Köln-Chorweiler isn’t necessarily the first district you’d think of as the backdrop to a fashion shoot. How did the idea develop?
The idea of doing a shoot in Chorweiler evolved gradually. Our initial vision was to combine fashion and architectural brutalism. But it proved a bit difficult to get permission for the shoots. During a zoom call, we had the brainwave of creating a juxtaposition that was as dramatic as possible. In other words, putting fashion in a setting where you’d never expect it like that. I was thinking of a district that knew social hardship but still had its own unique identity. In my head, I had a vague image of an urban neighbourhood characterised by 1970s architecture, a neighbourhood that disrupts the conventional ideal of a nice part of town. I like that sort of disruption.
Then the stylist, Nina Albrecht-Paffendorf, travelled to Cologne, had a look around in Chorweiler and took some photos while I did some research. When we put everything together, I thought it was really interesting and we knew we’d made the right decision.
What came next? How do you prepare for this sort of assignment?
As you’d expect, finding the location is just the start of the process on a project like this. At some point I received an overview of the outfits that the stylist had put together in her studio, which gave me a rough idea of the direction. At the beginning, it’s often quite a vague feeling that becomes clearer as the process evolves.
What did you do once you got to Chorweiler? How did you choose the specific locations?
I get to work as soon as I get to the place where the shoot’s happening. It’s like I switch on or something. I start looking around and I think in images and develop a portfolio of the locations in my head. It’s just clear to me. You have to make decisions quickly and I’m quite clear on these things. I see something and think, “That’s an interesting background, brilliant” or “That balustrade would make for a great picture”. It’s not a rational thing. You could say the location puts the clothes on, not the other way around.
You worked with a small mobile team. You had a lighting assistant with you, the two models, Olga and Yasemin, the creative director, the stylist and the make-up artist. That’s quite a compact team for a production like this…
Fashion is about the clothes and about portraits. For me, the lines between the two are blurred. First of all, I had to find out what the two women, Olga and Yasemin, were like. I don’t like to use the term “models” because it diverts attention away from the people involved. A really important aspect is the need to create an atmosphere everyone feels comfortable in.
Most of the pictures arise as things develop and in collaboration with the creative director and stylist. When we saw the staircase with the marble floor, I knew it was the perfect 1970s-style backdrop for the outfits. With its architecture in the style of former West Germany, it was just the perfect spot.
We didn’t have a specific agenda for these outfits but when the clothes and the context go together so well, it’s just screaming out to be done and you’d be blind not to do it in that setting then. I like this spontaneity in fashion photography where things are not planned down to the most minute detail. It gives you space to be spontaneous and flexible and then something new can arise from that space.
You did a photo series for Italian label Brioni once. The process there was a bit different, wasn’t it?
We were a team of around 20 for Brioni. It’s a different method of working. Sometimes, I only had one day in advance to get ready for where we were shooting. So I put the photos together in my head the night before and then shot them the next day exactly the way I’d envisaged them.
I had a film lighting technician with me who had a small van full of equipment. He lit the rooms from outside to enhance the natural light. We built an entire set so we could create a very specific mood. As a photographer on these assignments, you have to be completely confident about your decisions and have faith in the team’s ability to deliver.
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Although the Chorweiler team was quite small, there’s a lot of effort involved in a production like this. Different outfits, different locations, you’re on the move the whole day. How do you manage to keep the team’s energy up all that time?
There are two things you have to be careful about. First, the breaks shouldn’t be too long because then you lose focus. And you have to let people know if you need a moment for yourself. I’m quite radical about it and just tell people I need 10 minutes to think.
It’s also helpful to involve the team. I’m convinced that a group is sometimes more intelligent than one individual. It’s important to take on board other people’s input, including that of the models. It’s important to create a space that minimises people’s anxieties and is open to their ideas.
Ultimately, it’s simply a matter of managing everyone’s energy. On days like that, I work until I drop. Another really important thing is to be in the moment. If you see a situation that inspires you, you have to use it. Revisiting an idea at a later point doesn’t usually work. Either you use the moment straight away or not at all.
I’m a big people fan. I love working with people. I think the team can see that and usually they all do their bit to help make the project a success.
One picture’s something of an anomaly. The one with Olga walking through a fountain in a swimsuit in the middle of Chorweiler…
When we walked across that square in the morning, I saw some children playing barefoot. It was a very hot day and the scene had something liberating and joyful about it – that’s part of Chorweiler too.
What was your impression of the neighbourhood? Another thing Chorweiler’s known for is the social hardship that defines some of the locals’ lives.
In the daytime, I was thrilled because you can tell it was originally based on a positive urban planning concept. You can see that the planners put some thought into it. They put a lot of care into the design of the public spaces, created places where people can come together and loads of green areas. But it’s also true that a lot of things there are run down if you look closely. The core concept is really good though. I wonder why a community would allow places like Chorweiler to develop that way. I found myself thinking of the Bauhaus concept of shape determining content. I think a lot of people in Chorweiler would get on board if the council started taking action to revitalise the district and involve the people there.
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