Photographer Yurko Dyachyshyn discovered the homeless 55 year old homeless gypsy, Slavik, on the streets of Lviv. Dyachyshyn says that Slavik is unlike any other homeless man, he isn’t troubled with carrying all his possessions other than the cigarettes and can of alcohol that was often in his hands. Dyachyshyn proclaimed that Slavik is the most fashionable homeless man in the world. When talking about the typical homeless men of Lviv, Dyachyshyn mentioned that “most of them are people wearing dirty clothes, carrying big bags in which they keep all their things. They also collect bottles, paper and other rubbish. They always drag their belongings, beg, lie on sidewalks and corners.” Slavik would take the time to change his clothes at least once a day while restyling his hair and his beard with each new outfit. Despite is great sense of style, when asked about what he wears, Slavik says that “The main thing is not to lose health, and it is essential that nobody ruins or interferes with a man’s internal peace”.
I think that Slavik’s statement shows that he wasn’t trying to be the most fashionable person in the world or to gain attention from the public and press. He was just living his life and picking up any clothes he could find to cover his body. His message of not wanting to interfere with is internal peace is similar to Brother Sharp’s story of his friend saying that the press was trying to interfere with his peaceful life. We, who live a first world comfortable lifestyle, see people who live a third world lifestyle as a source of enjoyment and play rather than real people trying to live their lives. The only connect we can seem to find with these people are that they dress good, rather than that they are sons, fathers, brothers and real human people.
References: Dyachyshyn (2011) Slavik's Fashion. [Online] [Accessed on 11th February] https://www.dyachyshyn.com/faq-slavik-s-fashion-1
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