fashion interviews

Melody Woodin (Jul,07)

2007-10-26T16:39:00.000-07:00

Full name? Melody Eileen Woodin
How old are you? Turned 21 this past April.
Where are you from? Hockessin, Delaware. Very exotic!
Where do you live now? I've been in the city for 3 years, currently in Alphabet City!
What is your favorite show that you've done? Any Dior show. Each one tops the last.
What is your favorite shoot that you've done? I did a shoot for Interview with Albert Watson. They dressed me up like Mark Bolan from Trex. I love classic rock so I was thrilled they booked me for it.
What is your personal style like? Tomboy! I do the skinny jeans look for castings but at home I stick to casual comfort.
Did you complete school? I graduated highschool (Alexis I. DuPont) before moving out to NY. I plan on going to college after modeling...aybe Equine Sciences.
If you weren't modeling, what would you like to be doing? My family runs a horse farm, so every chance I get, I'm out at the barn either giving lessons, mucking stalls, or breaking and training the foals. My heart is out there.
What is some of your favorite music to listen to? Wow tough question... ethro Tull, Crosby Stills & Nash (Young as well), The Doors, The Eagles, The Guess Who, Heart, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin...
What about favorite movies? Jurassic Park, Little Miss Sunshine, Wild Hogs (reminds me of my dad!), Over the Hedge (love animated movies), Fried Green Tomatos.
Favorite books? A Clockwork Orange/Water for Elephants.
What's your drink of choice? Dr. Pepper. If we are talking alcoholic, a dirty, dirty martini.
How did you get into the industry? Were you "discovered" or was it a choice? Modeling, for me, was an alternative to heading into a university right away. I wanted to take time to really think about what I wanted to pursue as a career. I grew up in a very small town, so fashion wasn't really a part of my life. I approached Barbizon in Philly, came up to NY for a modeling and talent competition called IMTA, and was scouted by Roman Young, who was at Supreme at the time.
What are some of the perks of being a model? Perks? Well to be 100% honest, I love being around other girls who are built like me. I know that sounds funny, but when you are 6' and only 115lbs, its easy to feel uncomfortable in your physical shell. My mom would say it is getting the occasional designer piece as a trade...I tend to give them all to her.
Credit: For sure couture
Photo credit: Style

Jodie Barnes (date unknown)

2007-10-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

Kuki de Salvertes : Jodie, how did you get into fashion? Tell me how and when everything started.

Jodie Barnes : I have been really into clothes since I was about 3. I guess my interest stems from my mother, who was very glamorous. I remember sitting on the end of her bed watching her get ready to go to parties. She wore a fair bit of Halston and Giorgio Sant Angelo and had the most incredible collection of handbags I have ever seen.
By the time I was 12/13 I was buying The Face, iD, Vogue Homme amongst others and I was really inspired by Anna Cockburn's work (as well as Joe Mckenna and Melanie Ward) and I decided to become a stylist. I didn t really want to go to fashion college so I decided to study English and French literature. I think that was the right choice.
After studying, I did Pr for about a year to get an overview of the industry and then I assisted various stylists for about 3 years.

KdS : About your first shoot. When was it? For which magazine? What are the memories you still have from it?

JB : I was lucky as I didn't test. The first story I shot was with Philip Gay and was called ‘The Laughing Cavalier”. We managed to place it in a magazine called Teknikart. I remember being really happy to have my first ever solo styling job published. It was about 7 years ago.
It really was a lot of fun that day. The story was based around the idea of some kid dressing up in military costume – a bit like young kids do, and we asked the model to jump in a puddle. He decided he would dive head first and he was completely covered in mud – it made a great picture. That was the last shot and he left to go and meet his girlfriend, without having a shower! It was so funny.
I decided that having fun on a shoot was the most productive way of working… and still believe that today.

KdS : What makes the characteristic of your style?

JB : My work is quite simple. If something does not need to be part of the outfit or image, then it is generally not there. I guess my work is classic but a bit weird. I like a little bit of ‘care in the community'. But, at the same time, what I like changes, in the same way that fashion does. I find that interesting.

KdS : What does the Jodie Barnes schedule look like? Is it as complex as we could imagine? How much of your time do you give to magazine editorials?

JB : I devote a huge part of my time to editorials. Since I became fashion editor at arena Homme Plus, my workload has increased dramatically as I shoot both women s and men s wear. It can be really hard balancing the two. I try and keep those people that have been great supporters of mine happy - ie Ashley Heath and his projects, the guys at iD magazine and Jo Ann Furniss, my editor.

KdS : How many shoots do you style each season?

JB : About 6.

KdS : What is your best shoot ever, the one you will never forget? Why?

JB : My last shoot is usually my favourite. I love working with Paul Wetherell. It is always a pleasure, and he has become a friend through working together.

KdS : Actually, what in a designer, a collection, a show makes you enthusiastic, motivates you and inspires you?

JB : I am inspired by people who work hard, and suggest new ideas through their work. There are so many designers, photographers and stylists that I feel have contributed great things to the industry, and each one of those has their own way of suggesting new things, so it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what inspires me, but I would say ‘originality' is the most important thing.

KdS : Jodie, is there a life after styling? If yes, what are your future projects?

JB : I am still a baby in the scheme of things so I would hope to have a much longer career in styling than I have had already. This year is as much of an unknown to me as any life I could consider ‘after' styling, but I would say living next to the beach would come high on the list…. Oh and I love kids.

(credit:totemfashion)

Maison Martin Margiela (Oct,2001)

2007-10-01T21:38:00.000-07:00

INTERVIEW: Why does Paris equal fashion?

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA: At this stage, its the inertia that this town has amassed over the years. An inertia that draws creativity and those attracted to it into its core. Yet Paris is not essentially different from any other great city "of personality" ... it stands as itself in much the same way as New York, London, etc. Almost a "brand," its "branding" is of a town that embraces a more individualistic creative expression. Those wishing to begin in fashion tend to start and show here because of the concentration of fashion professionals passing through town throughout the year (that inertia again!).

I: Does Paris equal fashion?

MMM: Visitors to Paris will have a much different view on this than those working and living here! Within our profession this is especially true. During the collections and for their duration, for those who are the fashion whirlwind that hits town, Paris can equal Fashion, albeit a specific viewpoint.

I: What difference is there working in Paris as opposed to, say, Belgium or New York?

MMM: When one is ensconced in one's work it can be all too easy to take one's surroundings for granted, no matter where one lives! Paris has many down-to-earth practical advantages for a fashion company established here. As with all other places, there is also a price to pay for this. A lack of direct experience of working in other places leaves us incapable of drawing direct comparisons with Belgium and New York.

