[My Resume 16] Bruce Weber, his very existence was fashion

BRUCE WEBER.
This photographer may be familiar to Houyhnhnms readers.
Bruce Weber reigns at the top of the vintage T-shirt boom (as if he were ruling the country like a monarch) and is now being sold at prices like art pieces.
On the contrary, there may not be many young people (I don't really want to use this word, but it's just for convenience) who are looking at his photographs.
It may have a greater presence as a T-shirt motif. I once heard from a dealer who was selling vintage Bruce Weber T-shirts at a pop-up, and if I recall correctly, he was a Calvin Klein guy who was selling around 100,000 yen, and I think there were even more expensive ones. They don't make that much of a profit compared to other T-shirts.
In other words, the prices in circulation have soared so high that the sellers are not making a huge profit.
The recent Bruce Weber T-shirt reprint boom may have something to do with this.

To us, Bruce Weber was, after all, one of the world's leading fashion photographers, and nothing else.
If I had to say it, I'd say she's a "fashion icon."
I feel like I'm on the same level as top designers and models.
The first time I saw his photo was in a Ralph Lauren campaign or in GQ... Needless to say, I was told about it by Mr. Goto, Mr. Kondo, or Mr. Takahira.
“O RIO DE JANEIRO” came out right after that.
This book is the pinnacle of fashion photo books, and it shocked me as much as someone hearing the Beatles for the first time would.
Now, as I'm writing this manuscript, I'm looking back at it, and I can't help but be shocked by the subject, the location, the hair, and the art direction.
``Why did they put a solid purple color on top of a monochrome photo?'' ``Why is it so cool even though the hair style is just brushed on the naked body?'' I was filled with excitement and questions.
From there, I learned about stylist Joe McKenna and producer Nan Bush, and learned the real thrill of creating visuals as a team.

On the more interesting side, I'm just going to get excited about buying a T-shirt.
I went to Asto Robot in Harajuku to get a T-shirt with the tag of Patricia Field, an underground New York stylist (later world-famous for Sex and the City).
I think I bought two, but I wore them until they fell apart and probably threw them away.
After that, Agnes B made T-shirts from his photo book ``A LETTER TO TRUE,'' and I also have a Chet Baker T-shirt released by his own fashion brand called ``WEBER BUILT.''
I still wear this with great care.
"WEBER BUILT" is a shop run in Miami by former Bottega Veneta designer Tomas Maier, and there is an urban legend that the products are handmade in a shack behind the store. I once went to the store to check the authenticity.
Of course, there was no hut, so I bought a ``WEBER BUILT'' Cuban shirt remade into shorts.
They were cool, but the straight cut made them extremely difficult to wear, so I ended up giving them up. too good to waste···

(Left "WEBER BUILT", middle "Biotope", right "Freaks Store")

In the end, he imitated Bruce Weber's braces and put a bandana on his head.

Now that I think about it, I was an idiot.

But he's the only photographer I've ever met before or since I've been so obsessed with one photographer. There are two people around me who named their dogs "Bruce."

He thought he would remain at the top of the fashion photography world no matter how far he goes, but due to recent accusations of harassment, he has been forced to retire from the front line.

I think his quality is enhanced by the fact that he shoots with a generous budget and movie-like sets and casting, so it's a real shame that we can't fully enjoy his gorgeous and innocent worldview. Going off topic, Terry Richardson, Mario Testino, and in the movie industry Woody Allen (his new work can be seen in Japan, but not in the United States) have been spoiled by the industry for similar reasons. It's a shame that there are.

Returning to Bruce Weber, when I was an assistant, Mr. Takahira told me, ``His photo books are only printed in the first edition, so the prices are bound to go up.'' So I forced myself to buy several books, but except for Rio de Janeiro, the premiums were still there. It seems like there isn't. I don't mind though.

Well then, look forward to next time.