We all have goals – to learn how to parlez francais, to make it through spinning class without hyperventilating, to spend (way) less time playing FarmVille on Facebook, to meet
Project Runway’s Tim Gunn –
Wait. What?
“One of my big goals this year was to meet Tim Gunn,” says 32-year-old Cuyahoga Falls photographer Jason Noble, who just returned from New York Fashion Week. “I’ve already met Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia and half of the winners from Project Runway so that was my goal this year. And I got to meet [him] toward the end … so it was kind of exciting for me. I’m a big fan of that show.”
Noble has been hobnobbing with high society for three years since a fashion photographer friend based out of Indianapolis called the Marietta College graduate asking, “Hey, I just got into New York Fashion Week. Can you come help me out?”
So what does an admitted T-shirt-and-jeans type of guy from Northeast Ohio say to the author of
A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style and the host of Lifetime’s reality show administering advice to the fashion-impaired?
“I’m like, ‘Hey, Tim, I’m a really big fan. It’s really nice to meet you,’” he says. “And you know, he’s a really polite guy so we talked for a second and I’m like, ‘Hey, can I get a photo with you?’ And he’s like, ‘Of course!’”
Seeing the picture Noble took at arm’s length, Gunn kidded, “’Wow! I could be your grandfather!’ So it was kind of cute; he’s funny. And as soon as I got that photo, everyone else tried and he’s like, ‘Nope! I’ve got to go!’ and he disappeared through this door that we never even knew existed,” Noble laughs. “So we kind of joke around that Tim Gunn has his own private little tunnel to Fashion Week.”
During his 10-day stint in NYC Noble also shot Russell Simmons, Liv Tyler, Mena Suvari, John Legend, Adam Lambert… “I’ve got a folder with over a hundred different celebs that I photographed this time out,” he says. And he met Jay Manuel from A
merica’s Next Top Model and Kelly Osbourne, who seemed to be there every day.
“One thing I do when I’m backstage is I try to get models to do devil horns so I tried to get Kelly to do that and she kind of turned her nose up and almost gave me a snooty expression. She’s like, ‘Oh, no, I don’t do that.’ So it was just kind of funny being the daughter of Ozzy Osbourne and whatnot. But then I’m like, ‘Ok, well, can I get a photo?’ And she’s like, ‘Oh yeah, totally!’ So, really nice girl.”
Noble says it’s nearly impossible to attend every show as there are sometimes 10 a day but his favorites were G-Star Raw for its “visually stunning” backgrounds and choreographed performance and Vassilios Kostetsos, whose “entire collection was just amazing. … The use of color, the use of print and a lot of the outfits were on the edgy–slash–risqué side.”
Edgy-slash-risque as in super-short skirts and low-cut tops? “Yeah. All of the above,” he laughs.
Asked if he’ll return to Fashion Week when it hits Lincoln Center in September, Noble replies, “Oh yeah. Definitely.”
For a slideshow of Noble's images from Fashion Week,
click here. Jason is owner of locally based Noble Images Inc. His work can be seen at
nobleimages.us.
Recently I have received comments from my male readers expressing their feeling of neglect. I have heard you loud and clear, therefore this post is just for the male fashion followers. I as watched the runway shows of NY fashion week and scoured over the pages of several popular men's magazines and clothing websites, three menswear trends have completely taking over. First, the gray wool suit- it is super versatile and can be worn in both casual and formal settings. Depending on the weight of the fabric, a gray suit can be worn year round and is a timeless classic- a wardrobe must have. It is most appealing when worn with a vividly patterned shirt and bold necktie. The second standout trend are slim fitting shirts in charcoal gray, black, or army green with military inspired details such as buttoned front pockets and epaulets worn with complementing skinny neckties. Finally, every guy must get a pair of brown dress shoes for fall! Brown shoes offer the most bang for you buck. They can be worn with just about everything (yes, even black and gray) and look far less formal than the basic black shoe. I hope this helps my trend challeged guys and motivates my fashion savvy male readers, never again again shall I neglect either.
