@Karyastreetstyle Will Photograph You Even If You’re Wearing Sweatpants

NYC street style photographer Karya Schanilec discusses latest fashion trends, gen-z style, and inclusivity in street photography

Karya Schanilec’s ninth New York Fashion Week was hectic as ever; with more digital presentations, client demands, and an influx in creative street wear, the 28-year-old photographer is finally taking a breather. “I’m still processing everything,” said Schanilec. “It’s all kind of a blur.” For Schanilec, aka @karyastreestyle, the spring 2023 Fashion Week had one major difference compared to past events: more representation of plus-size and POC runway models — an inclusivity that Schanilec spotlights in her own photography.

Originally from Seattle, WA, Schanilec made her big move to NYC after attending her first Fashion Week, hoping to pursue a full-time career in photography. Now based in Brooklyn with over 69k followers on Instagram, Schanilec’s streetwear photography has spurred praise from users who appreciate Schanilec’s drive to capture a diverse range of “true New Yorkers,” a feature often neglected in fashion photography. “I get recognized when I’m out,” said Schanilec. “I’m a lowkey celebrity, which is really weird.”

Along with inclusivity, Schanilec uses street style as a marker of the city’s post-pandemic changes, addressing the rise of pop-up shops, and neighborhood gentrification by observing trending streetwear and the variation of retail spaces that demonstrates a shift in fashion demographics.

Here Schanilec shares her thoughts on athleisure wear, Gen z’s fascination with DIY, and representation in NYC streetwear.

What prompted you to start your own Instagram account dedicated to fashion, specifically street style in New York?

I came to New York Fashion Week with a friend and I shot outside of two shows, so a very small amount of street style, but I was hooked.

Then I moved here, it kind of snowballed from there. Initially I was just doing Fashion Weeks, then it went silent for about a year during the pandemic.

Once vaccines were rolling out, people were out again and dressing up. I was inspired. I just brought my camera out with me and started taking photos, and it felt good. At that point I had created a separate Instagram account for street style, and it just snowballed from there. I feel like my life is always me trying something and then it snowballs. All of a sudden, it’s my thing.

Can you walk me through your process of going out on the street and taking photos? Is there a spot that you generally gravitate towards?

Soho is like the spot. I try not to go there as much anymore just because I feel like that’s where I always go and I want to mix it up, but that’s kind of the epicenter of super trendy style; it’s where everybody is dressing up to see and be seen.

But I also love going to the Upper East side; you get more of an older, mature woman demographic, and the lower East side you get a little funkier.

I like going to Williamsburg and Greenpoint. You’ll see everything in Williamsburg, just because of how Williamsburg is being gentrified; you have a Madewell and then you have a super cool, underground, vintage store, so it’s a really big mix. The fashion I see definitely represents what the neighborhoods are.

Do you have a personal preference over shooting candid photos of people in the street versus photoshoots?

I prefer shooting candidly. I think it shows the true New Yorker, how they’re acting, how they’re looking down the street, how they’re holding a coffee, looking at their phone, their facial expressions.

Every once in a while, if I see something that I really love, or it’s a trend that I’m looking for, then I’ll stop them and I’ll have them pose — so I’m faking the candid a little.

But the candid moments are where it’s at; I get a lot of feedback from my followers saying that they like that too, because it feels more authentic.

Why is it important to keep documenting street style and where do you think it’s going in the future?

It’s great for documenting how our society is changing and how style is changing. Style directly relates to what’s going on. It’s important visual documentation of how the neighborhoods are changing, how the city is changing. It’s showing everybody.

Part of my work is capturing the real New Yorkers. I try to be as inclusive as possible. Size, inclusivity, race, age, and everything in between. I get a lot of people who thank me for that, because a lot of other street style photographers, they’re just looking for the models on the street. They’re not necessarily looking for style, they’re just looking for the pretty girl that walks on the street. Not everybody can relate to that.

Coming out of Covid, have you noticed a difference in how people express themselves in clothing?

I see people who are leaning into the dopamine dressing and multiple layers. A lot of people also learned how to sew and they started making their own clothes.

But then I also see a lot of elevated, athleisure and matching sweat sets. It’s not like they rolled out of bed and they’re just wearing their pajamas, it’s styled in a way with accessories and the silhouettes seem very intentional.

It’s always funny when I get comments on my posts that people are like ‘I thought everyone in New York was more stylish.’ Not everybody dresses like Sex in the City, they are just normal people that wear their day-to-day stuff and it’s still inspirational.

Have you seen any particular social movement in fashion in New York City today?

In general, empowerment to have business and start selling your own style and share it with the world is a big social movement. There are a lot more Gen Z people who learned how to sew and they’re creating their own fashion business.

I’ve seen a lot of popups or their own little brick-and-mortars in Soho, which directly influences what people are buying and what they’re seeing on the street.

And there’s definitely more inclusivity and diversity in fashion as well, especially with Fashion Week having more plus size models and models of color on runways.

In street style photography, a lot of it is rooted in fatphobia from the fashion industry. If a brand makes up to a size eight, they’re not going to invite any plus size creators to their shows, because they can’t dress them. So, there’s less plus size people going to shows, and less plus size people that are going to be photographed and it just kind of trickles down.

But these Gen Z brands are more inclusive. They are making custom clothes for people who can’t find what they’re looking for.

How is New York style compared to style abroad?

People in New York, we’re always just a little rough around the edges; we’ve got an edge to us.

It’s not that we’re mean, we’ve got places to go. We have a personality and we don’t have time for everything. We’re moving quickly.