1) Street style photography began with one photographer documenting how people interpreted fashion shows on the street. It has grown into a global phenomenon with influential Scandinavian blogs like Stockholm Streetstyle and The Locals. 2) These blogs photograph locals in Stockholm and Copenhagen wearing approachable yet elegant outfits that have inspired many. Their authentic feel and lack of advertising has attracted loyal readers. 3) Major fashion brands are now collaborating with street style photographers and incorporating the street style aesthetic into their campaigns in order to appeal to younger consumers who prefer a more diverse and authentic take on fashion trends.

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Fashion lovers are
increasingly getting their
inspiration from influential
local fashion blogs, and
Sweden is no exception,
as Verity Hogan discovers
‘I realised that the street was the missing ingredient,’
wrote the original street-style photographer Bill Cunning-
ham, in his essay for the New York Times: ‘You didn’t
know anything unless you photographed the shows and
the street, to see how people interpreted what designers
hoped they would buy.’ What began as one man’s vision
has since morphed into a global phenomenon, first em-
braced by Scott Schuman with his internationally re-
nowned blog the Sartorialist and then in Scandinavia,
where street-style blogs such as Stockholm Streetstyle and
The Locals have blossomed.
Perfectly capturing the Scandinavian sense of style,
the women depicted on both blogs pioneer a minimalist,
clean-cut look that combines seemingly effortless elegance
with bags of attitude and an approachability that has in-
spired a host of copycat clothing choices. It is this inspira-
tional quality to which many attribute the surge in popu-
larity of street-style blogs. Stockholm Streetstyle currently
has 10 million visitors thanks to its constant updates,
high-quality photography and clever mix of trend-driven
and commercial fashion
STREETS
AHEAD

3. 54 Features
Above: DanielTroyse, creator of Stockholm StreetstylePrevious page: Christel photographed byThe Locals
Creator Daniel Troyse summed up his blog
thus: ‘Streetstyle shows the fashion as it actually
looks on the street,’ he says, ‘which is easier to
adapt than, for example, a runway photo.’ The
authenticity of street style versus editorial fash-
ion has also attracted readers to Danish blog
The Locals. As its author Søren Jepsen says, ‘It
is different if you see a 24-year-old girl from Co-
penhagen wear a trend on an actual high street,
looking comfortable with herself, than if you see
a 15-year-old model styled by an army of fashion
insiders, standing on a rock somewhere in the
desert.’
This accessible quality, paired with a re-
freshing lack of advertising or the inclusion of
any brand names, has led to them attracting a
dedicated, loyal readership. Designer names are
of little importance to bloggers; it is the attitude
of the people wearing the clothes and the way
they have chosen to put their outfits together
that count. ‘I am looking for people who are
comfortable in their own skin and their outfits,’
says Jepsen. ‘I don’t think a personal style re-
quires expensive designer clothes.’
Blogs are collaborative; bloggers are enthu-
siastic about their work and the people being
photographed are, on the whole, pleased that
their individuality has been recognised. ‘I think
that most people I am asking for a picture made
at least a little effort in the morning while getting
dressed, even though some wouldn’t admit it,’
says Jepsen. Troyse receives a similarly positive
response when out on the streets: ‘Maybe one in
a hundred people says no. Most people we pho-
tograph actually know the site. They get very
happy when we ask them to take their photo –
that’s great fun!’
The popularity of reading and appearing in
street-style blogs can also be attributed to a shift
in shoppers’ attitudes. People are tired of being

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Above: Chloé, Resort collection 2012 Above: Johanna Fosselius photographed by Stockholm Streetstyle
The street-style
aesthetic has seduced
both consumers and
creators of fashion
told which trends to follow by industry insiders,
preferring instead to search for a more diverse
take on fashion and a more authentic expression
of individuality. Jepsen calls it the ‘democratisa-
tion of fashion’. ‘People still enjoy seeing polished
editorial shoots in high-gloss magazines. Any
dress would look good like this. It’s the people
that fill clothes with life and attitude, and you find
these people on the blogs.’
The essence of street-style photography is
beginning to be embraced by fashion houses hop-
ing to capitalise on their popularity and capture
the urban attitude that resonates from the pages
of the blogs. Club Monaco was one of the first,
employing blogger Garance Doré to photograph
its autumn/winter 2010/11 collection.
Since then, photographer Tommy Ton has
been recruited by Swatch and Reece Hudson;
Tibi featured Olivia Palermo posing against faux
backdrops of popular street-style spots and 10
Crosby Derek Lam’s promotional shots have
echoes of street style in their execution. Chloé’s
2012 Resort collection is the most recent exam-
ple: taken on the streets of Paris, each shot has an
impromptu feel as if the models simply woke up
and created their own ensembles before taking to
the street.
The street-style aesthetic has seduced both
consumers and creators of fashion, and its rise
looks set to continue as blog readers are drawn to
the unique perspectives and inspirational ensem-
bles thrown together by women who can step out
in everyday garb and still look incredible in an
impromptu photo. As the fashion industry takes
note, the line between authentic street style and
editorial is already beginning to blur
carolinesmode.com/stockholmstreetstyle
thelocals.dk