Hanneli Goes On Set in NYC

The first subjects that Hanneli Mustaparta photographed for her year-old eponymous fashion blog were Yves Saint Laurent designer Stefano Pilati and his lunch date that day, stylist Melanie Ward. It wasn’t their celebrity she was interested in, but rather Melanie’s “amazing overalls” (one of Pilati’s designs). It was a prophetic start for the Norwegian turned New Yorker: Hanneli is now a regular fixture on the fashion week circuit, where she captures fierce editors stalking the chalky paths of the Tuileries between shows; the insouciant, off-duty outfits of runway models (whom she also shoots for Vogue.com) and other sartorially arresting individuals she encounters. A former model and sometime VJ for MTV Norway, Hanneli often uploads self-styled shots of herself—in an Alexander Wang underwear-as-outerwear sports bra, high-waisted shorts, mannish denim shirt and thigh-high boots combination, for example. Right now, though, she is most fascinated by what happens behind the camera. “I see it as a complicated magic. As a model you see the photographer has a vision, but you can’t tell how they got there. I am excited to demystify this a bit,” she says, adding that she often contacts photographers she admires to ask their advice. For NOWNESS, Hanneli documented the making of Poppy de Villeneuve’s film, How You Look At It, capturing off-guard moments on the bustling streets of Chinatown and in the aqua calm of the Asser Levy swimming pool. More behind-the-scenes pictures can be found on Hanneli’s blog.