Alex Dobé: what’s raw and unposed? We have to be pickier and more precise

Photographer Alex Dobé’ captures what’s raw and unposed – in Paris, he stands out: There are a lot of avant-garde brands, but I’m not sure anyone is reshaping fashion on a large scale today

Anouk Jans: How do you reconcile fashion’s hunger for ‘newness’ with the need for sustainability?

AD: “Newness in fashion is driven by both creativity and consumerism. Going vintage, on the consumer side, provides that sense of newness while being sustainable. Then — where’s the space for designers and their creativity? The truth is, we don’t need more clothes, but we also can’t stop designers from creating. I don’t know if there’s a middle ground.”

AJ: Do you believe the future of style lies in restraint — less but better — or in radical experimentation? And what role can photography play in shifting how we see consumption, essentials, and authenticity?

AD: “Definitely less is better, for me. We have to be pickier and more precise with what we keep in our closets — sell the things you don’t wear and keep the essentials. Photography plays a role, we’re bombarded with new stuff all the time, but if you turn around and look at the archives, there are pieces that still feel relevant today. One of my favorite pieces I own is a Comme bomber jacket from 1989 — I’m still mind-blown by how perfect the shape is, even today.”

AJ: If you had to name one transformation you’d like to see in the fashion industry, what would it be?

AD: “Diversity.”

AJ: Does the industry give enough room to emerging voices, or are they still treated as background rather than collaborators?

AD: “This Parisian crew called Air Afrique did a great collab with Nike, they were given the space to do what they wanted creatively. There should be many more initiatives like that.”

AJ: Which designers or brands do you feel are reshaping fashion today?

AD: “There are a lot of avant-garde brands like Comme des Garçons that have been steering fashion in a different direction for decades, but it remains a niche. I’m not sure anyone is reshaping fashion on a large scale today — everything looks more or less the same because you have to please a wide audience to make money.”

AJ: Please, describe your own style of dressing.

AD: “A blazer with patchwork, a shirt adorned with frills, or asymmetrical shorts. That’s why I love Comme des Garçons — it’s what I look for in a garment: something classic, but with a twist.”

AJ: Who or what has most shaped your taste — archives, music, art, the streets? And where do you shop — archives, vintage, emerging designers, established houses?

AD: “My taste is a mix of menswear archives (Tumblr), the streets, and my friends. Goldie, for example, introduced me to Lemaire and their amazing denim pants. I shop mostly vintage — Japan is the best for that.”

AJ: Which designers or labels do you return to again and again, and why?

AD: “Comme des Garçons. My goal was to have a closet full of it — and I’m there now. I don’t need to buy anything more, but I still do here and there.”

AJ: Is taste innate, or something cultivated over time?

AD: “There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to find your own style with time and research.”

AJ: How do you balance your personal taste with the expectations of the industry?

AD: “I don’t care about the expectations of the industry — never have, never will. I love fashion, but I wouldn’t let anybody dictate anything to me.”

AJ: Is taste today about discernment, or about speed and volume?

AD: “It’s always been about discernment. There should be thought behind anything you like — that’s what defines taste.”

AJ: How has your personal style transformed over the years?

AD: “I was influenced by Hip-Hop in my early years. Then I discovered Tumblr, and it opened my perspective to different things and people. I remember seeing how Nick Wooster dressed and being impressed. Then I started working in fashion during Fashion Weeks and got tons of inspiration all the time. You have to process and sort through that until you find what you like. I went from sagging pants to red slim pants (thank you, Lil Wayne), to more classic blazers and straight pants — before Comme allowed me to define my style.”

AJ: Do you dress differently when you’re working versus in your everyday life?

AD: “I dress the same anytime I’m out, no matter what I’m doing. Going to the airport or running errands at the supermarket — I’ll dress the same. I’m not more comfortable in sweatpants.”