The beautiful and the good

Green chic symbolizes the zeitgeist – an interview with fashion photographer Peter Prix, by Alexandra Hildebrandt.

Green chic, green glamour, fair fashion – ethical consumption is also setting trends in the fashion world. The current trend is a mixture of fashionable style, ecological production and fair trade. Eco-labels can now be found on the catwalks of Paris and Milan. Ecologically and fairly produced fashion has become a serious contender on the market and is exhibited by top models. Lifestyle and attitude, good design and a clear conscience all merge into one. Eco-fashion is becoming a social statement, expresses an attitude and symbolizes the zeitgeist. The aim of the Norintra House of Fashion design center in Hong Kong is to show that good design and a social conscience can go hand in hand. Its new Norintra Pure Nature collection relies on ecological materials and good design. The company, which designs fashion for Karstadt Warenhaus, Quelle and Neckermann, uses exclusively natural materials for the collection, which are particularly skin kind and are also more environmentally friendly. Bamboo, silk and ecologically cultivated cotton are used. Peter Hahn is the first multichannel company to offer Norintra Pure Nature products. The collection was modeled by top model Petra Nemkova. The campaign was photographed by fashion photographer Peter Prix. Alexandra Hildebrandt spoke to him about fashion, fashion photography and the trend towards eco-fashion.

Peter Prix, born in 1952, has been working as a freelance photographer since 1978, focusing on fashion. Since 1995 he has specialized in high-quality photographic productions and exhibitions.

The artist and patron F. C. Gundlach, whose fashion photographs from the fifties and sixties became icons, always portrayed more in his pictures than just women and clothes. His work was always additionally linked with social phenomena. Fashion photographs, he said, “are interpretations and stagings. They reflect and visualize the zeitgeist. They offer projection screens for identification, but also for dreams, wishes and desires.” Is this also your understanding of fashion photography?

That puts it in a nutshell. It’s difficult to formulate something new, as this quotation defines what makes good fashion photography in a wonderful and utterly timeless way. Fashion is the zeitgeist and contributes to the overall image of an age. In your opinion, what makes a good fashion photographer? He should be convincing, and should have a definite feel for the job. He must plan his pictures mentally and be intuitive during the shoot.

How did you come to fashion photography – or how did fashion photography come to you?

My fascination with photography started at the age of six. At that time, I had to use my bicycle, a puddle or a tree as a motif. Later, in the photography club at my school, the other pupils were my first models for
fashion articles in the school magazine. Fashion photography was always at the center of my career plans.

When does fashion photography come to life for you?

When all those involved give their full emotion to it.

Does fashion photography objectify the subject?

You could say that. I always try to merge the outer with the inner to create an object of desire.

Is a fashion photographer also subject to trends?

Of course a fashion photographer makes his living from trends, but he should also retain his own signature.

The trend researcher Peter Wippermann is of the opinion that after a long phase of aligning themselves with masculine characteristics, women are now returning to feminine values. How do you see the fashion picture of the current attitude to life?

The modern woman develops her own style in her different phases of life in a very self-determined manner. She has her own environment and dresses accordingly in private and professionally. Perhaps she chooses a strong business outfit, but dresses more romantically, casually or seductively in her free time. The current attitude to life is of course strongly characterized by external influences, and so every type of woman develops her own new, fashionable attitude to life.

What does style have to do with sophistication and individuality?

There is nothing more beautiful than creating a confident and tasteful appearance through your own style, with the help of current fashion. The variety of fashion offers sufficient possibilities to dress stylishly. But unfortunately
not everyone has sophisticated taste.

Why does a collection have to be staged photographically in order to reach its audience?

People are flooded with images. It is only possible to reach the observer through staged and extraordinary photographs.

What boundaries should never be crossed by a fashion photographer?

Fashion photographs should be imaginative and provocative, but never tacky.

What is more important in fashion photography: The clothing or the model? Or is the perfect photo only achieved through the successful combination of both?

Only the right model can appear authentic with the item of clothing. The observer will only consider the photo to be authentic if both parts interact. A complete symbiosis between the model and the collection is an absolute
must.

Can any collection be brought to life given the right model?

Not every collection can be saved by the model.

You photographed the top model Petra Nemkova for the “Norintra Pure Nature” collection. What does this collection represent for you?

Norintra Pure Nature symbolizes the zeitgeist, and only a model who corresponds to this zeitgeist can be considered. Petra Nemkova is the ideal symbol of this requirement: She is natural, warmhearted and unpretentious. She loves her job, is animated and authentic and thus embodies the collection she is presenting in an entirely natural way. The observer is fascinated by her authenticity.

If you had to describe the top model Petra Nemkova – what is her essence?

Despite her horrific experiences in the Tsunami of 2004 in Phuket and the tragic death of her fiancé Simon Atlee, Petra has retained a believing and positive attitude to life. She is generous and confident and exudes a unique inner cheerfulness and naturalness through her beautiful eyes. In addition, I think she is very sensual. During shoots, I simply accentuate her essence.

What do you mean by generous – that she reveals a lot about herself?

Her generosity is exhibited not only through her sweet surprises that she brings with her to the photo shoots, but also through her commitment to her Happy Hearts Fund, to help children in need of aid. That’s inspiring. This generous work definitely gives her the strength and self-confidence that she exudes in her modeling job.

What role does the view of the fashion photographer play during the shoot? How much distance and proximity to the model is required to achieve the desired effect?

In principle, before the start of the shoot, the desired form of expression should be discussed in the team and, above all, with the model. There must be a certain positive tension between the model and the photographer to make a highly-concentrated and yet extraordinarily emotional photograph. The prerequisite for this is intuition – sensing and feeling without words.

What role does improvisation play? Is every model equally receptive to this?

Of course I always plan my photos in advance. But the entire team, together with the model, tries to be spontaneous and gather ideas immediately. Improvisation during the shoot is like the icing on the cake. With Petra it is particularly easy, as she herself is very open and creative.

Should a model be creative during the shoot and bring her own ideas? How much self-initiative do you allow?

A model like Petra animates objects – I simply give direction. I can only participate in her creative implementation and strong expressiveness.

Have you as a fashion photographer been confronted with the subject of “ethical fashion” or “green glamour” increasingly often?

I have, of course, already had Green Cotton in front of my lens. However, I see a considerable difference in the Norintra Pure Nature collection. It is fashionable design combined with pure nature. It was a joy to photograph it.

What do you think makes an item of clothing sustainable?

You can judge this by how often and how proudly the consumer wears the item. It must give the consumer a zest for life.

Dr. Alexandra Hildebrandt is head of Communication Social Affairs at Arcandor AG.