I: Why has Paris been so important in the history of fashion--in fact, is it important?

MMM: The wealth of individual talents that it has brought onto itself down through the years. It is as if they have all left something of themselves in Paris, a skill, a vision, a memory ... offered stones, bricks, or even blocks towards the construction of Paris as a "fashion" city.

I: In Paris, is fashion: a) in the air?

MMM: It can be, though it varies--the locations and moments are selective!

I: b) Is it in the water?

MMM: Bottled or tap?

I: c) The tailors?

MMM: Yes, though not exclusively Parisian.

I: d) The craftsmen?

MMM: Ditto for c).

I: e) Is it in the memory?

MMM: Yes, past and recent and not in a moribund way. Paris radiates its own personality in its way, as the other fashion capitals do theirs.

I: f) The consciousness?

MMM: Of some, and often.

I: Do you think that Paris is especially alive right now? And if not, is there a place that you think is very dynamic in this moment? Or is it really all in our minds, anyway?

MMM: We feel that there is a reawakening in Paris on many creative levels: music, art, fashion, etc. The wheel continues to turn and this cycle seems to be bringing Paris through a particularly furtive period again. We are unsure as to whether these elements are reawakening in concert or individually! Is it a "wave" or sheer happenstance?!

I: Do you have a story--any story--that you want to tell us about Paris and fashion?

MMM: We decided to set up shop in Paris 13 years ago and after 25 Martin Margiela collections for women, seven "10" collections (our men's line), as well as seven collections for the women's ready-to-wear line for our colleagues at Hermes, we are still here, growing and learning along the way. And all of this, for better or worse, in sickness and in health! ... a team, glad to be here, to be given the opportunity to continue doing what we love, surrounded by the gifts and talents of all our colleagues in the industry in general, and at Hermes in particular and by Paris this city!

Martin Margiela is the Designer for Hermes women's ready-to-wear and the co-Founder and creative Director of Maison Martin Margiela.

Interview credit: Interview magazine
Image credit: sonnyphotos

Hedi Slimane (Oct,2004)

2007-10-01T21:26:00.000-07:00

The shape of time: why the new watch from Christian Dior Homme designer Hedi Slimane is anything but bling-bling as usual

JOSEPH ERRICO: Let's talk about your new line of watches for Christian Dior Homme, which will be available in Dior boutiques this fall. What inspired the designs for the three versions?

HEDI SLIMANE: I've always been interested in watches that look scientific, like the ones used in the army. It was about measuring time very precisely and graphically. They're more minimal than most.

JE: This is a very technical watch, for a real watch enthusiast. And instead of putting precious jewels around the face which has been the trend lately--you put them on the back and inside so the watch will operate smoothly.

HS: Yeah. I'm a bit old school in terms of watches. I have an uncle in Switzerland who is an expert on old collectable ones, so I knew I didn't want to design a fashion watch. I view this watch less as an accessory than as a device for living.

JE: What was your overriding inspiration?

HS: I started with a simple idea, but I subverted everything; every aspect of the watch has been reworked. It's all a bit asymmetrical; I took in a bit here and put it back over there. I approach design in a very horizontal way, but then I like to add some element that will break it, like graphisme in the mid-'20s. That's how red was used there and also with these watches. It means you have to start all over again, which, of course, is what "reset" means.

JE: How do you think the concept of time has evolved in the 21st century?

HS: I think there's a different sense of time: time for others and time for oneself. Personally, I've learned to do less of the things that I don't care about.

Interview credit: interview magazine
Image credit: nownow

Sharon Wauchob (2004)

2007-09-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

WITH ARIANA SPEYER
Her clothes' louche look belies their intricacy. She designs her own textiles, working with factories in France, Italy, and Japan. After graduating from Saint Martins, Sharon Wauchob launched her own label in Paris in 1998. Ariana Speyer spoke with the designer at her atelier on Rue de Beauce in the third arrondissement.

ARIANA: After a childhood in rural Ireland, you ended up in London, the big city.
SHARON: I grew up on a livestock farm in the northwest of Ireland. My home was so remote, it felt closer to America than to London. But immigration is one thing the Irish are good at.
ARIANA: In London, you trained at Saint Martins, as did so many rising designers.
SHARON: Saint Martins was the most direct route to a fashion career that I could think of. And it was challenging to wrap my mind around London. I was so young, and had never been anywhere that came close to it. In the '90s, everything in London felt innovative and cutting edge.
ARIANA: Did you always know you wanted to design clothes?
SHARON: For me, it was a form of escapism rather than a love of clothes or sewing. I would spend hours poring over the boring clothes catalogs we had around the house. I was a freak!
ARIANA: How did you end up working here in Paris?
SHARON: Right after I graduated from Saint Martins in 1993, I got a job with the Japanese designer Koji Tatsuno, who moved his studio to Paris later that year. At the time, there wasn't much happening here, but we had a feeling that it was going to become more exciting.
ARIANA: And did that happen?
SHARON: Well, at first the pace seemed slower than in London. The fashion industry here projects an exterior calm. But there's a lot of life bubbling under the surface — this business requires a great deal of dedication and speed.
ARIANA: After working with Koji, you became an in-house designer at Louis Vuitton in 1997.
SHARON: I'm glad I experienced the mechanics of a big company. It gave me a totally different insight into the industry. It was a creative time for me — I was there at a pivotal moment.
ARIANA: Vuitton was going through a major transformation. Marc Jacobs had just arrived. They were launching the monogram as a fashion symbol.
SHARON: I worked on the monogram — I was able to be quite inventive. I enjoy developing new concepts and experimenting with new materials. When I worked with Koji, we developed our own textiles.
ARIANA: The Japanese are known to be extremely resourceful when it comes to fabrics.
SHARON: They've had to be. Before the country opened up to the West, they weren't importing goods from other countries. The Japanese didn't have the raw materials necessary to make European-quality fabrics, so they evolved their own processes. Even now, the way they fabricate yarn is different than in Europe. More recently, they've focused their energy on developing synthetic materials with great success. I still use the hands-on experience I gained creating textiles with Koji in my present business. I always go to my factories to understand how their processes work.
ARIANA: Where do you produce your clothes?
SHARON: The garments are usually produced in France, but I'll go anywhere to find the fabrics or processes that I need. I've purchased lace from a factory in France and taken it to another factory in Italy to have it laminated.
ARIANA: European factories usually specialize in just one kind of fabric. It must be a challenge if you want to experiment.
SHARON: Exactly. Recently, I wanted to create a brocade look on a jacket. I took Irish tweed and French lace to a factory in Japan where they used an old Japanese needle-punching process to pull the tweed through the lace. The two fabrics fused together to create the effect that I wanted.
ARIANA: You really take advantage of the expertise and specialization that exists in the textile industry.
SHARON: When I go to a new factory, I hope I'll meet someone who is willing to help me implement my vision. Chance plays a big role in this whole process. That's why the designer has to be involved in every stage of production. There are a lot of manufacturing techniques that designers don't tap into — simply because they aren't working closely with their producers.
ARIANA: Do you ever meet resistance from your manufacturers?
SHARON: I think they're usually quite relieved by the level of my involvement, actually. My partner, Josh, and I speak with our factories every day. We simply can't afford to be detached from the production process if we want our business to work.
ARIANA: Independent designers have to juggle so many tasks on very tight deadlines.
SHARON: My mind is always spinning. Fashion is schizophrenic — it's artistic and practical at the same time. I think that's as real as you can get.
ARIANA: Do you sketch as part of your design process?
SHARON: I sketch as a way to archive my ideas, but I don't generally believe in working in two dimensions. We often do things simultaneously that are normally done in sequence, like finishing and detailing. Last season, when we made a relaxed silk shirt, we began with a detail, the large leather cuffs that wrap around the arms. That detail determined the shape of the whole garment.
ARIANA: Do you work season to season or do you have an overarching vision for the label?
SHARON: We're beginning to focus on the long-term. I used to resist the retro look, but I realized people have always been drawn to familiarity in fashion, so I'm working on ways to use it. Last season we produced hand-painted suede jackets, which are very 1970s. The design evoked a sense of irony, but it was also sophisticated and feminine.
ARIANA: I think I've seen that piece. Is it the suede jacket with chiffon panels sewn into the back?
SHARON: Yes. We mixed suede and leather with silk chiffon. I like playing around with different fabric weights within the same garment.
ARIANA: Some of your pieces can also be worn several different ways.
SHARON: I design for women who like to mix things up a bit. For instance, if I go away for a week, I don't bring different clothes for day, evening, and business. My clothes can be reinterpreted and adapted to different situations. We've made hoods and collars that you can wear like little jackets, or wear over other jackets as accessories.
ARIANA: Does being Irish influence your work?
SHARON: It has certainly affected my color sensibility. Where I come from, the light is flat, so your eye becomes accustomed to very subtle tones. At the beginning of my career, working with contrast was difficult, but I've tackled what I was scared of in terms of colors. Now I'm quite comfortable using both subtle and intense shades.
ARIANA: Do you go back to Ireland a lot?
SHARON: Yes. I still have ties there. My family has been there for two hundred years — in the same house, actually.
ARIANA: Why do you think there are so few Irish designers?
SHARON: It's surprising when you consider that there is so much music, so much film, so much theater. But fashion differs in one respect — it's an industrial process, and Ireland just doesn't have the manufacturing infrastructure.
ARIANA: I hear Dublin's got a great artistic and social scene.
SHARON: There's such a strong youth culture there. Josh says that whenever he's in Dublin, it always feels like school just got out. They're not scared of creativity. They embrace it.

(Credit: index magazine)

(Photo credit:www.rte.ie/tv)

Franca Sozzani (Apr,2007)

2007-09-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

http://www.iqons.com/iqons.php?fct=page&i=44

^The link to an iqons interview with Franca Sozzani of Vogue Italia, she has great things to say about Rei, creating new talent and street fashion.
Enjoy!

Bella Freud (Jan,2004)

2007-09-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

FASHION & STYLE: MY GREATEST MISTAKE BELLA FREUD

I usually wear clothes that I have designed myself, so I don't end up dressed like a fashion mistake. But when I was 12, my first clothing conflict arose with my mother - I wanted platform shoes. I wasn't allowed them, so I bought some hideous black lace-up ones in a jumble sale. I used to carry them around in a plastic bag, and hide them under my flares.

As far as work is concerned, some of my worst moments happened at one of my fashion shows in the tent outside the Natural History Museum, in the summer of 1995, when the Seventies legend Ossie Clark helped me. I knew Ossie was a brilliant machinist who could do stuff at top speed if he had the inclination, but this depended entirely on his mood. For this show, he spent hours worrying about details that didn't matter, even at a very late stage. The show was in the evening and we were still cutting patterns in the morning.

It was completely mad, like a horror film in slow motion. I knew that if I lost the plot, there would be no show. Everyone was so tired and Ossie had been terrorising the machinists, so everything came to a standstill. There was a bikini to be worn by Luciana Morad (well before her affair with Mick Jagger). But the bikini wasn't there. So we sent a girl to get it from the studio, but she returned with just the bikini top. Luciana was planning to go down the runway with a bag attached to her waist instead of the bikini bottoms. I freaked out and we sent the poor girl back to the studio. She rushed back with these tiny bikini bottoms and Luciana was shoved on to the catwalk.

It was all such a rush in those days, but I haven't worked like that for a long time. These days, I'm calmer. Since I went to work in Italy and then with Jaeger, I have become more organised.

(Credit:Independent Newspapers UK Limited)
(Photo credit: fashionencyclopedia.com)

Riccardo Tisci (Feb, 07)

2007-03-11T22:24:00.000-07:00

(Photo credit:style.com)

Givenchy has seen designers come and go: John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Julien Macdonald. Right from his first couture collection, two years ago, Riccardo Tisci seemed to connect with young women. They got his modern romance. But did editors? So often his shows are a tangled mess of mood and ideas. Still, young women manage to see his substantial gifts. How does a talented designer reconcile this divide in perception?
Between fittings for his fourth ready-to-wear collection, tonight, Tisci talked about the unique problem of being Riccardo.
GivenchyFrom the Givenchy haute-couture spring, summer 2007 show in Paris.

Q. Are you aware that editors don’t entirely grasp your work?

A. Yes, I do have that impression. When I arrived at Givenchy, I was a guy from nowhere. And Givenchy was kind of confused. Nobody knew what it meant anymore. I think now the press is beginning to understand what I’m doing. My way of showing is very melancholic. People call me a Gothic designer — I don’t think I am. I love romanticism and sensuality, maybe because I come from a family with eight sisters. I’m also a person who is very emotional. I like black, I like white. I never like what’s in the middle. And the runway is where I try to transmit this.

Q. Do you think Givenchy is on the verge of a breakthrough?

A. It’s interesting that you ask me this now, because things are going very well. Touch wood! In the last year we have developed the image and the identity of the house. I’m writing my code for Givenchy without destroying its history. Givenchy was aristocratic, because Mr. Givenchy always dressed aristocratic people — but it was aristocratic with craziness.

Q. Were you frustrated that the press didn’t appreciate your clothes as quickly as women? Queen Rania of Jordan is a big fan.

A. Queen Rania has commissioned some beautiful things. And Cate Blanchett has worn Givenchy two times, in Berlin and in Los Angeles. Yes, I was aware that there was a difference, but I’m not a negative person. I figured it was my way of presenting, and I don’t want to change that. I don’t like girls walking up and down on the runway. I’m also working more with the commercial side. When you have an amazing show and then go to the shop and don’t see the things you showed, that’s so depressing. It’s also why people don’t get me. Last season, we had a big commercial success.

Q. How were sales for the January couture collection?

A. When I arrived we had five customers. Now we have 29.

Q. It must be a great affirmation to see young women, strangers, in your clothes?

A. I was in Cannes last year for the film festival and I saw this Russian girl, very beautiful, 23 years old. It was amazing to see her in my dress — a green dress from the last show, with the shoes and the bag and everything. It’s like the Arabic countries. Some of the princes have, like, 10 daughters, and they all dress in couture. It’s funny, they all come.

Q. Does Carine Roitfeld [the editor of French Vogue] help you with your shows?

A. No. Carine is a good friend. At the beginning, I was super shy. And Carine was very sweet to me. She treated me like a mother. She would come the day before the show and tell me what she thought. No, she doesn’t style my shows. I know there are rumors but there’s always a lot of talk in this business.

Q. It’s strange, though, how young women grasp the work of a virtually unknown designer — without magazine hype. How do you explain that?

A. In a way the fashion world is a little contaminated with information and trends and stars. But these girls, they are pure. They see the garment and they feel an emotion. To me, fashion is more and more about that. It’s not about shocking. It’s about what you want to wear. And these girls want sensuous, not shocking.

Credit: Cathy Horyn at nytimes.com

Mariacarla Boscono (Mar, 2005)

2006-12-26T21:07:00.000-08:00

VIVA MARIACARLA.With a Moonlike face, fragile and sharp, intense expressionism, sparkling 1.77m, Mariacarla, the Roman, has a little something of Giulietta Masina, the most emotional neorealism heroine. Physically made for cinema, she would have probably puzzled Fellini. She inspires to Fashion a Strada of today.

A GIRL OF STYLE. Mariacarla Boscono. She masters extravagance with grace, prefers dresses that tell a story, and dresses up as if she was in a fairy tale. Fashion heroine and full of imagination, Mariacarla makes her life very beautiful.

ONE GIRL. Mariacarla is a girl from Rome, who loves cooking for a lot of people. She was first spotted by Karl Lagerfeld, who requested her for Fendi. She started her supermodel career with an exclusive contract of three years with Comme des Garçons. Short hair, pale face, black eyes: the fashion, in a conceptual way. “That was my first job. Of fashion, I just knew Versace, Claudia Schiffer... it has been a shock and a great education. They taught me another way of creativity.” Then, she did many campaigns for designers such as Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Versace, shows, shootings. “At that moment, I had a flight once a day.” She is obstinate, a perfectionist, and lives this intensity as a chance: “I wanted to learn from everyone, receive the maximum and give the maximum. We have one life to live!” Today, she is enrolled in the Lee Strasberg dramatic art lesson in New York.

ONE STYLE. “Hippy style, for its concept of freedom. Not for its look. Bohemian, for the colours of travel. Eclectic, but never looking like trash.” She wears fur, vinyl, wears a robe du soir for breakfast, and has dinner wearing a country Vietnamese skirt. Her allure is always a surprise. She knows the secret of a rich and very personal extravagance. Because her style is a protection, too. Mariacarla hides her shyness behind this beautiful eccentricity, which allows her to push her boundaries ahead. Dressing herself, she invents a bit of herself, too.

INSPIRATIONS. Her mother, “a fabulous & chic woman.” pushed her to cultivate her own identity not to look like everyone. “When I was a kid, I always saw her finding the perfect allure. Then, it was normal to me to find my own style. She taught me not to dress and live as the others do.” She quotes, too, the fashion world which allows her to free her personality, and be confident.

OBSESSION. Vintage dresses. She buys some and takes some in her mother’s dressing. Mariacarla’s dresses are a bit crazy and tell a story. Summer or winter, seasons do not matter. She just adds a sweat or a pair of tights. Lines from the thirties or cuts from the sixties, she makes forgetten the notion of time with a pair of Alexander McQueen platform-shoes or a pair of black vinyl leggings. She is never retro.

FAVOURITE. “My mom’s blue dress, it has little straps. It is from the seventies. I love it. I wear it in evening with a jewel, barefoot on the beach, under a fur by a snowy day in New York.”

SECURITY. A long black and yellow Sonia Rykiel dress. “I feel so comfortable in it. It is like I am in a blanket.”

FIDELITY. The glamorous and theatrical dress of her friend Riccardo Tisci.

ACCESSORIES. “My style is already too much, so I do the real minimum. As she is myopic, she collects glasses. She knows how to wear them by day or night.

TABOO. “These Ugg boots... horrible! Definitely not my style, and moreover everyone has them.”

SHOPPING. She is scared of. Then she finds a solution: she does a unique moment of it, which looks like an adventure. Mariacarla established her network. New York, Los Angeles, or Rome, she has contacts for vintage pieces and they call her every time they have very rare outfit. As instance, Giovanna, the old lady of the Portaportese Market in Roma, keeps for Mariacarla the best things she finds. “I listen to her telling me each story of each dress and I love that. Like this, I already have a memory for each one of them.”

PASSION. Travels. She travelled on the Transsyberien, 3000km in Mongolia and travelled through Vietnam. A passion-evasion which is fundamental in a garde-robe. “In those countries, you do not just buy in a store. You buy to someone. Someone that owned this skirt or this coat for several generations.” From a Vietnamese girl, she chooses the more used skirt. From Mongolia, she takes a little hat and five folk-coats. Her outfits have so many stories to tell.

SHOES. The only thing she does not buy vintage. She has a real passion for Manolo Blahnik. Lanvin, YSL, she can wear everything.

JEWELRY. Only two rings: the anneaux trios ors de Cartier. This is a gift from her boyfriend and a little family ring in platinum and diamonds. On the evening, she can wear a big afghan necklace but she can wear, too, a surfer necklace.

