Paris Fashion Week
It’s the kind of summer day that only Paris can make look cinematic. Sidewalks radiate warmth like stone ovens, and shadows cling to buildings with desperation. In the midst of this, Alex “Très Cool” Dobé glides through the crowd with effortless precision. The Ivorian-French photographer isn’t sweating, at least not visibly. He’s working - shoulder to shoulder with models, stylists, editors, and onlookers, documenting the magic of Paris Fashion Week with a Leica SL3 strapped across his chest and the compact Q3 in his hand. Here, a Leica is also a fashion statement.
Photographic Approach
This is not just another story about fashion photography. It’s about the collision of elegance and chaos that is Paris Fashion Week, and how one man, armed with two cameras and an infallible eye, captures its fleeting grace. Alex’s use of motion blur brings movement and atmosphere into each frame, while the 24-70mm on his Leica SL3 isolates intimate details, like a glance, a texture, or a fleeting expression. Together, these techniques shift the focus from the polished runway moment to the raw emotion and hidden nuances that often go unnoticed.
I didn’t want to do what everyone else was doing. I had to find different ways to shoot, so I started with really tight zooms on faces, on details. A friend of mine was shooting street style with a slow shutter, so I pushed it a bit further and applied the idea to the runway. That’s when I thought, whoa, this is really nice.
From Runways to Side Alleys and Back
You wouldn’t know it from his focused demeanor, but Alex is everywhere at once. One moment backstage at Dries Van Noten, capturing light gray trench coats with a crystal-embroidered bodice, or silk tops in the hues of Edwardian rugby shirts paired with pleated pajama pants. The next, crouched in a Marais alleyway, framing a street-style shot against a graffiti-splashed wall. Always ready. Always precise. And always, unmistakably, Très Cool.
"A lot is happening, events, shows, parties. Sometimes there are 10, even 15 shows a day. Thank God there’s a rehearsal beforehand so I can fix my settings and adjust on the spot."
The Work Never Stops
Between showrooms and presentations, Alex zips through Paris, sometimes in packed production vans, other times on a rented Lime bike, navigating the city’s maze of arrondissements with ease. He grabs pastries in the Marais, catches up with friends on the go, and scouts iconic silhouettes that inspire him. From the steps of Palais de Tokyo to quiet corners near Dover Street Market, he captures street style subjects with the same artistic eye, always chasing the perfect mix of spontaneity and style.
A word of advice I’d give to a young photographer? Don’t take photographs just so people will like what you do. Do what you do. If they like it, that’s fire. If they don’t, you’ll get there eventually. Just keep going and shoot as much as you can.
Alex “Très Cool” Dobé
A Look Ahead
This approach is clearly working: Alex is being invited to more and more shows each season, gaining access not just to the runway but also to the coveted backstage moments where the real magic unfolds. Designers and brands from Saint Laurent to Hermès are taking notice of his distinctive eye, drawn to the way he captures fashion with emotion and depth. But as his portfolio grows, so does his ambition. Sooner or later, the fast pace of runway will give way to something more. Alex is set to shift toward editorial work, where he can craft images with intention, storytelling, and complete creative freedom.
"I started as a street style photographer and then transitioned into runway and backstage photography. Now I feel like I’ve seen everything. My work gravitates more toward editorial now. The ultimate goal is to have my photos on a huge billboard in Paris."
