Rapid rise of trendy east London documented in quirky snaps of tatts, tracksuits and graffiti
QUIRKY new images capture the rapid rise of trendy east London - home to some of the city's most vibrant and creative characters.
Street photographer Dougie Wallace's ' explores the changing face of an area once considered to be London's poorest.
The once gritty, run-down neighbourhoods of Brick Lane, Hackney and Dalston have now become world-famous for their individuality and quirky style.
These former working-class areas have been transformed beyond recognition, becoming sought after hotspots tailored for London's trendiest residents.
But with it comes a down-side as locals and artists who helped to transform the East End are priced out of the area as it becomes more gentrified.
Dougie says of his new collection: "Before it became a recognised art form, street art was called graffiti, a sign of decay that lowered property values.
"Fast forward to the transformation of London's East End and it became cool.
"Seen as 'gritty' and 'edgy', street art generates interest in an area refashioned and made acceptable, it transforms public space as areas become high-priced, trendy and desirable.
"This sense of authenticity speeds up the process of gentrification, but as prices rise, the cost of living forces out both local residents, and the artists who created it in the first place."
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