HAIR. Ashy blond at natural. “But I make them darker. My mom’s interpretation: it helps me to feel stronger.”

BEAUTY. Crealine lotion, Avène products, Crème de la Mer for her sensitive skin.

HOME. Ultra minimalist. Lighten white walls, big wooden table and plexi table.

HOT LIST. Manolo Blahnik, is a total addiction! 31West 54th St., New York. Corso Como for the Ricardo Tischi's dress, Corso Como 10, Milan. The parfumerie Santa Maria Novella has just been opened in New York at Lafayette Street, but the original one is magical, 16 villa Scala, Firenze. Don't forget Frederic Boudet, my hairdresser. I'm drinking a glass of redwine while he's doing my hair. A very cool place. Salon Robert Kree, 375 Bleecker Street, New York.

credit: (mariacarlaboscono.hpg.ig)

Filippa Hamilton (2005)

2006-12-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

Five minutes with..
Filippa Hamilton, the 18-year-old face of Ralph Lauren

Discovered... "When my mother and I entered a mother/daughter modelling competition. The photographer, Marc Hispard, asked me to do a shoot for French Cosmopolitan and it steamrolled from there"

If I wasn't modeling, I'd..."Be an interior designer"

Splurged first pay cheque on..."A huge bubblegum machine I bought at Dylan's candy bar in New York and had shipped to France"

Reading: "The lovely bones by Alice Sebold"

Model Inspiration: "Christy Turlington. She epitomises chic, healthy, modern beauty"

Beauty-bag staples: "Kiehl's lip balm, Lancome Mousse Clarte cleanser and Lancome Nutri intense. Also a shea butter mask"

Fitness regime: "A mix of breathing and relaxing yoga, and sessions with a personal trainer who keeps me fit with runs around London parks"

Worst beauty blunder: " A stylist burnt my hair with straightening irons. All my hair ended up on the floor. I lost an editorial assignment over it as I looked completely different to the other girls"

Adores... "St-Tropez. I stay at a friend's house or Hotel Byblos, which I love"

Next Vacation?: "Miami. I love it for various reasons-the architecture at the beach, the colours, how people dress and the relaxed vibe."

On my to-do list..."Find an apartment in London-I've fallen in love with this city! I split my time here, working and attending art school."

Next career move: "I'm taking singing and acting classes. I auditioned for the part of the queen in Troy after the casting agents saw my Ralph Lauren campaign, but missed out."

Shopping haunts: "New York. SoHo for new designers; Fifth Avenue for designer labels."

Spot her in:The latest Ralph Lauren blue fragrance campaign shot by Bruce Webber

Credit: Harpers Bazaar

Dari Maximova (Date unknown)

2006-12-07T16:43:00.000-08:00

German Supermodel Dari Maximova never considered modeling until she got scouted one day on her way to a H&M store in Berlin (Germany). Since then, she won the largest grand prize in the modeling industry when she was named the FORD Models Supermodel of the World 2002. In the meantime the 23-years-old eye-catcher started to lead a glamorous life in front of the camera and burned up the catwalks.
As a consequence the "bulgerman" (that's how she calls German Bulgarians) travelled a lot and lived in New York, Paris and London where she boosted her modeling career, but couldn't stay away from her beloved home and finally ended up in Berlin again.

How did you get started in the modeling business?
Dari: My booker catched me on the street and asked me, if i was modeling and if I could imagine doing it. Sure, I was very suspicious in the beginning, but finally ended up going to the agency to do some "polaroids" :).

Did you ever think you'd be doing this?
Dari: Not really, especially at these times. I was 17 and had other things in my mind, like skateboarding, basketball, stuff which doesn`t deal with fashion-industry at all.

What do you like most about modeling? What do you like least?
Dari: The opportunity to travel, to meet new people and to make experiences you wouldn't usually make by the age of 17. And I don`t really like the superficial site.

Ever get tempted to get pulled into the party scene?
Dari: Noooo, I only sit home and do yoga and eat carotts ! ;) Joke..I`m young and I love going out with my friends, specially when I`m back home in Berlin!!!

Have you developed any new interests since you started modelling?
Dari: Because of working as a model I got excperiences in art (especially fotography), fashion and styling.

What are your favourite things to do in your free time?
Dari: Spending time with my friends and my family, watching movies, reading books, music...etc.

Out of all the places your career has taken you, where was the most memorable?
Dari: Costa Rica....the nature is just amazing, but if you go there you shouldn`t be afraid of insects. ;)

Do you have a mentor? Who? What is it about them that affects you? Why?
Dari: My mum! And why ? Cause she has been through many things and can help me with her experiences.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? What could be your next career?
Dari: Married, 2-3 children, a house at the beach and a nice apartment in Berlin and having a job which i love! Wow, that would be nice, but earnestly who knows what the future brings!

What are your beauty secrets? How do you stay in shape?
Dari: I don't use many make up and try to get enough sleep . I hate to go to the gym, but to stay in shape I go for a swim and to the sauna twice a week.

What would you want people to know about you?
Dari: I think they know too much already ;)

Any advice for new models? What advice would you give other models starting out?
Dari: Don`t take it too serious and don`t forget there are many beautiful girls and boys out there...so the personality counts and makes you special.

Favourite all-time model:
Dari: Kate Moss

Favourite kind of food:
Dari: Pizza, Sushi, Pumkinsoup, "Schweinebraten" (roast pork) with bread dumpling and red cabbage. hmmmmmm

Favourite kind of music:
Dari: Electronical music, indyrock, oldshool hiphop, soul....

Favourite quote:
Dari: "Enjoy life. There's plenty of time to be dead." ( by Hans Christian Andersen)

I'd like to meet:
Dari: People I lost in my life.

If I were trapped on an island I'd take:
Dari: Antimoscitospray, food, a bikini, sunlotion, and my boy ...

Nadine Johnson (Nov 2006)

2006-12-03T18:04:00.000-08:00

In the past few years, no fashion publicity firm has successfully distinguished itself like Nadine Johnson & Associates. In just over fifteen years in existence, the company has established itself as one of the very top destinations for luxurious party planning services and celebrity and socialite attraction. Just in the last month alone, Nadine Johnson has successfully put together huge events for Prada, Louis Vuitton and Valentino, just to name a few. The company’s bashes are smashing, organized affairs full of the social royalty, fashion gods and ever-flowing champagne and good spirit. The heart of the company (and its founder), Nadine Johnson discusses with us her routines and motivations in running a burgeoning business:

What gives you motivation every day?
The lack of routine.

Do you have any daily routines that you follow?
Reading nine daily papers, getting my fingers ink stained, then do yoga - all by 8:30 AM.

