Fashion: Off the peg - Conceptual fashion TV? Now there's a thought.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.We see the work of fashion photographers everywhere. On billboards, in magazines, on MTV, on the Internet, but we have never seen them produce a moving image fashion shoot for mainstream terrestrial TV, bar the odd Calvin Klein commercial. This is exactly what a group including Juergen Teller, Katerina Jebb and Donald Christie have spent the last few weeks working on for Zoom, which starts on Monday night on Channel 4.
Zoom is the brainchild of Rupert Murray, a documentary producer who became interested in the independent creative work of fashion photographers known as "testing". A test is when a photographer and stylist, together with hair and make-up artists and a model, team up to produce a fashion shoot without the restrictions of a client or magazine editor. Most tests are not for publication and all parties involved give their services for free.
Murray was intrigued by the whole process. "Testing doesn't happen within the TV world, there are no mutually creative endeavours. In the same way stills photographers have little opportunity to work in the medium of film."
The series of five blink-and-you'll-miss-them three-minute films, one to be screened each day of next week - and featuring the work of mainly British fashion designers - is the unusual and visually arresting result.
It's a far cry from catwalk footage and Style Challenge-inspired make-over slots. "This is about the creativity of the photographer," says Murray. "It's their chance to produce a high-end, visually creative event with the moving image which is on a par artistically with a fashion shoot."
The series kicks off with Juergen Teller's film made last year in conjunction with graphic team Fuel, which features Kate Moss wearing John Galliano. Katerina Jebb, whose film is screened on Wednesday, is well known for her ethereal life-size colour photocopy fashion shoots. In her film she reveals the secret methods of her work, with a bit of Comme des Garcons thrown in for good measure.
So is it fashion, is it art, or just a lot of nonsense? You decide.
`Zoom', Monday to Friday, 7.50pm, Channel 4
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments