WARDROBE CHRONICLES °03

WHAT DO YOU WEAR? WITH ASSAN SOWE

07/24 ZURICH
Assan Sowe, Photographer and Model
Style curation by Noëmi Leonhardt

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My interest in fashion grew around pre-school, pick-up during high school, and my apprenticeship (Hotel Fachmann), when I started to earn money and could start buying clothes. Through friends, through modelling. During high school, we had volunteer classes where my interest in photography started. Photography gives me the freedom to create my own vision, whereas when I model, I create someone else's vision. I like this change of perspective.

What inspires you?

I draw inspiration from everything I see. I hate colours; I like dark colours, simple, and monochrome looks. My photography is actually the very opposite. I like it gloomy, contrasty, very colourful, dreamy, and bright. I like to watch at photographers like Javier Castan and Tyler Mitchell. I mostly collect inspiration through social media and go through the work of photographers I like, almost every single day, like my Pinterest is crazy full. But since my relationship with social media is not the best, because I tend to overprocess things and overcompare myself way too much, I have also started to collect magazines. I like that magazines are a finished project. There is a beginning, which is the cover, and there is an end, which is the back cover, and every single page within this is a finished project. So you cannot keep scrolling; that is what I love about the magazine. And also that it is physical; it is real. Social media does not feel reel. It feels like a deep rabbit hole where I struggle to lose myself.

How would you describe your personal way of dressing?

I would describe my personal style as calm. I rather like to wear clothes instead of them wearing me. I don't like logos in general. For me, the garment has to speak the same language I do, which is calm, relaxed, and open-minded. Women's and men's wear both speak to me because they show two different sides of pattern, fit, and general vibe. Less is more. 

How and when do you make decisions about what to wear?

Do you know the meme about having an exciting school trip where you prepare your outfit the evening before, lay it out on top of your bed, and then just lie next to it? I do not kid you; I did the exact same thing when I was a kid. Nowadays, decisions are made intuitively. I wear a lot of monochrome looks like black, grey, and beige. Beige is actually the most colour I would wear. Having this precise colour palette makes it easier, and therefore I focus on the silhouette. I like the ratio of long legs and short torso, so I enjoy wearing very long pants and short tops and rarely wear short pants. I like my clothes: flowy, light shirts, comfortable. Less is really more. (I like Saint Laurent a lot, which actually feels like the opposite, but Anthony Vaccarello has implemented more of long coats and long garments, and this deepens my love for Saint Laurent.) I usually go after silhouettes.

How do you decide what to shop for?

I do not research a lot. I have some favourite brands like Maison Margiela and Saint Laurent, but I decide very intuitively when buying something.

Would you say you have found your style?

I would definitely say my wardrobe reflects my style. And still, I am very open and adaptable for new things. Like, I would not say no to skirts, and I wear a lot of womenswear. I would even say that I prefer womenswear sometimes since they can make the person wearing the garment more individual. I feel like clothes do not have a gender. They're just clothes. It is then up to the wearer to decide how it is going to look.

Do you notice variations in your dressing habits based on different occasions or contexts?

I usually wear what I like. But there might be some occasions, like visiting a foreign city where no one knows me, where I would decide to dress more provocatively. I have this beautiful tanktop from MARNI with a huge v-neck. I would never wear this in Zurich. It would just attract too much undesired attention.

If you lived abroad where no one knows you, what would you wear differently, and which city best embodies that style?

I have to say I am pretty comfortable with my personal style and where this journey has brought me till now. I'm sure I'll adjust a thing or two, but generally speaking, I would not change much. I wouldn't be mad to see what will happen to my mindset once I find myself in Tokyo or NYC.

How do you feel about fashion nowadays?

Honestly, I don’t even think about it. I just feel like you notice the difference between someone trying too hard. I like when you wear the clothes and not let the clothes wear you. You know what I mean? I feel like you should feel good and authentic in your clothes, no matter what label it has on.

A styling tip?

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Stay open, stay curious, try on new styles, and get inspired.