Did you always want to be a publicist?
No – I studied political science and law at the University in Brussels, then my ex-husband told me I should go into PR because I am a news junkie.

What is your favorite/most stressful part about planning an event?
Favorite: Picking the music and the right mix of people. Stressful: There is no stress in PR- Hahahaha!

What are some memorable moments form your recent list of very successful events?
When Fabiola Beracasa met Leo DiCaprio at the HBO party at Chateau last January - one of many “chance encounters” when you have the right mix (of guests).

Why are socialites important guests at any party?
Some (won’t say which ones) are loads of fun to have around and they “give” good photographs!

How do they make you invite list?
(I invite) only those relevant to the project/client.

What are you goals for next few years for your company?
Another 15 years of great fun and unique events and to bring value to my longstanding retainer clients.

Personal favorite New York places?
Indochine, The Mercer, Waverly Inn, Bar Pitti, as well the Cuban sandwich places next to my house in Chelsea.

(Credit: socialiterank)

Alison Nix (Nov, 2006)

2006-12-03T17:55:00.000-08:00

Despite her burgeoning success, Alison Nix (Ford) manages to stay real. She walked the SS07 runways of Lanvin, Malandrino, John Galliano, and Y-3, to name a few. It wasn't too long ago in the FW06 Marc by Marc Jacobs show where Alison appeared with long, dark brown hair. Now, she's channeling a glamorous 1920s silent film star. Here, she talks with i love secondhand smoke about her radical transformation, runway shoes, and a supportive family that keeps her grounded.

How does it feel going from being a girl in Denver, Colorado to almost instantaneously being thrust in the spotlight in New York, Paris, and Milan?
Actually, I was just born in Denver, I grew up in Vegas. I started traveling like crazy when I graduated and it all happened so fast that I didn’t have time to let it sink in and now it's just routine. I feel so lucky to have gone to all these countries at such a young age but it can be so exhausting working in different time zones every week.

That haircut! It's very Louise Brooks and you look very magnificent! What did you think before, during, and after getting it?
I was so excited when I found out I was getting my haircut. I had long hair my entire life so I was ready for a change. After I got it cut I was pretty shocked, but after a week I loved it and now I don’t know if I will ever have long hair again. It changed everything!

During the SS07 shows, which shoes at which show were the most comfortable? Most uncomfortable?
Oh man, I don’t recall any comfortable shoes. The ultra high platform was very popular this season, which can be nerve racking when you're walking down the runway. I guess my favorite shoes were from the Karen Walker show in NY. They were old-fashion black and white men’s shoes, I would wear them all the time if I had them!

How is it being represented by Ford?
They are great. They work so hard for me and not only when it comes to modeling. I signed with them when I was 14, and they were always supportive of my education and understanding of my age.

Do you have any good model and/or celebrity friends?
My best friend is Leslie Masson, who is also with Ford. I don’t know how I would survive fashion week without her.

Who's the biggest influence in your life?
I’ve always looked up to my 2 older brothers. We are really close and they make sure I don’t let all this fashion stuff get to my head. Also, my mom and I are really close and she used to travel with me everywhere so she has the best understanding of what my job is like. She is the only one who will listen to my panic attacks during fashion week, I talk to her at least twice a day.

Where's the place to be this winter?
Everywhere is so beautiful. New York has this great gloomy mood with leafless trees and grey skies. I was just in Paris and it was beautiful with yellow leaves and the sun. I’m not used to seeing all this change because in Vegas it’s just dirt so everything always looks the same. And I love wearing scarves and mittens and hats!

credit: (I lovesecondhandsmoke.blogspot.com)

Azzedine Alaia (April 2001)

2006-11-30T13:43:00.000-08:00

AFTER LAYING LOW FOR A SPELL, THE RULE-BREAKING CULT DESIGNER IS BACK IN A BIG, BIG WAY

I first met Azzedine Alaia in 1984, when I was hired by him as a model. Best-known for his skin-tight sculptural silhouettes, he is among the most influential designers of the last twenty years. He earned this reputation by being one of the last of the purists. He's also earned a reputation for being his own worst enemy, which stems at least in part from his reluctance to adhere to any show schedule or shipping obligation. He delivers a collection when he is ready, not when a schedule says he has to. This is a man who would rather destroy his own business than compromise his standards. And he has come dangerously close to letting it all go more than once, since he insists on personally constructing each prototype himself--from paper pattern to finished garment, including sewing--rather than relying on the help of design assistants. But because of this legendary insistence on perfection (and despite his refusal to follow traditional fashion schedules), he's remained a darling of retailers, editors, pop stars, and models.

Alaia's staying power is something that's become especially evident in the last few months--this fall he treated his fans to a new and much-anticipated collection (sales are reportedly brisk), as well as an exhibition of his work, presented by the Brant Foundation in New York's SoHo. A variety of things have contributed to this renaissance. For one, the current revival of '80s fashion means that Alaia, who helped define the sexy, aggressive-yet-feminine look of the decade, is a central reference point. Another factor is the recent announcement that Alaia and the Prada Group have reached a partnership agreement which seems to perfectly reflect what these two companies are all about: "to realize a program of common work" and to continue "the tradition of prestige and quality in the house of Alaia." The Prada Group, which owns Prada, Miu Miu, and Church's Shoes and has partnerships with Helmut Lang, Jil Sander, and Fendi, also plans to establish a Paris-based archive of Alaia's past and future works.

VW: I've been trying to get you on the phone for hours--where have you been?

AZZEDINE ALAIA: [laughs] I've been running all day.

VW: What's going on?

AA: Discussions, things, that's all. I couldn't even work on the clothes.

VW: Big business, eh?

AA: Exactly.

VW: It's one in the morning for you [in Paris], which I know is typically when you really get down to creating. I'm sure you must be working on something.

AA: Always.

VW: What are you doing for your next collection?

AA: Not much so far.

VW: So it's only a dream at this point?

AA: You're funny tonight--like a cop with a ton of questions... Are you taking notes or what?

VW: I'm recording you and I'm taking notes.

AA: OK, because I didn't hear you for a moment there. I was like, Where did she go? Is she making a lemon tart?

VW: No. not tonight. It's made already--I'm all yours. So tell me about your partnership with the Prada Group. I don't normally think of you as the kind of designer who would be anything other than totally independent.

AA: That's true, but it's different with Patrizio Bertelli [CEO of the Prada Group]. He's interesting for me because he understands how I need to work. And having his muscle behind us will make working easier.

VW: But sometimes even though a cash infusion can make things easier, it can also bring pressure.

