Fashion & Photography: The Art of Speaking Without Words

From the Editor Fashion & Photography: the Art of Speaking Without Words

As A creative, I’ve always found comfort and inspiration in pictures. I’m the guy who prefers magazines over books because there are more beautiful images. And for me, photos tell a story in a way that words can’t—and that’s incredibly powerful.

This idea of expression without words is something I’ve always loved...the ability to evoke emotion as a form of communication. Given my background as an art kid, I’ve usually thought about this in terms of photography or design, but there’s another avenue that functions as a powerful medium for non-verbal communication: fashion.

I woke up this morning preparing to write this letter and came to the realization that I’ve always cared about how I presented myself. My style has changed from growing up in Wisconsin to designing in New York to now living in San Francisco, but the main idea has remained the same: I’m going to meet someone today who will formulate a first impression based on what they see—even before there are words coming out of my mouth. It turns out that subconsciously, we say a lot just by getting dressed in the morning. Clearly, I’m fascinated by this topic, which is why I’m so excited about this month’s issue of Snap. It explores the parallels between fashion and photography, and how they both function as a means of non-verbal communication.

While some people may never see the value in fashion, my only intention is to express the power in one’s personal visual voice, and how much we say without even talking.

Keep telling your story without words.

Mario Estrada Content Editor