cool to not be omnipresent on social media. But do you think that as a brand it’s still possible to gain attention without using social media?

Absolutely. Dries Van Noten is the perfect example: he doesn’t do advertising, only shows two collections a year and you’ll never see a front row full of influencers at his shows. I like the fact that he’s very focussed on his customers and the stores he sells to. The Row, from the Olsen twins, is a label that has always been very discrete about their business. Also Céline is a good example, the clothes speak for itself. People don’t need to see it on this or that influencer.

Street style photography actually is such a “simple” thing and still it has only become a trend in 2007. Before this evolution we could only rely on editorials in magazines to get inspired. What do you think could be a next step?

Street style photography actually exists much longer, look at Bill Cunningham and the Japanese photographers. They have been doing it for twenty, thirty years. But they don’t want the attention of being famous street photographers. They were just doing their job. I was only when Scott Schuman came into the picture, things changed. He was putting a face to the street style photographer.

What could be the next step is an interesting topic to think about. Individuals now have the power themselves to dictate the type of content they want to put out there or that they want to see. So maybe selfies or the further evolution of phone photography? People always ask me “what is the future?”. If I knew, I would be rich, we’d all be rich.

It’s even funny that I answered “no” when my web developers asked me whether I wanted to focus on mobile for Tommyton.com. Since everyone is on their phone right now, I regret this.

The only thing I’m sure about is that you never have the answers to anything. So just keep doing what you do and whatever happens, happens.

What would you tell your younger self if you could speak to him right now?

I would have a very intense conversation with younger Tommy Ton… I’d tell him to stop shopping. Clothes are just temporary, they’re fun but at the same time there are more important things. So younger Tommy Ton, you’re very lucky that you love what you do but let it be just work.

Back in the days I ordered something every day and now I have to live with all this stuff. I own 400 pairs of shoes, when am I ever going to wear 400 pairs of shoes?? Good I finally bought an apartment where I can stock them.

What would be your advice for young creatives, for a new online platform such as ENFNTS TERRIBLES?

My advice would be: always think big and never over-criticize yourself, anything is possible! And don’t think of yourself as a small fish in a pond because of digital media we become so connected as a community in the world. You don’t realize how many people are actually watching what you do.

If you follow the right path, people will always come along. And you definitely need to be patient because not everything will come all at once. Last but not least… at this age things happen so fast and when it happens you need to be focussed, you’ll have plenty of time to party afterwards.

Photo credits: ENFNTS TERRIBLES, TOMMY TON – With special thanks to Flanders DC and Tommy Ton! 

Interview Tommy Ton

Sara Clausing by Tommy Ton

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