Image from The Face styled by Ray Petri

We took an earlier look at the work of ex-Buffalo member, Judy Blame. Now Max , one of our fashion correspondents weighs in wonderfully on the legacy of Buffalo's founder, Ray Petri.

Early 1980’s through mid 1980’s – Ray Petri/Stylist for THE FACE MAGAZINE. The various editorials that Ray Petri created for THE FACE MAGAZINE during this time period were groundbreaking and still are influential to this day. He was inspired by street culture, ‘bad boys,’ Jamaican Ragamuffin culture, East Indians, blacks, punk whites, rude boys, mods, New Romantics, boxers, Bob Marley’s BUFFALO SOLDIER song, Vivienne Westwood’s Buffalo collection, Malcom McClaren’s BUFFALO GIRL song, and Native American imagery, resulting in a fashion movement labeled “BUFFALO”.

Images from The Face styled by Ray Petri

The editorials he created during this period jump started and influenced major industry people such as Jean Baptiste-Mondino, Mark Lebon, Jamie Morgan, Cameron McVey, Naomi Campbell, Neneh Cherry, Massive Attack, Bomb the Bass, Nellee Hooper,

Image from The Face styled by Ray Petri

Nick Kamen, Barry Kamen, Madonna (she featured the young model Felix Howard in her "Open Your Heart" video who she discovered via one of Ray’s groundbreaking shoots for the Face).

Images from The Face styled by Ray Petri

Ray Petri's vision included casting teenagers, often of mixed descent, to wear designer clothes that he paired with underwear, vintage pieces and athletic basics best suited for bicycle messengers.. The resulting look was unflinchingly tough and sexually charged. This quote is taken from the http://niwde.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html blog site..

Image from The Face styled by Ray Petri

He elevated street culture and started the mesh with high fashion. He also help create the “Hip-Hop/Street/Minority” fashion influence, starting with his editorials and progressing to the “urban” market today. His vision of including racial diversity is something that FASHION is slowly living up to at the present time.

Images from The Face styled by Ray Petri

Current photographers that are inspired/influenced and carrying on Ray’s vision are-

Alasdair McClellan

Carter Smith

Willy Vanderperre