By Stephanie McCarty and Malee Moua
On April 25, Scott Schuman, creator of the fashion blog “The Sartorialist,” gave a talk to students as part of SCAD Style week. His down-to-earth, humble nature defied the stereotypical fashion industry personality and was both refreshing and endearing. Schuman talked about growing up in Indiana, becoming interested in fashion and working in sales and marketing.
Like many other New York business owners, Schuman was greatly affected by the devastation of September 11, 2001. He closed his showroom, where he was director of men’s fashion, and focused on photography, a field he was still learning, so he could capture real people in real fashion on the streets of New York.
During his talk, Schuman encouraged everyone to “learn how to learn” by being open to figuring out new things. He referenced his first days learning photography, not by reading, but by doing. He encouraged all attendees to find the “romance” in life, meaning that there is beauty in all different people and things around the world — one simply has to uncover it.
Here, in an interview with fourth-year fashion marketing and management student Stephanie McCarty, Schuman spoke about blogging successfully and fashion.
Stephanie McCarty: How would you describe your personal style?
Scott Schuman: I’d say it’s American style with an Italian influence.
McCarty: A favorite experience of someone you’ve photographed?
Schuman: There was a guy I shot in Harlem, maybe three years ago by now, and I asked where he got this suit. He was this really elegant, older guy. And I thought he was gonna say something like, “Oh, I’ve had this suit for 30 years,” but he didn’t. He said, “Well, like five years ago, I was a drug dealer, and this girl didn’t pay her drug money, and so she gave me this suit instead.” That was a real surprise, because the guy was like 80. That was a very funny surprise.
McCarty: How do you choose the people on “The Sartorialist”?
Schuman: I just take pictures of people I see, that somehow I’m reacting to.
McCarty: How do you choose the people on The SartoriaLIST [featuring a distinctive list of men’s favorite tailor, barber, dry cleaner and shoe repair in New York, Paris and Milan]?
Schuman: I had a bad experience with a dry cleaner, and there was something I wanted differently. And I thought, “I need to find a new place.” So I started looking for a list that would have recommendations, and I thought, “But all those lists are just repeating what other lists said,” and I thought what I would rather do is ask my friends — all these stylish guys I know. And so that’s why I created the list, because the thing I like about it is, it’s a very real list. So, to me, it’s a successful idea, because it’s so real. It’s not just trying to flaunt how many expensive things they know.
McCarty: What advice would you give to fashion bloggers?
Schuman: It’s as easy and as hard as: write something people want to read. If I was to describe what I do, it doesn’t sound like it would be that much different [than what other bloggers do]. I take pictures, which I think are good pictures, but it’s the edits of who I chose to put on the blog, which I think really separates me. Just have a good edit. It sounds simple, but it’s not that simple to do, to actually have a unique, good edit and a good point of view. It’s like they say, “We don’t need anymore Italian restaurants. There’s a million.” Until the new, great one comes out, and they’re like, “Oh my god, how did we live without this?” So, just have a good point of view.
