Two New York Fashion Week photographers have opened up about what it’s really like to cover the glitzy event—and years of experience have taught them it’s not all glamour and sparkles.
Stephen Lovekin and Andrew Walker, both 48, capture Fashion Week every year for the New-York-based agency Shutterstock. Lovekin has been shooting the event since the fall of 1995, while Walker went to his first Fashion Week more than 10 years ago.
Throughout their busy fashion seasons, they have witnessed shows devolving into chaos, dangerous runway malfunctions, and, in one instance, a death on the front row.
Work: Photographers Stephen Lovekin and Andrew Walker, both 48, cover NYFW every year for Shutterstock. Pictured is a shot taken by Walker in February this year at Anna Sui’s show
Veterans: Lovekin (left) has been shooting the glamorous event since the fall of 1995, while Walker (right) went to his first Fashion Week more than 10 years ago
For seven days, photographers such as Lovekin and Walker snap photos of A-listers on the front row, head backstage for candid shots of the models, then capture each outfit before running off to the next show—but not before delivering their precious snaps as fast as possible to fashion editors around the world.
At the height of their hectic Fashion Week schedule, both men feel fueled by the energy that dominates the shows’ atmosphere.
‘I love the excitement,’ Lovekin said. ‘You also have the community. You start to know photographers, designers, make-up artists, security guards… It’s like coming back to school and seeing familiar faces as well as new faces.’
As show season approaches, Walker usually feels the same sense of excitement, although his is mixed with dread.
‘It’s a marathon,’ he said. ‘The dread [comes from] a bunch of days and a lot of work. You get to wherever the venue is and there’s a general sense of excitement around the shows that gives you the energy to propel you through the whole week.’
Many among the Fashion Week crowd have developed time-tested routines to ensure they function at the best of their abilities throughout the challenging event.
Snaps: Lovekin captured this shot of Anna Wintour and Blake Lively chatting on the front row of Michael Kors’ show in February this year
Professional: Walker, who took both of these pictures in February this year during the The Blonds presented by Made show, makes sure all his gear is ready to go ahead of the big event
Rest: Lovekin, who took this shot in February this year during the Marchesa show, always makes sure to take his vacation right before the start of Fashion Week
VIP: Photographers are in charge of snapping shots of A-listers on the front row. Lovekin captured this photo of Grace Coddington at the Derek Lam show in February last year
Lovekin is one of them, and always makes sure to take his vacation right before the start of Fashion Week, so as to recharge his batteries ahead of time.
‘I’m always well-rested and that is key for me,’ he said. ‘It’s also just making sure you’re eating well and not staying up late. I used to do that when I was a little bit younger, but I make sure I don’t stay up too late.
‘Eat the right foods, wear the right shoes, wear the right clothing, do a little bit of visualization, imagine the shots. It doesn’t meant that I always get that, but I imagine all the different scenarios playing out in my head so when the challenges come, I’m prepared.’
The photographer, who enjoys kayaking and golfing on his time off, also checks his gear and makes sure his cameras’ batteries, too, are fully charged.
Walker, on the other hand, finds physical preparation superfluous and focuses on getting his gear ready as he readies himself to power through the week.
‘I get all my cameras and lenses tuned up,’ he said. ‘I buy new memory cards. Preparation is usually about the gear. You’re not going to have time to replace things charge your batteries.’
Good habits: Lovekin, who took this snap in February this year at Philip Lim’s show, makes sure to eat well and avoids staying up too late during Fashion Week
Gear: The photographer, who snapped this shot in February this year at Marchesa, also checks his gear and makes sure his cameras’ batteries, too, are fully charged
High-profile: Photographers sometimes get to see the season’s most talked-about models take to the runway. Walker photographed Gigi Hadid walking for Anna Sui in February this year
Faces: Lovekin snapped a close-up of a model walking for Marchesa in February this year (left), while Walker took a portrait of a model backstage at Reem Acra in October 2016 (right)
Once the shows begin, Walker remains determined to dive in and embrace the week’s hectic schedule.
‘For me it’s literally swim in the pool and then you make it. I don’t spend a lot of time deliberately planning my physical well being,’ he added.
‘I feel like most photographers say they do this, they do that, and I don’t see them doing that. We’re thrown in and we’re hoping we survive.’
Both men agreed the atmosphere has changed significantly over the years, most recently with bloggers completely redefining the fashion scene.
Their many Fashion Weeks have also left them with strong memories, capturing both the highs and lows of the high-profile runway shows.
Once, Walker recounted, a designer decided to hold their show in a different venue, and the lights fell down while models were still walking on the catwalk.
‘The whole scaffolding fell down on people sitting at the front row,’ he said. ‘That was at least 10 years ago. I was shooting aerial views, so I was looking down on the whole scene.’
On another occasion, he added, a woman died after fainting during a show.
‘It happened during the show,’ Walker said. ‘They had to come, and I don’t remember at what point during the show it happened. Models were on the runway, so they were walking around.’
While Walker couldn’t remember the specifics of the incident, he appeared to be referring to socialite and fashion icon Zelda Kaplan, who died aged 95 in 2012 after fainting at the front row of the Joanna Mastroianni fashion show at Lincoln Center.
As for Lovekin, he recalls a J-Lo show at Bryant Park being so popular, it was hard even for staffers to access it.
‘There was so much chaos, so much hype that I couldn’t even get in,’ he said. ‘It was borderline out of control. I’ve never seen anything like that in New York. There were so many people that even the approved photographers could not get into the show.’
Getting ready: Photographers also get to go backstage and watch models preparing for the big event. Lovekin captured this shot in February this year before the VFiles show
Mingling: By going backstage, photographers can get candid shots of the models, such as this photo snapped by Lovekin in February this year at VFiles
Spotted: Kourtney Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Khloe, Kylie, Kim, Karlie Kloss, designer Olivier Rousteing and Kris all appear in this shot taken by Walker in February 2016 at Yeezy
Getting glammed up: Walker shot this snap of a model looking at her phone while getting ready before the Reem Acra show in October 2016
On the designer side, both men cited Marc Jacobs as one of their favorite production each year, along with Betsey Johnson.
‘Theres a lot of holier-than-thou attitude and ego being thrown around,’ Walker said, ‘and it can be hard for photographers to feel like you’re not part of it. But Betsey Johnson takes the ego out of it.’
Walker and Lovekin both stressed that Fashion Week is not always the alluring event it is made out to be.
‘I’m acutely aware of the fact that people on the outside looking in think it’s very glamorous and exciting, and people actually in it don’t think it’s glamorous and exciting because it’s work,’ Walker said. ‘Even the designers, security guards and whatever—everybody’s working very hard, so it’s not glamorous at all. I guess it’s just all perspective.’
Lovekin agreed that this is one of most common misconceptions about Fashion Week.
‘I do have photos on social media and I think some assume that it is all glitters and glamour,’ he said. ‘If you’re working 15-to-20-hour days and you’re crammed with 15 other photographers for hours at a time, it’s not all glamorous. There’s definitely some of it but its hard work. A lot of people assume that its all fun all the time, but it’s hard, hard work. I don’t think people realize or understand the technicalities.’
But not focusing on the negative aspects of Fashion Week is key for Walker as he gets himself through the challenging week.
‘In order to preserve my sanity I try to take it for what it is,’ he said. ‘I just go and say, “All right, this is it.” I don’t know whats going to happen, what it’s going to be. It’s a little adventure every day.’