Recycling and reusing are the biggest trends

Johnny Cirillo, renowned for his candid photography in the streets of New York, catches people who experiment with fashion, have bold styles, and want to inspire more people with their style. In an interview with Fibre2Fashion, he shares his thoughts on noticeable trends and memorable encounters while approaching for a capture.

Fibre2Fashion: How would you illustrate your journey? Was being a photographer pre-decided?

Johnny Cirillo:

My journey into photography started early. My mother gave me a camera when I was 14 and I have been interested ever since. I would not say it was pre-decided, but I have always loved shooting photos and it progressed naturally over the years into a career.

F2F: How would you approach strangers to capture them? What were some memorable encounters?

JC:

I often take a candid photo from a distance and then approach the subject. I just stop them and explain the project and chit-chat a little. I made lots of friends along the way too. Lots of fun memorable encounters but my favourite ones are when the subject tells me they are visiting NYC (New York City) for the first time and having a photo to cement the memory means a lot. Love when I catch a family here for the first time. Pete Davidson was a really fun encounter too. Really nice guy.

F2F: What are the noticed trends on the NYC streets that can have the highest influence in the coming year?

JC:

As far as the biggest trends go, I would say recycled is top of the list. Anything repurposed or upcycled has a big future. People are excited to change the way we waste, and they are doing lots of good with reusing clothes.

F2F: Are you considering turning your passion for candid photography into a business, and if so, what are your plans?

JC:

I thoroughly enjoy what I do and would not want to change much. I am currently working on a book deal and some other fun projects are in the hopper. It has been my full-time job for two years now, so I am hoping it will continue.

F2F: Which country or street fashions do you adore the most apart from New York?

JC:

I have not visited lots of other places but just from seeing images around the world, I love the style and fashion from Japan, Paris, and Italy. I love the colours and patterns from India as well. Hopefully one day I will make it to all these places to shoot some looks.

F2F: Who is your style icon?

JC:

My wife Kristin is my style icon. She is a major boss! She has a 6th sense. As far as someone is in the spotlight, I really like the things Harry Styles is doing these days.

F2F: What style advice would you give to fashion enthusiasts or someone looking to break into the industry?

JC:

Explore all of it. You do not need to have one style. Try new things and push yourself to experiment with new patterns, shapes, and colours. But most importantly do what makes you happy. Getting dressed is a way to express yourself, so have fun with it.