Up all night with iconic indiesleaze documentarian Mark “Cobrasnake” Hunter, Julia Fox, Eartheater, Hari Nef and more.

At the designer Anna Bolina’s SS24 runway show and afterparty, the guest uniform is skater-boy beanies and Avril Lavigne-esque rocker hair. It’s a studded white faux leather belt worn loosely on the hip over a graphic t-shirt in the style of Henry Holland’s infamous slogan tees from the mid-teens. It’s a sheer leopard scarf tied around the neck and styled with a sleeveless fur parka worn in one of the hottest September months on record in New York, or bleached denim jeans and high-top sneakers. It’s a Burberry mini-skirt or limited edition Gucci &lt;3 New York Boston bag. Recessioncore and the indie sleaze style revival has its foot on the gas, and Hunter is back front and center, documenting it all.

In the 2000s, Hunter became renowned on the party circuits of LA and New York for his Where’s Waldo-style documentation of nights out, with Lady Gaga and Katy Perry just two faces in the crowd who happened to catch Hunter’s eye. The publication of last year’s The Cobrasnake: Y2Ks Archive by Rizzoli is a testament to what The Cobrasnake did for social photography in the flip-phone era. When Instagram took over from Tumblr, Hunter admits that he felt “defeated” by social media, but now, from the vantage point of his late thirties, realizes his work is "more needed than ever.”

Watching The Cobrasnake at work is like stalking a fast-moving magpie in action; he’s drawn to the shiniest characters and is constantly looking for the next moment. You’ll often find him in the fracas of DIY, alternative scenes . To Hunter’s point, “You get much more unique characters and eclectic style” at shows and afterparties like those of downtown favorites Anna Bolina and Kim Shui (bonus points if guests have to grab spare chairs to make a new row of seats). At Bolina’s party somewhere in Brooklyn, we skip the queue and head straight inside, &nbsp;an added bonus of being in The Cobrasnake’s gang for the night.&nbsp;
The place is like a time warp, albeit one dense with vape smoke. I spot one of the models from the show, still wearing her Bladerunner-style makeup. Another wears a Bathing Ape T-shirt, joined by a guy who looks like he’s straight out of a British indie band circa 2005. A white bandeau T-shirt dress stretches tightly over his body, reading, “Whatever you want, no one gives a fuck.” Wherever you look, there’s a dedication to outfits and looks—perhaps none more than <a href="https://www.goat.com/editorial/eartheater-interview-casey-cadwallader-greatest-magazine">Eartheater</a>, who is sporting a KNWLS-inspired brown leather get-up and DIY skirt made out of vintage wristwatches.

“The more of a character you are, the better, whatever that means for you,” Hunter says, whether that’s bikini tops and leather shorts akin to Christina Aguilera’s “Dirrty” music video, or soft-girl corsetry. One of the best sightings of the night is a group of guys who brave the unbearably humid weather to don faux-fur-trimmed denim get-ups. A photograph by The Cobrasnake ensures that they won’t forget the night any time soon.&nbsp;
Over the course of NYFW, The Cobrasnake captures everyone who this demographic really cares about. At the Marshall Columbia dinner and party, it’s Ethel Cain in a camo cowboy hat, Julia Fox wearing pigtails whilst dripping in crystals, Hari Nef in Barbie pink and Richie Shazam. Camcorders are back and so are denim mini skirts and cami tops—make that leopard print for Jazzelle Zanaughtt, aka @uglyworldwide. The Y2K-influence of the Diesel belt skirt continues with more DIY skirts, and with the style of the hottest couple of the moment: Gabbriette and Matty Healy.&nbsp;

Hunter’s paparazzi-meets-photo-diary approach is as relevant now as it was then. For the social-media generation, there’s an innate awareness of the camera, but The Cobrasnake still manages to maintain his signature “sneaky” style of catching people off guard. Just like the paparazzi, he’s not about to ask for permission, but hardly anyone seems to mind. Self–proclaimed downtown “It Girl” Linux swings themselves over a barrier, while at another party a future “It Girl,” stylist Gabby Weis, happily plays up to the moment for a photo of their Spring Breakers attire. Like Weiss, Hunter’s subjects will most likely be using the snaps for their own social media posts the following day, pulled from thecobrasnake.com which allows anyone to relive the night.&nbsp;

NYFW’s best dressed aren’t found in the front row of the city's most boldfaced shows, but are hiding in the smoky shadows, waiting to be illuminated by the signature, unforgiving flash of The Cobrasnake’s camera.

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At NYFW, the Kids Are Alright