Phoebe NewYork’s Fashion Statements

Phoebe NewYork captured on the streets of New York City. Photo by a_candela_photography

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Need a $5,000 Chanel suit, or a $1,000 pair of Gucci loafers? You can find those things and other absurdly priced extravagances at luxury fashion stores like Armani, Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton and others on the Avenue – 5th Avenue. Not exactly the kind of place you'd expect to find much street art. But, wait a minute, there she is, the lovely and ubiquitous street philosopher PhoebeNewYork in all her spritely glory. She is striking a pose against a post wearing an exquisite little red dress, black hose and high heels. A heart-shaped head piece is balancing jauntily atop her black bobbed hair. Her message, in this particular instance, is simply "Yes."

Phoebe, it seems, is as at home here among the grandiloquence of New York's haute cuisine headquarters as she is in gritty downtown neighborhoods and other locations across Gotham. For Phoebe, fashion is critical and malleable, and price is not an object. Phoebe, you understand, uses fashion. It doesn't use her.

Art by @phoebenewyork. Photo by a_candela_photography.

"She's always dressed to the nines, and is never at a loss for words," is how Phoebe was described in the pages of Vogue, one of many publications that have found an irresistible story in the New York street art icon.

PhoebeNewYork, of course, is the lovesome creation and alter-ego of Soho artist Libby Schoettle. Phoebe has, over the years, been spotted in neighborhoods far from her Lower Manhattan roots. She's been seen all over New York, of course, but also in Los Angeles, Philadelphia (near Schoettle's hometown of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania), London, Berlin, and other European capitals. She was featured in a solo exhibition at Horsens Art Museum in Copenhagen.

Yes, Phoebe fits in just about anywhere.

"Her messages and fashion sense communicate a universally emotional language. There is more to her than meets the eye. You just have to look for it," Schoettle told UP.

Art by @phoebenewyork. Photo by a_candela_photography.

That fashion is an intrinsic part of the PhoebeNewYork enterprise is another obvious example of the inveterate yet uneasy marriage of art and fashion. Generally, though, it's been the fashion world adopting influences from the art world, rather than the other way around. Just look at Salvador Dalí's collaboration with Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli on the famous lobster dress in the 1930s or Yves Saint Laurent's iconic use of Piet Mondrian's primary color geometry on dresses in the 1960s.

But in PhoebeNewYork we see the opposite of all that. Schoettle turns to the fashion world not so much for inspiration, but in support of the inspiration that flows from Phoebe. What Phoebe has to say is the critical element of the art, what she wears is glacé that enhances it. Just like in real life.

Schoettle says Phoebe's fashion choices are far from haphazard: "I sometimes choose from what I find in my archives of research and go from there, or it can start from the words and segue into fashion," she said.

How important is Phoebe's fashion sense to the success of each piece? "Extremely important," Schoettle says.

Art by @phoebenewyork. Photo by a_candela_photography.

"Fashion is part of the art and if it's not right, then the collage won't speak. I will easily pass over hundreds of images before I find something PhoebeNewYork would wear. It's hard to say what makes it right, I just know when it is," she said.

While there is some consistency in what Phoebe wears, her style can be capricious. Does she favor a particular designer or fashion style: "No, not really a personal favorite style," Schoettle said. "Phoebe likes to be different. Her style is highly dependent on the message that the art is communicating through the work. Heels often complete her outfit. I can't wear heels but would love to...so she can do it for me."

During a solo show at West Chelsea Contemporary, Phoebe was everywhere, literally larger than life. Collages hung on the walls, six-foot tall cut outs greeted guests outside the door and throughout the space. Out back, a 20-foot-tall inflatable Phoebe oversaw the proceedings in a black mini-skirt, boots, and a top emblazoned with her persistent motto: Rebel.

Libby, meanwhile, politely greeted her many fans, but at the same time appeared eager to blend into the mise en scène. While Phoebe appeared in a range of fashion-forward looks, from a slinky green sundress to a Roy Lichtenstein inspired tunic, Libby, as is her wont, appeared in an unremarkable outfit consisting of black leggings, a plain gray t-shirt, a black jacket, black sneakers and a stained brown baseball cap. For Schoettle, Phoebe is a form of escapism, but not an entirely unrealistic one: "I only choose things that I would wear, if I could," she said.

Art by @phoebenewyork. Photo by a_candela_photography.

"My most recent work," Libby said, "is a reflection on the evolving zeitgeist which is capturing what's on the streets, what people are thinking and saying."

Still Phoebe's latest aphorisms are of a piece with Libby's earlier work, optimistic or sympathetic maxims aimed at bringing comfort and encouragement to the congregation: "For the Thrill of it," "Deal With It," "I've Had Enough," "Never Say Never," "What Should I Worry About Today."

Phoebe's love of fashion has been obvious from the beginning. It has yielded collaborations with Victoria Beckham, Dr. Martens, Sonia Rykiel, Lululemon, rag & bone, and others.

Her work with Victoria Beckham is an example of how Phoebe's New York star power can be used to promote a global fashion brand. The deal included the creation of eight Phoebe collages that were posted across the city to mark the launch of cosmetic products Bitten Lip Tint and Lip Definer.

"Phoebe provides a quirky, artistic, and modern take on feminism and female empowerment including love and work," Beckham said on the brand's webpage, adding that these shared values are what drew her to Phoebe. Both Libby and Phoebe are open to more such partnerships.

Art by @phoebenewyork. Photo by a_candela_photography.

While her art practice is more focused on the galleries than the street today, Schoettle believes street art and fashion can come together to form successful partnerships.

"Well, street art is very cutting edge and cool, and we wear fashion on the street, so I'm not surprised. That makes them the perfect combination," she said. "Fashion is art. That is why fashion is so important to me as an artist."