So, these Chanel Brooklyn photos. Man, that was a day. Didn’t even plan for it, to be honest.
I was actually in Brooklyn, way out in Bushwick, trying to track down this super specific vintage synth someone told me about. You know, one of those old dusty music shops that might still have treasures from back in the day. I’d heard a rumor, and you know how it is, sometimes those long shots pay off big time. So I schlepped all the way out there.
Spent hours, got completely lost, which is pretty typical for me when I’m on a mission in a new neighborhood. The synth? Total bust. The shop owner, a real character, just kinda stared at me blankly when I tried to describe the thing. Pretty sure he thought I was making it up. So, feeling a bit deflated and with an afternoon to kill, I just started wandering around, camera in hand, ’cause why not, right? Brooklyn’s always got something to see.
And that’s when the whole Chanel thing kinda started to pop, completely by accident. Not like stumbling upon a big fancy store, nothing like that. It was more subtle. I saw this girl walking by, and she had this absolutely amazing vintage Chanel bag, just casually slung over her shoulder. Stood out a mile. Then, a bit later, I spotted this incredible piece of graffiti on a roll-down gate – all black and white, really graphic. It didn’t say Chanel, but it just had that vibe, you know? That classic, bold elegance.
So I started snapping photos. It became a sort of game for me right then and there. My new mission: look for the Chanel spirit in the wild, in Brooklyn of all places. It wasn’t about finding the luxury brand locked behind glass. It was about seeing how that iconic style, that whole idea, shows up in unexpected corners, on real people, mixed in with the grit and the everyday.
I remember this one spot particularly well, under an old elevated train line, all shadows and peeling paint. And there was this poster, half-torn and weathered, but you could just make out what looked like an old Chanel perfume ad. The contrast of that chic image against the rough urban background was just fantastic. I must have taken a dozen shots of just that.
The challenges were real though, let me tell you. It wasn’t all smooth sailing:
- The lighting was all over the place. Bright sunshine one minute, deep shadow the next as I walked between buildings. Made getting the exposure right a real pain.
- Brooklyn moves fast. People, bikes, cars – always walking or zipping right through your shot just as you’re about to click. You gotta be quick on your feet or just get lucky with timing.
- And, of course, my camera battery started blinking red right when I felt I was getting into a groove. Classic. Always seems to happen when you finally find something good.
But I kept at it. Walked for what felt like miles, from Bushwick towards Williamsburg, just following my gut. My feet were absolutely killing me by the end of it. But I ended up with this collection of images that, for me, really tell a different kind of story about Chanel. Not the super polished, perfect version you see in magazines, but something more raw, more street, more lived-in. It’s that blend of high fashion clashing and vibing with everyday Brooklyn energy that I found so cool.
It’s funny, I went out looking for an old sound, a piece of music history, and I came back with these pictures trying to capture a timeless style in a whole new light. Brooklyn just does that to you, I guess. Always throws a curveball, makes you see things differently.
So yeah, that’s the story behind those Chanel Brooklyn photos. A bit of luck, a lot of walking, a failed synth hunt, and just keeping my eyes open.
