Exactitudes

Geeks- London 2008, Part of the Exactitudes series*

To a large extent, fashion dictates what we wear. This season’s print, that must-have accessory, the get –it-before-it goes bag. So, we may try to be different, to buck the trend, to wear what we like rather than what we’re lectured to love. To be individuals. But, according to Dutch photographer Ari Versluis and stylist Ellie Uyttenbroek no matter how hard we strive to stand out from the fashion crowd, we all fit into certain tribes, and social groups have definite dress codes. The pair have worked together for the last 14 years pinpointing these very tribes around the world and photographing them for the project Exactitudes ( a contraction of 'exact' and 'attitude'.)

The idea is simple: they isolate fashion tribes for each city they visit and then hit the streets to find twelve individuals whose appearance fits exactly into that tribe.
Next Ari photographs all twelve in precisely the same pose,  using the same lighting, then places them together to create one image.
The result is striking: here are twelve people, all different, but, in appearance, exactly the same. They express their individuality… by dressing alike.
Ari and Ellie have been in London for the last month to find eight UK tribes , who have now been photographed with the results exhibiting in Selfridges.
Loma-Ann Bonner got an exclusve look at how the photographs are put together as she joined one of the team of scouts,  Raul Moya.


It’s a freezing day as I hit Oxford Street with Raul, a photography student at London College of Communication who has volunteered, with twelve others, to help Ari and Ellie find their London tribes.
“It’ll be hard to find many people today,” he says. “ Lots of them come out at night.”
Sounds ominous.
Why does he want to be part of this?
“ Because it combines fashion with art, it’s anthropological,” he explains. “Once you start looking, you can’t help but see all the tribes that are out there. And which one you belong to.”

I look at myself and rather think that I’m in the ‘thrown together as I don’t know if it’ll blow a hurricane, hail, or shine category.’  I like to call it the ‘ quirky layer tribe’ although someone else may suggest ‘ got dressed in the dark.’
Still, he’s not interested in the likes of me, but, rather, those who cock- a-snook at the weather and wear what reflects their personality and  makes them stand out ( albeit alongside at least 11 others .)
“This is who we’re looking for,” explains Raul, and shows me his list of tribes alongside notes for what each one must have.
Men:
Hoxton Heroes:  large accessory such as sunglasses, necklace or bag
Nerds:  Very messy, shoulder length hair, smart coat
Horror Boys : black clothes, black eyeliner
Bears:  Large, hairy gay men.

Women:
Yummy Mummies : gym clothes, full make-up, ponytail
City Girls: dark suit, high heels, briefcase
Combat Girls: Young lesbians, combat trousers, coloured hair.
Vintage Girls: Tiny waist, volume hair, flower. Not rockabilly!

This is far more precise than I imagined. And, surely, impossible to find 12 of each?
“The Bears and Hoxton Heroes have been really easy,” says Raul. “Those types are really extrovert and quite like to show off, and their clothes are like a uniform. But today we need Nerds and Horror Boys.”

I find myself eyeballing everyone that goes by.
And , it’s true, the tribes soon become obvious: Ugg boots, flicky hair, pashmina;  tight tracksuit, gold jewellery; dark suit under anorak, carrying rucksack. The list is endless… and fascinating.
We all put our own twist on clothes and something: fashion? personality? social grouping? makes others do exactly the same thing in exactly the same way.
We have a human desire to conform, yet we still want to be different. It is this tension that makes the Exactitudes images so arresting.
But I’ll be darned if we can find any Nerds or Horror Boys.
I spot loads of nerdy types but Raul rejects every one as their hair isn’t long or messy enough. 
“It’s all about the attention to detail,” he says.
We finally stumble upon two Hoxton Heroes who both have the requisite large sunnies and over-sized bag.
They're happy for Raul to take a snap and pass on their details to Ari and Ellie, who will invite them to the studio set up in Selfridges.
As I leave Raul I continue to pick out many more tribes and am pleased to spot a fellow thrown together, sporting hat but no gloves, umbrella, open coat, thin blouse and boots.
There must be another 10 of us somewhere.

Exactitudes at Selfridges, a Collaboration with the Photographers' Gallery, The Ultralounge, Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, London, W1, until  20th April

* copyright Ari Versluis & Ellie Uyttenbroek

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