The Industry Insider: Justin Bridges

There are a couple of key people in the menswear sphere you need to know, and Justin Bridges is one of them. After a short stint in NYC’s finance sector, he decided to switch directions and follow his true passion: photography. In a relatively short period of time, he has become a key player in the industry, shooting for publications like GQ & Hypebeast and brands like Carlos Campos, Public School, The Arrivals and more. He maintains a thriving online presence, and is extremely skilled at offering nuanced and cerebral viewpoints of menswear and the fashion industry as a whole. On a recent visit to the Onassis cafe, we sat down with Mr. Bridges and discussed macro fashion trends, the overall state of menswear and tons more.

What were the circumstances that made you decide to switch from the world of finance to a photography career?

I joined finance during the financial crisis. While I enjoyed my job, I could feel it wasn’t for me. I picked up a camera again (I started shooting in college) and would always talk about it when I got to work on Mondays. My boss and mentor noticed the excitement photography brought me and helped me think through what I wanted to do with my life. She pulled out a napkin and wrote pros and cons. Needless to say, the list of pros for leaving and following my heart were a lot longer than the reasons not to. She said, “Follow your heart and the money will come.” That was the nudge I needed to think differently.

How has the menswear scene changed as a whole from when you first entered to its current state?

The biggest change in menswear in the short time I’ve participated has been a combination of heightened interest and democratization. Men are caring a lot more about the things they spend money on. All of these things can be attributed to style – the clothing worn, the restaurants they frequent, the watches they invest in, and on and on. It’s almost unfair to call it menswear. The menswear scene is more like a men’s world. Grooming, clothing, lifestyle; it all folds into this thing that has grown so much. Regarding democratization, the proliferation of blog culture followed by the boom in social media has really given voice to a lot of people that would have normally been a footnote, sitting in the margins. Lastly, as a result, I think there is a little bit more risk taking being added into the game. Which is exciting when it comes from respectable houses, and a little unsettling when it comes from the inexperienced. But you can’t have the good without the bad.

Brands these days seem to rely heavily on bloggers and social media influencers to shape their image. What are your feelings about this trend?

I don’t see any problem with it. Bigger picture – why should only celebrities get an opportunity to pedal their influence for cash? This is just the same thing as advertisement but it gives different brands with different budgets a chance to play. Of course, there should always be some responsibility on behalf of both parties in terms of disclosure. I will say, it seems that some people enjoy a little bit of change from always seeing a model in brand imagery. Not everyone can relate to the best looking person in the clothes they’re trying to buy. Some times you just want to see a guy in the clothes that could be your friend.

When brands usually hire you for campaigns and other shoots, do they have a solid vision already in place or do they rely mainly on your creative input?

It goes both ways. Great brands always have a firm idea of what direction they want to go in. Regardless, it’s always a range of things that I’ll work on. I’ve put together entire concepts along with finding talent, location, stylists, etc. I’ve also just showed up to shoot, with the client relying on me for lighting expertise, photography, and retouching. I prefer to work on collaborative efforts where I have a substantial say but the client at least has an understanding of where they want to end up feeling/vibe-wise.

The menswear ecosystem is extremely interconnected at this point. How do you go about making the necessary connections you need to get ahead?

I haven’t a clue. I feel like I met a lot of key players when I first got started in this career on the buying side. Along the way, I’ve tried to accumulate more people I enjoy working with and have a good relationship with. At this point, I probably don’t do enough networking, but I think the work and the friendships do most of the talking for you to stay in the thick of it. When you provide a professional experience and top notch work for a client, not only will they come back, but they’ll also recommend you to others. That’s both the beauty and the fear-invoking part about working in such a close knit industry.

What are your thoughts on “fast fashion” brands like ASOS, Mango and Zara and the influence they have on the menswear genre?

I don’t really believe fast fashion brands have as big an appeal to men as they do to women. But, I’d also be an idiot to not acknowledge that they have a large impact on retail. What I do like about fast fashion retail is almost only from a business mind. They were inevitable to the path of fashion and retail. Fashion is innovative but by definition way too slow. Fashion is steeped in tradition and process. Fashion is so exciting and fun to watch because there are talents out there who are truly trying to innovate and design special garments. But you can’t do that kind of thing overnight. Where as a Zara can see one of these talented designer’s pieces come down the runway and have their version on the rack in 2 weeks. It’s awesome for the consumer who can’t afford a $2600 Acne leather jacket, or $225 rag & bone jeans. The guys getting hit the hardest are probably the smallest designers.