AA: We all need pressure, though. If you don't have it, you don't move, you don't go the extra mile. Do you know what I mean?

VW: Yes, true. But the only real progress I've ever known you to care about was in terms of your technique as a designer.

AA: Yes, yes, yes.

VW:... Are you taking notes?

AA: No. Why would I take notes? I'm not the one writing. What, I'm going to write the article? This girl is out of her mind.

VW: [laughs] OK, but back to my question. Do you think designers need to have partners these days?

AA: Yes, it's necessary because now more than ever you need the muscle. It's good to have a partner. It's true for both [Jean Paul] Gaultier and me--we both came to a point where we had done all we could on our own. What the Prada Group offered me was totally interesting, you know. They haven't asked me to change how I work or to meet specific quotas or anything. They were interested in the way I work and think about things. Situations like that are rare.

VW: As a model I had the opportunity to see a lot of different designers at work, including you, and you work in a very special way. I never saw someone spend as much time on the actual creation of the clothes as you.

AA: That's the point, you know. I'm alone. We're one of the big names, and yet, we are a small house, as far as the number of employees go. But in terms of the work, it all has to get done.

VW: Yes. But you're strict with your vision.

AA: I ask a lot from myself. When I love, I do everything I can.

VW: In your case, it's almost obsessive.

Rodarte CDFA interview (2006)

2006-11-15T00:18:00.000-08:00

The label is just three seasons old, but people who love well-made clothes love Rodarte. Sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy talk about their own passions—among them, Brancusi, Patti Smith, and Opium perfume.

How would you describe your clothes?
Refined, thoughtful, light—and intelligently designed.

What was your big breakthrough?
Sarah Lerfel asking us to do the windows at Colette during the couture shows.

What was your first fashion moment?
Our mother sprinkled the bedsheets with Opium perfume.

What is the best trend of all time?
Schiaparelli's skeleton sweaters. It's been our lifelong mission to find one.

What is the best trend of spring 2007?
Kate: A charming wit in some of the collections.
Laura: And lightness.

What's the worst fashion faux pas?
Caring too much about one's style.

What was yours?
Simplicity.

Who would you like to dress that you haven't yet?
Joan Didion and Maggie Cheung.

What is your greatest inspiration?
Brancusi.

Chanel or elsa schiaparelli? and why?
Both. One doesn't have the same impact without the other.

Ultimate muse?
Patti Smith.

In what specific areas of business would you invest the $200,000 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award?
Equipment for production, studio, employees.

If you didn't need the money for business, what would you do with it?
Travel everywhere.

Phillip Lim CDFA interview (2006)

2006-11-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

The former designer for Development, this 33-year-old from the O.C. has quickly built a following on the strength of his pretty yet cool, beyond-basic clothes.

How would you describe your clothes?
Classic with a sense of madness.

What was your big breakthrough?
Pulling off the spring show. It was my first, and it was amazing. To see these real, beautiful, professional girls walking out like fluttering butterflies into this sea of people, I thought, "Is this us? Is this for real?"

Who is your favorite designer, living or dead?
It's definitely Dries Van Noten. I just love that he's such a die-hard romantic. From the invitation to the refreshments at the show, the whole thing is such a dream.

What is the best trend of spring 2007?
For me, it's white. White, white, white. It's all about that freshness, the innocence, the naiveté.

What's the worst fashion faux pas?
Leggings worn as pants without covering the middle portion. Only a girl like Kate Moss can get away with that. One girl in the world, and that's it.

What was your worst look?
Polka-dot socks. With shorts. It was back when Wham was big. You know: shorts, vest, polka-dot socks.

What is your greatest inspiration?
My mother.

Chanel or Elsa Schiaparelli? and why?
I love both, but I'd have to say Chanel. She was always modern, always stylish, but with a wicked sense. She had such a rebellious attitude, and I love that.

What would you be if you weren't a designer?
I'd love to work in a flower shop. I feel like I have a good hand for that. I'm always arranging things.

In what specific areas of business would you invest the $200,000 cfda/vogue fashion fund award?
Additional staff. And I'd put more into a marketing budget. Grassroots marketing. We can't advertise, but we could propose trunk shows, things like that.

If you didn't need the money for business, what would you do with it?
I'd be sitting in it. Not literally. I'd be sitting in a Porsche. I never dreamed of being a designer, but I've always wanted a Porsche 911. I've been fixated on that car since age seven. I'm crazy about it.

Credit: (Style.com)

Bernhard Willhelm (Jan, 2006)

2006-11-03T15:22:00.000-08:00

Boiler: You have graduated at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. How relevant this experience has been to your perception of style and design?

Bernhard Willhelm: They told me we do not make clothes here we make fashion. This is still a mystery to me.

B: You adopt the little Antwerp's mythological hand as your label? Do you feel a certain belonging to the Belgian fashion scene although you were born in Germany?

BW: The shape of the label is the shape of my favourite (Sheriff) monkeytoy. The hand is also symbol of Antwerp, where I live and work. It’s a good link.

B: Your graduation collection was an ode to Little Red Riding Hood. Do you often refer to fairy tales and folk stories of your native Bavaria?

BW: Sometimes, I guess I like them.

B: What type of experience was to work with Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen?

BW: Everyone of them has a completely different way of working. Both of them were very passionate about their work. The funny thing is that they can’t stand each other…

B: The latest soundtrack of your catwalk in Paris was the daily news from a German TV Station. How important for your work is the media noise and feedback?

BW: The idea of the show was “reality is touching the image”. The soundtrack was the 8 o’clock news of that day. It created a surrealistic atmosphere, it was like an Eisenstein’s movie. Slaughterhouse together with a love scene.

B: You tend to use many icons which are normally found in a child or adolescent realm: Dinosaurs, AC/DC, Dog-skeletons, Monkeys, Angels and cartoonish missiles! Is there any specific reason why you like to play with the meaning and the aesthetics of such icons?

BW: I attend to connect an image already made in your head to connect with my own ideal of an image. It would be a shame if nothing nice would come out of that.

B: You often use embroidery with keys, belts and chains. Why?

BW: They are symbols of connecting things like a friendship/marriage. The key to my heart…

B: In March 2001 you have had a show at Paris’ Legendary Moulin Rouge. Your show included tribes of nomads that wore long, striped overcoats, monastic dresses, twisted tops and kimono-style jackets. Is the tribal element still crucial to your design?

