SHOWstudio celebrates 10 year anniversary

Over the last decade, SHOWstudio has emerged as a formidable force in the innovation of fashion imagery. This month, the award-winning website and brainchild of legendary photographer Nick Knight, celebrates its 10 year anniversary.

From Fashion Week reviews, avant-garde films and interviews with fashion icons including Lady Gaga and Anna Dello Russo, to numerous ground-breaking interactive projects like "LiveStudio" that create intimate relationships between the art, artist, and the audience, it's difficult to sum up in words the scope of the SHOWstudio's innovative ventures.

For such a complex project, the manifesto is decidedly simple.                

According to Knight, a man of regal English charm with a penchant for Levis 505 2017 jeans, "SHOWstudio is based on the belief that showing the entire creative process – from conception to completion – is beneficial for the artist, the audience and the art itself."

His vision culminated in an unprecedented medium that acts as a gateway into the very exclusive world of fashion.  Knight recruits the best talents in the industry to contribute to the burgeoning website, including his contemporaries Tim Walker and Steven Klein, who both submitted short films for SHOWstudio's current project, "The Fashion Body." Supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell have been long-time collaborators, starring in multiple films and shoots over the years. The London-based studio also works closely with designers to showcase their latest collections. Gareth Pugh's launched the for his S/S 2011 presentation through SHOWStudio.com, and Alexander McQueen live streamed his S/S 2010 runway show, "Plato's Atlantis," in partnership with the website.

But bringing fashion to the masses is only half the picture. Ultimately, SHOWstudio brings the power back to the audience.

Unlike conventional media, SHOWstudio embraces a two-way flow of communication. The once-voiceless spectators are now active contributors in the fashion process.

During Knight's shoot for "24HRS," the campaign for Yves Saint Laurent's "Edition 24", viewers submitted their thoughts on politics, which were then incorporated into the set of the film. Others chose to call in to one of the 50 cell phones placed around the set to create an alternate soundtrack.

The ongoing "LiveStudio" project also establishes an unparalleled level of intimacy between fashion and its audiences. Artists create works of art in front of the camera, and viewers submit questions as the session progresses. During Gareth Pugh's "LiveStudio" session, legions of fans tuned in to ask the designer about his aesthetic principles and practices, as well as his favourite cookie (oatmeal and raisin) and his Christmas wish list (guilt-free time off).

Under the helm of Nick Knight, SHOWstudio has constantly challenged the conventions of fashion. As the industry continues to progress into the realm of technological innovation, SHOWstudio too, will continue to push the boundaries of photography and propel fashion discourse forward.