OUGD601: Robbie Spencer - The Creative Class

Robbie Spencer is a stylist and newly appointed fashion director of Dazed & Confused. The Business of Fashion met with him to discuss his personal and professional journey, but it is interesting from my epistemological perspective to examine exactly what his role is, how he creates these images and the importance of this role within a publication such as Dazed & Confused.

To achieve the conceptual depth his work is known for, Spencer is fond of sourcing ideas and collaborators from other disciplines. “As soon as I come back from the shows, or if I’m prepping a shoot, the first thing I do is develop this body of research, moodboards and references. The connections often come from outside of fashion and I love collaborating with people that are far removed from the industry because it brings a new perspective to a fashion shoot, and that’s what transforms an image into something else and takes it to another dimension.”

Spencer’s art background has had a powerful influence on his approach to styling and creating fashion communication. He says:  

“I approach styling from an idea of executing an image or executing a space, as opposed to purely from a clothing standpoint,” he says. “The more I got involved with Dazed, I realised that clothing is actually a tool that you use to create an image or to tell a story.” ... 

It is interesting to consider how clothing can be used as a prop, just as a set or piece of 3D typography can communicate within an image, clothing can do the talking too.

He Says: “I generally start by pairing a photographer with an idea I have, then set up a meeting with them to suggest the idea and get their feedback and then we kind of build on the idea together, figure out the team, models, hair, make-up, set designer and begin the process of realising the idea and turning it into a fashion image.”