Daily News Record (October 18, 1999) p.42
TAKING A DIRECT APPROACH
VIDEO DIRECTORS ARE HAVING A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON ARTISTS' IMAGE, AS WELL
AS THE WORLD OF FASHION.
by Nelson Mui & Elena Romero.
For many young men, there's nothing as fashionable as the one depicted
in music videos. Woven into a panorama of fast and fancy camera work,
and set to a catchy, rhythmic beat, the fashions in the video look all
the more enticing -- perhaps even more than a still high-fashion
photograph.
So it's not surprising that today's hottest music video directors are
leaving their imprint on the world of fashion, either by inspiring
fashion photographers and stylists, or by directing fashion
commercials.
For example, Hype Williams, widely considered the reigning king of
music videos -- he's worked with Will Smith, Busta Rhymes and Tupac
Shakur to name a few -- most recently directed the hit Gap commercial
"Khaki Soul."
"I have relationships with different artists," said Williams. "A lot
more rap artists and performers are more inclined to trust my judgement
when it comes to image making and apparel. My point of view is
different than many directors that may not have a real investment in
the culture. People know I have a real friendship with them. I'm a
painter -- what they wear, what set designer. We are going to use and
different colors. I use a different paint brush each time."
According to Williams, though, some rappers styles have naturally
evolved. "Things change, people change," he said. "I remember when
Lauryn Hill wore baseball caps and backpacks. Today, she's a grown
woman as an artist and her style reflects that."
Little X, who has directed videos for Red Man and Deborah Cox, said
choosing a wardrobe is a question of finding the right balance between
being edgy and cool
"A music video is about selling cool," said Little X. "It's a
reflection of the music itself though, and you've got to be putting
people in brands that people are actually wearing, but it's got to be
cool at the same time. My eyes are more on the street and that's where
it's coming from, looking at what the kids are up to."
Little X also acknowledged that in an urban environment where a
standard uniform consists of T-shirts, baggy pants and timberlands,
having the right accoutrements can make all the difference. "Sometimes
it's about having the coolest pagers, or the coolest watches," said
Little X. "The whole idea is to be different -- that little extra
something."
For Zodiac, who has directed videos for The Lost Boys, getting the
right fashion attitude comes from understanding the artist. "I try to
get to know them, hang with them, shoot some pool," said Zodiac. "I
spend a couple of days with them, get a feel for things, and then I
start to get a vibe that helps me create."
Zodiac added that through videos, artists can most effectively change
their image. "The next Lost Boys video, we're going to move away from
that straight white-T-shirt baggy look," said Zodiac. "They want to
smooth those edges out, we're going to go for more colorful stuff. If
you take that rag off [the tops of their heads], that makes all the
difference. They're not really strong on the gangsta rap stuff, but
they're still to the street and like to keep it fun."
(
geocities.com/hypepaul)