For those of us who work in the nonstop, need-it-now, stay-ahead-or-fall-behind business of fashion, we often find ourselves looking for a little help (or playful distraction). The time-strapped book their flights and beauty appointments with a simple tap, while the visual perfectionists use photo apps to help capture that elusive fashion moment in just the right filter. Here, we asked industry fixtures what app they find themselves turning to day in and day out.
Collate all the digital articles you want to read—but never have time to—into a customized, personal magazine. “It simplifies my life and allows me to access world news, current trends, and topics when I’m between appointments.”
Superstitious or not, it can’t hurt to have a photograph of some timber at your fingertips whenever you don’t want to tempt fate.
No surprise for a jetsetter like Ziourova. “It’s convenient to check in, monitor my miles, and check on flight schedules.”
“As in music samples rather than sample sales. This app will scan your phone’s iTunes and basically tell you things like: Solange’s hit ‘Losing You’ samples a 1981 song by Euro Funk called ‘Dynamite’; **Missy Elliott’**s ‘Lose Control’ comes from Cybotron’s ‘Clear,’ and **T.I.’**s ‘Swagga Like Us’ cops its hook from **M.I.A.’**s ‘Paper Planes,’ who borrows her backing track from the Clash. Endless fun!”
Essentially a collection of video filters. “When I was in Paris I shot the entire fall 2011 Nina Ricci show on the app and it looks straight from the 70s.”
Digital drawing tools for which the street style star and blogger has found some canny uses: “I use it to explain how I’d like my nail design to be to the manicurists, for doodling while traveling and, for my niece and friends’ kids, I draw faces that they can put makeup on after with the different spray tools.”
Books same-day spa or salon appointments. “We are always flying in and out of NYC,” say the Toronto-based bloggers. “This makes getting glam in a pinch super easy.”
An up-close look at the Van Cleef Arpels exhibit of the same name. “One of my absolute favorite apps—beautiful, timeless, and rich with heritage!”
Adjust photo contrast, saturation, color white balance, and more before immortalizing your pics on Instagram. “You can also crop or straighten the image. Perfect for people with OCD like me—ha! I can’t post a photo with a slightly crooked horizon!”
Camera Plus is to Instagram what Nike running shoes are to fashion sneakers—in other words, a little more serious. “I use it a lot to edit and crop my iPhone photos.” Composition, exposure, focus. . . all the things professional photographers think about.
The App Store says: “Never miss another giant twine ball.” Gelman says: “It’s an excellent guide to offbeat roadside attractions in all 50 states, including the World’s Largest Concrete Gnome in Ames, Iowa.”
The doctor by day, social fixture by night, relies on this app to store e-mails, texts, voice memos, images, notes—even images of notes—in one place.
Watch as your iPhone 5 spins on its axis, Exorcist-style, and shoots panoramic video. “Great for capturing hilarious moments at boozy dinners.”
A must for any expat, like the Paris-based Baek, or world traveler. “I’m not fluent in French so I use it with cab drivers, the doctor’s office, in the markets with the vendors to find something specific, or I copy and paste any French e-mail to see what it means.”