When you think of the 80s, you probably think of a lot of things: upbeat pop music, audacious clothing, and rebellious punk attitudes – all of which seem bygone in this day and age, but in Idea’s latest photography book, 1985, a lightning bolt has been captured in print. Photographer Jamie Morgan and fashion designer Ray Petri, the creators of the Buffalo style movement, rewrote the rules of fashion and culture forever. In the year of several significant cultural events, such as the launch of the Nintendo Entertainment System, the debut of New Coke, and the first mobile phone call, one thing rose to the surface more than anything else: authentic, rebellious youth culture.
“These images are not contrived in that they were created without any preconceived agenda. They came about as a natural and authentic collaboration between myself and the stylist Ray Petri,” says Jamie. “They came out of a genuine exploration of image making inspired by everything we loved: music, art, sport and fashion.” Following his instincts, Jamie set out to disregard societal norms by casting racial diversity, gender fluidity, androgyny and muscle men in feminine clothes. Style was sourced globally – army surplus from NYC, hats from Jamaica, fashion from Paris. The photos are undoubtedly striking, think Tom Of Finland masculinity meets Adam Ant punk sensibilities, Hollywood lighting meets black-and-white 35mm film synonymous with reportage photography. Four years into the MTV generation, Jamie and Ray helped define how we remember this era. It’s easy to think of Vanilla Ice when looking at these sleek, chiselled models, but these photos were the blue print.