In Germany, an older Turkish gentleman named Ali caught the eye of Berlin-based Australian photographer Zoe Spawton with his style-conscious outfits everyday. The photographer, who works in a cafe along Ali’s route to work, would see him every morning and exchange pleasant greetings until one fateful day when Spawton decided to start snapping shots of the fashion-forward fellow and share them on a blog called What Ali Wore.
The blog features the wholesome man creatively dressing himself and taking a range of fashion risks while he’s at it. From covering his body, head-to-toe, in camouflage or denim to carefully donning plaid, stripes, and bold colors, Ali exudes a playful zest for life. It’s fun and interesting to see the many personas the man encapsulates through his experimentation with fashion.
Despite a slight language barrier, as Spawton has a limited grasp of German vernacular and Ali speaks minimal English, the two were able to have a quick photo session in the street each morning. Along their short morning encounters, the photographer even managed to learn a little more about the man behind the eye-catching outfits. It turns out that Ali is a retired doctor-turned-tailor who has been living in Berlin for 44 years and is a father to 18 children! What a fascinating man!
