Skool is Kool. It’s totally back to skool season (you can thank your delinquent Californian-by-way-of-NYC-by-way-of-Paris for this colloquialism). The season is fresh with idoicies, idiocyncracies and individuality. As we drop our kids off at school in the morning, the great mix of pre-fall styles comes together, a smorgasbord of designer and non handbags, shoes and of course lots of designer parenting styles.
The most crucial element, above and beyond, is the class picture. One bad shot and your children’s future wedding slideshow moments or #TBT feeds are at risk (that’s “Throwback Thursdays” for those not in the know). Well, lucky for Lea Seydoux, she’ll fare well with this portrait by Mark Peckmezian, for Dazed magazine’s Fall issue.
The next important factor is about how you arrive. Perhaps it’s Momma taking you to skool in those souped-up shiny wheels, as per Serge Leblon’s takes of Hilary Rhoda in Harper’s Bazaar UK September. Or it’s Papa taking you on a beautiful walk, in Daniel Riera’s image of Valery Kaufman, for Harper’s Bazaar US. Note to reader: fringe is always a great conversation starter.
Some students realize the importance of setting yourself apart from the rest of the crowd at an early age, illustrated by Craig McDean in AnOther magazine’s Fall issue, while others simply don’t think it’s vital, as the dynamic duo Mert & Marcus express in W magazine’s August issue.
Getting to skool is half the battle. We may recall our beloved grandparents recounting their youth, having to walk 10 miles – uphill both ways – in 10 feet of snow, in order to get to class. Mel Karch documented Anne Vyalitsyna – for Marie Claire Italy’s August issue – where we see a similar circumstance but in a more contemporary way : uphill both ways, in 10 centimeter high heels. Evolution at its best.
While en route, daydreaming brings constant entertainment. No one daydreams quite like Sofie Hemmet, in these images photographed by Scott Trindle for Vogue China’s July issue. Daydreaming, for example, that you come upon a snake slithering by, but that inner voice (aka the imaginary friend), persuades you to stop. Thanks Stella Lucia, for dealing with that snake, and thank you Txema Yeste, for capturing it, in Numero’s August issue.
Then, arriving at skool, with scattered faces of discontent (Lou Schoff scoffs for Christian MacDonald in Interview’s August issue), or moods of unity in chic collectives (Mert & Marcus went native for W’s August issue).
In class, the subjects have evolved: becoming one with nature, in this shot by Letty Schmiterlow of Adwoa Aboah for i-D’s Pre-fall issue, or working with natural light (elegant selfie potential) in this image of Achok Majak by David Roemer in Marie Claire UK’s September issue.
There are psychology classes, with all the tools to teach the kiddos about life, human nature, and being true to yourself (another Mert & Marcus example, from W’s August issue). And acting classes, to really get that inner crazy person out into the world for all to be entertained by (thanks Andreea Diaconu and Angelo Pennetta, for shooting this moment for WSJ’s September issue).
Well, all that in my skool at least. So I end my review with a pumpkin, not an apple, to offer the teacher, from Ben Weller for Flair Italy, along with a twirl of the dress, as all little girls love to do, by Ryan McGinley of Ruth Bell for Vogue China’s September issue.
As the skool bell rings, I remind you to keep your noses in your books until I check back on you again for a quiz…
Patricia Nagy
