Trouble In Street Style Paradise!

PART 1: SUSIE BUBBLE, BRYANBOY VS VOGUE.COM

Milan Fashion Week may be over, but fashion denizens' claws are still out, it seems. In an article posted on Vogue.com yesterday, several editors and critics took turns bashing the street style scene—fashion bloggers and influencers, in particular.

Here are a few choice comments:

"Note to bloggers who change head-to-toe, paid-to-wear outfits every hour: Please stop. Find another business. You are heralding the death of style." —Sally Singer, Vogue Creative Digital Director.

"[T]he professional blogger bit, with the added aggression of the street photographer swarm who attend them, is horrible, but most of all, pathetic for these girls, when you watch how many times the desperate troll up and down outside shows, in traffic, risking accidents even, in hopes of being snapped." —Sarah Mower, Vogue.com Chief Critic.

"It’s not just sad for the women who preen for the cameras in borrowed clothes, it’s distressing, as well, to watch so many brands participate." —Nicole Phelps, Director, Vogue Runway.

"There’s not much I can add here beyond how funny it is that we even still call them “bloggers,” as so few of them even do that anymore. Rather than a celebration of any actual style, it seems to be all about turning up, looking ridiculous, posing, twitching in your seat as you check your social media feeds, fleeing, changing, repeating... It’s all pretty embarrassing—even more so when you consider what else is going on in the world." —Alessandra Codinha, Vogue.com Fashion News Editor.

Of course, with strong words like "pathetic", "ridiculous", "distressing" and "heralding the death of style", you're going to elicit a pretty strong comback too, and bloggers Susie Bubble and Bryanboy did just that. Taking to Twitter, the pair expressed their outrage over this slight.

Bryanboy called it out as "schoolyard bullying":

Let that just sit for a moment and let's all think about how this debate is basically an old trope that has been trotted out since the early days of fashion blogging. Telling The Cut in an interview, Bryanboy said, "It really feels like flat-out bullying! It’s 2016, not 2009, and I cannot believe we’re still having this conversation."

PART 2: TOMMY TON VS OTHER STREET STYLE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Moving on to another aspect of street style, photographer Tommy Ton has also taken umbrage with the fact that some photographers are mocking, and being rude to, members of the Asian press chronicling street style stars' outfit looks.

Ton took to Instagram to give his two cents worth on the issue and pointed out that these journalists "precede all of what you see has become outside the fashion shows" and that "[a]longside Bill Cunningham, they helped put a spotlight on what people wore to fashion month."

Which brings us to the point: Who would be rude to these tireless journalists bent on bringing their readers the information that they so crave? Isn't that what street style is all about: getting and serving up inspiration? Just because they may be in a few of your shot does not warrant rude behaviour at the shows! Let's have a little respect for these journalists, people.

If you're interested in what Ton had to say, here's the full text:

So I have a bone to pick. I'm not going to name an any names or point the finger at anyone but you'll know if I'm referring to you. You see these women taking notes of what Giovanna is wearing? These women precede all of what you see has become outside the fashion shows. They have been doing this for decades and helped turned street style at fashion week from a cult fascination to a global phenomenon. They are one of the main reasons why I was inspired to start taking photos and still to this day, I am inspired by their passion and tireless work ethic. Before social media and blogs came into the picture, asian fashion magazines were the only source where you could find endless pages of street style and all the credited details. Alongside Bill Cunningham, they helped put a spotlight on what people wore to fashion month. There used to be a huge group of asian [sic] photographers that worked peacefully together but nowadays, they are a dying breed taken over by an army of photographers. So my reasoning for this post is because I've noticed time and time again how other photographers moan and groan about these women and sometimes yell at them questioning the purpose of their note taking. So here's what I have to say to all of you who take issue with them and feel like you can bully them: show some respect, learn some manners and get over yourself. You have a problem with them asking what the editors, influencers, stylists and models are wearing? Guess what this is a billion dollar industry that cares about clothes and what these photographed men and women are wearing drives sales, not just your supposed perfectly composed photo. I am so fed up seeing these women get scoffed and yelled at. If you have a problem with them, then you can come talk to me and I will school you and put you into check. And you know who else will come to their defense? All the men and women you like to take photos of who have no issue with these women. Do you know who they all have issues with? All of you who have aggressively flooded the shows and just run into everyone and block traffic. I take responsibility for my part in this circus, but there's no need to be disrespectful to each other.

So what are your thoughts on the brouhaha that has erupted on the last day of Milan Fashion Week? Let us know in the comments below.

By Pakkee