Metallurgist

Retirement hasn’t stopped this West Ender from dressing up for the day.

This man’s name is Floyd and he’s a cowboy through and through. He used to ride in the Calgary Stampede and told me a story about getting a bull horn through the chest, piercing all the way to his spine, just missing it. His cigar smoke stained beard and worn suede jacket tell his story.

This gentleman looks like he’s staged a revolution or two in his lifetime. His corduroy flat cap, retro New Balance sneakers and 40′s era army-green field jacket caught my attention from two blocks away. And those eyes — there’s a thousand stories in those eyes.

Worn right, tweed looks hip and modern. This man’s subtle mustache, layering and tweed jacket is what caught my eye. With paper in pocket, to pass the time, he spent his afternoon selling a friend’s artwork on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

This gentleman is the most put together subject I have ever shot. He said that he follows his mother’s style advice to this day: don’t be afraid to spend money on a good suit, it will last longer and you will look like a million bucks.
contemporary fashion, facial hair, fads, fur leather and feather, jewelry and accessories, suits, vintage fashion

The full untrimmed beard spans generations. Heavy-hitting cultural figures from Engels to Sam Beam (Iron & Wine) have kept the biblical beard en vogue no matter what the decade.
The look here is ‘textile mosaic’. He combines a chunky wool hat, lightweight velour pants, leather gloves and suede shoes with a fur-lined leather bomber jacket and full facial hair.
It adds up to fashion chaos. But walking down Broadway on a brisk afternoon, he was pure rock ‘n roll.

I wish I’d captured his beaten old black leather man-bag. It was the detail in his outfit that distinguished him from any other well-dressed guy. His shoes are also worth noting: comfy like slippers yet seamlessly tied to his urban-casual ensemble. Smart.
After a day of shutter-shy folks who refused to strike a pose, Syl’s interest in our project made my day. Such a handsome guy.

There is something so dignified about a turban. This gentleman has the perfect combination of traditional with contemporary western fashion. The knee length three-button suit acts as a western version of the achkan and the off-white turban highly complements his graying beard. Notice the blue gray v-neck sweater underneath. Pazha!