Phil Oh has been in the business of capturing street style since 2006. If you’ve ever wondered what catches his eye, he’s here today to give you the inside scoop. Newsflash: It’s not an A-list crowd or latest-season pieces that attract Oh when photographing his subjects. He’s actually looking for the people having the most fun at fashion week. Whether it’s Katie Monster pretending to be a runaway bride or Doja Cat covering herself in 30,000 crystals, the bigger the smile, the more likely Oh is to capture you.
“People tend to tighten up and look serious when they know they’re being photographed, which is no fun,” says Oh. “I like images that capture a moment where I’m getting some emotional response from the subject, whether it is joy or confusion or a mix of the two…but I’ll take what I can get.” And Oh is willing to go the extra mile for his shots, even if it means that he has to “Olympic-bronze-medalist-pace power walk” to get the perfect shot. That’s the secret behind the colorful picture of band mates Industra alongside photographer Juergen Teller and his wife Dovile Drizyte in neon green and pink sweatshirts. If he hadn’t been as quick on his feet, he wouldn’t have captured this moment of sartorial kismet.
Not that he’s always looking for bold-faced names. While the women’s ready-to-wear seasons tend to have bigger crowds, he keeps his eye out for the more low-key figures, be they the friends and family members of designers, or buyers and journalists. And he likes the men’s shows best of all. “At the menswear shows, aside from the mega-brands, there aren’t quite as many VIPs dressed by the labels at the shows, so a greater percentage of guests are wearing their own clothes,” he points out. If you’re missing your street style fix, make sure your Vogue Runway app is updated. Oh will be back on January 16, when he returns to Paris to capture the best fashion at the menswear and couture shows. Just please hope for decent weather! As Phil says, “Vogue wants the pictures even if it rains, sleets, hails, or snows, but standing my ass in downpours and blizzards is an occupational hazard that I dread.”
Scroll through for Phil Oh’s 50 favorite photos of 2023 below.