It’s hard to have an opinion on it. On one hand, I don’t think plagiarizing in any form promotes fair competition. I love the idea of them if they were always creating pieces that didn’t resemble any other designer’s work. However, let’s get real, that’s incredibly idealistic. Like any other huge business, they can chase revenue with nimble production and supply chain, not to mention economies of scale – which is savvy. On the other hand, they exist on the backs of all the houses that are truly creating and risking their capital to put out interesting items season after season. Then again, is that too idealistic as well? Designers at all ends of the spectrum have been known to buy garments from other brands or from vintage collections to welcome inspiration and infuse a little of yesterday into tomorrow. It’s really hard to call it.

Ultimately, at every price point (comparing apples to apples), the best product will sell – hands down.

How do you feel about celeb-driven brands like Kanye’s Yeezy collections?

I don’t really care. If I was a celebrity and loved clothing and had the money to do it, I would too. However, If I had that much money, I’d do it differently. I’d probably go to school and try to learn from those I admired before even stepping my foot in the ring. When you’re rich, the opportunity cost to do extracurricular activities is a lot lower. So sure, design what you want, but do it in a way that pays homage to the people that came before you. And before I ether myself for never having assisted a photographer before I started being a photographer, let me add one thing: If you are literally going to design a line yourself and you’re good at it without school or training, then fine, be a prodigy. But the reality is, Kanye probably isn’t even designing anything himself, so that doesn’t apply. Again, I don’t really care at all. Blow the money you earned anyway you want.

Moving back to your photography, what do you prefer shooting more; campaigns, lookbooks or fashion editorials?

Probably fashion editorials followed by campaigns. Editorials give you an avenue to comment on society while playing with a direction of clothing. You have a bit more freedom to play, and that’s what it’s all about. Campaigns are great because no matter how important creativity and art may be, there’s an element of strategy and deeper understanding you need to help a client craft a successful set of images. You really want to understand the brand’s consumer, and you want to get deep into the creative director’s vision so you can help them craft the visual story. It can be immensely rewarding.

Do any particular campaigns and shoots you’ve done stand out in your mind as being particularly rewarding or impactful?

Ugh, I hate all my work within a week or two of the shoot. I think my favorite shoot this year was one I did with Totokaelo where we took inspiration from Irving Penn’s original campaign shoot and recreated our own vision of Issey Miyake’s Pleats Please collection.

What are some of your favorite go-to menswear brands of the moment? Also what’s your current must-have accessories?

Let me think … Robert Geller, Rick Owens, Damir Doma, Public School, and Carlos Campos. Those are probably the first brands I turn to when it’s time to break out the wallet, but there are definitely some others on the list. I’m not a huge accessory guy. Maybe a pair of scissors, so I can cut off my jeans or rip a sweater’s sleeves off to make the clothes I want to wear. Honestly, I guess my must-have accessory is a weekender bag. I try to travel as much as possible, whether it’s a trip to Upstate NY, or a mileage run on an airplane (I’m a total nerd). Right now, I’m rocking a Lotuff Leather beautiful black leather weekender with a monogram. My other accessory that comes everywhere with me is card wallet. It’s a Passavant And Lee card wallet; thin with leather, solid brass, plated in sterling silver.

Being that you’re a photographer, what is one thing that our readers can do to always look better in photos?

Haha, you would think I was an expert by now. Here are two guesses. First, work on your posture. We all tend to slump a little, pull back those shoulders and straighten your back. Another one: Unless you’re skinny, try to angle towards the camera lens instead of squaring up to it.

Lastly, tell us about some of your interesting upcoming projects/ventures that we can expect to see in the coming months?

Who knows, I feel like the bar and the dream is always moving around. I have huge dreams like opening an ice cream shop, maybe a restaurant, possibly a hotel – I know where, I just don’t know when and how yet. An easier goal is that I’m thinking about doing a podcast. Nobody will listen, but I think it’s something I want to do anyway.

Photo wise, I’m always hoping to grow the business. If I can grow it to a certain point, I’d love to open a studio/workspace. From there, I’d love to be able to shoot and potentially start a creative agency out of there. My girlfriend has some awesome ideas that I’d love to be a part of as well. I’m just excited to be an entrepreneur with enough time on my hands to do real thinking.

To keep up with Justin Bridges, follow him at: @bybridges & @tuckedstyle

You can also visit his website: justinbridges.com