tastemakers

Todd Selby Wants the A.C. Slater Look to Come Back

After shooting fashion and editorials for eight years, Todd Selby turned a personal project into the talk of the design and sartorial worlds. TheSelby.com offers up amazing shots of creative kinds in their own homes and offices. The voyeur in us is tickled pink to see the lust-worthy spaces of Erin Wasson, Alexander Wang, Isabelle McNally, and Matt Creed, to name a few. (He also shot our All New issue.) We sat down with the man behind the lens to talk about how the project started, whom he’d love to shoot, and neon socks.

What inspired you to create The Selby?
I wanted to do something where I could look at the people’s houses and their surroundings and possessions and pictures of them, and try to tell more of a story.

Who else would you love to photograph?
Karl Lagerfeld, Hedi Slimane, Tom Ford, Dita Von Teese, Kanye West, Jason Schwartzman, Rick Rubin, Chloë Sevigny, Bruce Weber, Grace Coddington.

Nicolas Malleville and Francesca BonatoPhoto: The Selby

Whose home, overall, surprised you the most?
Blake Mycoskie, the guy that started TOMS shoes. He actually lives in a sailboat. It’s really interesting because his business and what he does is breaking the mold; he’s a businessman, but he has this whole idea of a bigger picture, and I think it also applies to where he lives.

What’s your own apartment like?
My apartment is basically photo books, white walls, art friends have made. I would say it’s not interesting enough to be on The Selby. I’m really interested in people who have tons of crazy stuff in their house, so for me I kind of live it out vicariously through my photos.

Who are your favorite designers?
Mark the Cobra Snake for his T-shirts, T by Alexander Wang, Barker Black shoes, Brian Lichtenberg, Rugby, Polo Ralph Lauren.

What trends do you like right now?
Neu Rave and Post–Neu Rave.

What trends do you wish would just go away?
None; I am very trendy.

Are there any trends you wish would come back?
Yes. Mismatched neon socks. Fluorescent shorts. Big hair. Greased-back hair. Basically anything to do with A.C. Slater.

Where do you shop in the city?
I shop at Barker Black for shoes, ties, and pocket squares. Earnest Sewn for jeans and man bags. Cobra Snake shop for vintage jackets and all my T-shirts. I have twenty Cobra Snake T-shirts.

What’s something every woman (or man) should have in her (or his) closet?
Every person should have some have some good-looking skeletons in their closet.

What’s something you never leave home without?
My Earnest Sewn for Sol Moscot glasses. I can’t see anything without them.

Todd Selby Wants the A.C. Slater Look to Come Back