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Street Peeper Founder Phil Oh
Fashion Director Kate Ciepluch put it best when talking about Phil Oh: He’s such a cool guy, and he’s everywhere. During fashion month, it would seem the man behind Street Peeper is in all places at all times, photographing cool girls in their chic clothes for Shopbop, Vogue.com, and his own website. (We’re convinced he doesn’t sleep.)
We caught up with Phil during a few spare minutes to talk about all things street style.
Shopbop: How did you get started in street style photography?
Phil Oh: There were two street style blogs I knew of at the time when I started Street Peeper, but I loved the Japanese magazines Street and Fruits, which documented what the kooky Tokyo fashion kids were into. I wanted to start a blog of my own about style that I found to be interesting. I didn’t have a background in fashion or photography, but sort of grew into them as the years went by. I guess it was also an excuse to travel again to places like Paris, London, Tokyo, Sydney, and more.
SB: The medium is really growing and evolving. How do you see it affecting fashion now and in the future?
PO: I think street style blogs help readers think about new ways to explore fashion. It’s inspiring to see how real people put together their looks, and I hope readers can incorporate some of those ideas into their own personal style. That said, I think street style blogs perhaps can push trends in certain directions. Design teams at all kinds of brands—from fast fashion to mass market to high fashion—use street style photos on their inspiration boards, so maybe these photos do have some effect on what happens in fashion at design and retail levels.
SB: What catches your eye when shooting street style?
PO: I love color and prints above all—when done well, of course. I feel like people are starting to open up to exploring color palettes beyond neutrals and black, and taking more chances with print and pattern. It’s exciting! Though one doesn’t have to dress like a clown or pile on the trends. Chic and simple can be just eye-catching and interesting.
Check out Phil’s street style albums from New York, London, and Paris on the Shopbop Facebook page.