Photos: New Yorkers pit comfort, personality against fashion week trends

New York City is one of the fashion capitals of the world and the ongoing Fashion Week 2018 has stylists, buyers, fashion enthusiasts and celebrities keeping a close-eye on what’s being declared “in style” for next year’s spring and summer seasons. Off the runway, however, a different story about what is fashionable is told on the streets of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx where vintage pieces, unique footwear and comfort are highly favoured by people living in the city's boroughs.

Updated on: Sep 11, 2018 12:20 PM IST

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Fatou Jobe, 24, a model based in New York, poses for a portrait in the Manhattan borough. “I’m very in between 1965 and 2030... I love thrifting, but I do walk (model) for big names,” Jobe said. “I’m fascinated by the designs and designers. I never thought I would be the type of person to buy expensive clothes... but I'm inspired.” (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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“I buy things from the stores and will never just leave it as it's bought. I will always change it in some way or another, cut it or sew something onto it or paint something on it because I’m an artist,” said, Storm Hartley, a 20-year-old student at Tisch School of the Arts in Manhattan. (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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Abby Felix, 23, who works in fashion public relations, said, “We have to find a new way to create again, adding that the crowds at fashion week have fewer buyers and are mostly journalists and influencers.” The designers are starting to look all the same, there’s not a lot of originality." (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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Wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton Archlight sneakers, 23-year-old Nia Indigo said, “I love galleries and stuff and I get inspiration from installations mostly,” adding, “I like to look like walking art. I’m not 100% into fast fashion as far as like the cheaper stores that knock off everything. I'm just not really into things that fall apart.” (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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In the Bronx, Diondre Cruz, 17, says he sets his style apart from “dressing regular” by tapping into the creativity of Japanese anime characters and rappers like Trippie Redd and A$AP Rocky. “I’m not really big on New York Fashion Week. I kind of just do my own thing. I wear whatever I like,” Cruz said. (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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In Queens, Priti Shercsan, a 31-year-old illustrator from Nepal who follows Nepalese-American fashion designer Prabal Gurung, said she doesn’t pay attention to trends. “It becomes a lot of waste,” Shercsan said. “You get to a point where it doesn’t matter and it’s more about being comfortable and having your own sense of personal style.” (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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Makiko Oshino, a Nissan employee, shows her shoes at the Manhattan borough of New York. “I like black with colour, I like to be different from anyone,” Oshino said. (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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Robert Norman, 37, a street vendor and musician said he's a very unique person and emphasised the importance of creativity in his style. “Your shoe game gotta be the look from the ground up that's the foundation,” he said, referring to his Versace-inspired all white boots with gold charms. “If your shoes are all scuffed up it kills the whole thing. It does the heavy lifting.” (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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29-year-old Daniel Silverstein, designer and founder of Zero Waste Daniel, a unisex apparel store in Williamsburg aims to prevent textile pollution driven by trends in the fashion industry. “I try to make stuff that is wearable and comfortable, that you can really wear around, that you can really move in, that you can style in different ways that’s versatile for your life without contributing to that issue,” Silverstein said. (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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“If Lou Reed ever had a daughter, it would be me,” Kat McClanahan, 23, a Merchandising Manager at Aritzia said. My fashion inspiration is from movies or TV shows I watch ... or music I listen to... I watched Cheers last night so I was thinking about Diane Chambers.” (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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“My style is androgynous, free, moody, fantasy, chic, bohemian, it’s just me, honestly,” said Aziza Nicole, a jewellery designer. (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)

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“I think everyday is an opportunity to walk outside and feel really great about yourself and to express your personality and your vision through what you’re wearing,” said Seth Hatch. “I love an androgynous look, something that can go across the board,” he added. “Most recently I've been embracing a more softer and more feminine side to my fashion.” (Caitlin Ochs / REUTERS)