BW: I find tribes and folklore very interesting. It’s the idea of a group of people connecting each other with a typical costume. That can be so touching, my favourite at the moment is Tirol and Hungary…

B: You have recently curated Nr B magazine for Gerdi Esch. You have interviewed artists and contributed to a very eclectic layout. Is this experience something which you will repeat on some level in the foreseeable future?

BW: At the moment we are busy organising things for different exhibitions. No editorial work in sight and the holiday is near!

B: And finally we wish to ask you something we also asked to François Berthoud. The symbiosis between art and fashion seems to be a natural process in your work. Do you think that the time is ripe to reconsider the relationship between fashion and art?

BW: I hate arty questions and you are not getting an answer on that!

Julia Stegner (date unknown)

2006-10-31T21:43:00.000-08:00

She's a control freak and someone who always has to think first "what would be if...". Thats why it's not astonishing, that todays Topmodel Julia Stegner had to finish her school first after her discovery through the agency "Louisa" at the munich oktoberfest . A matured decison for a 15-year old. Only 4 years later Julia tried her luck in Paris during the summer holidays: just after a few weeks she adorned the cover of the french ELLE and had been photographed by Steven Meisel for the Italian Vogue. The bavarian girl turned into the star of the runways and had been booked for campaigns such as YSL and Boss. Now the 21-year old is living in New York and is one of the desired faces of the scene.

You've just been on the fashion shows in New York, Milan and Paris again. Do u still enjoy the turbulences?

I find it wonderful at the moment. I can travel, meet the most different people and earn well. The job nerves certainly in stressful phases, for example when I just can sleep a few hours - as probably any other job does.

How many shows do you do a day?

Luckily i can also say no from time to time now. at the beginning of my career I did 6 jobs a day 4 weeks long. Afterwards you felt as limp as a rag. Walking over the runway isnt that stressful at all. But the preparations are hard: the fittings that mostly are taking place at night, and the styling. The constant hair washing, drying, back-combing, make-up and removing it is straining alot. Sometimes the skin is really sored and burning enormous.

That doesnt sound very glamourous...

The most models are working very hard and dont enjoy such extravagant lifestyle as Cindy, Linda or Naomi did. That was a complete different era, where the girls run over the red carpet with their boyfriends and became celebrities. Any time in the mid-ninties, the actresses reconquered their status as Glamouricons. Since then they wear High Fashion, busy the stylist and make the red carpet into a runway. Now the Designers enlist Hollywood-Celebrities for their campaigns more often. There's less work for models.

Did models and actresses changed their image?

If its about naturalness and relaxeness surely. In the past you got to see much more shots from careless dressed Hollywood-Celebs and extremely well-dressed Supermodels. Now we sit on the floor with Jeans and a T-shirt before the shows and play at cards or talking. But I also know all the other stories from earlier with lots of drama and drugs. I could never take drugs, because i would be afraid of not looking good anymore and that I cant work reliably.

What do you think of Kate Moss?

Without wanting to play down her consume, I have to say that I think that the press is overdoing it a lot without knowing the background. I met her once with her daughter on St. Barth and I think she is a very nice women and a lovely mum. Probably she lives more exaggerated as most think. Could she otherwise look so fresh with 30 and be there for a child?

How do you personally handle the public interest in you?

Carefully, also when theres not much to tell about me. As I began I told about my boyfriend at that time - a politician from Munich. Meanwhile were splitted. My new boyfriend is an assistent of a Photographer and is living in New York - and thats all I wanna say.

Who do you meet when youre going out?

For example my best friend Luca Gadjus, also a very successful german model in New York. When I am in Munich I am looking forward to my old junto. We're playing basketball and eating pizza like in older days. The most imagine that I am meeting famous persons all the time. Once I've got ot know P.Diddy in a club and he asked "Hey, how ya doing?". And I answered "Good thanks! And you?" That was our meeting. I am not a big networker or party girl. Sometimes I wish I wouldnt be that well-behaved. But what am I supposed to do? I cant get out of my skin, right?

Why should you so? Youre life's gonna be perfect!

Destiny is good to me, but I always have to call everything into question - since ever. I am to sceptical and always afraid something could go wrong. Besides it drives me around the bend that it comes to modelling-orders from one second to the other and so you can't plan anything, Chaotic persons can handle that better than a controlfreak such as I am.

Do you feel to be at the mercy of beauty?

In some degree yes, because i am dependent on others opinions, if they like me the way I am. If someone says "Julia is a classical beauty" I dont take it unconditionally as a compliment. You have to seem surprisefull and exciting. Indeed I am convertable with styling but certainly could never dye my hair because i am allergic to the products. Thats why I am happy to have a sloping mouth atleast - my trade mark.

Are you proud of your success?

I am very grateful. Its easier for me to be proud of someone else, for example of my father. He succeeded to become an inquired manager with a junior high school finish. Or of my sister, the youngest production manager of the history of the UFA.

Hilary Rhoda (2006)

2006-10-31T20:54:00.000-08:00

Hilary comments on 10 of the fall 06 shows she was in:

1."The Lacoste show was really fun, but my boots were about two
sizes too small for me. It was pretty painful."

2."The leather jacket that I wore for Proenza Schouler was my favorite piece in the whole collection. It was so sleek and cool. I loved wearing it."

3."The Ralph Lauren show was on the last day of New York Fashion Week and I was so tired that I overslept! Can you tell that I just woke up?"

4."It's almost easier to keep in touch with family and friends because of the downtime before the actual show begins. While I'm getting my hair done I can send a quick text or email."

5."The only time I got really nervous was opening Balenciaga. The whole time I was praying that I wouldn't fall in those platforms."

6."I love getting my hair done (like here at the Rochas show) because the stylists are so good at making you look fabulous. But the downside is trying to recapture the look yourself—it never works out."

7."It's pretty chaotic backstage, but that's what I love about modeling. Here at Giambattista Valli, someone's trying to squeeze my foot in a shoe while another person is putting lotion on my arm."

8."At Chanel they had a sign telling us to perk up, have fun, and smile for the cameras. Most of the time designers want you to look serious, but I prefer smiling."

9."For this look at Chloé, they wanted me to walk "young and fresh". It was easy with the cute little jumpsuit and really cool platforms."

10."Right before we stepped onto the runway at Louis Vuitton they shoved these huge hats down on our eyes. It was a good thing that it covered half of my face because I got really sick the day of the show."

Micheal Levaton, President of Metropolitan Model Agency

2006-10-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

Mr Levaton how did you become a general manager of a model agency?
ML:There is no such thing as an early drive or motivation. After spending 15 years as a customer of model agencies, through a coture houseI was in charge of, this new career turned out to be a natural continuation of my old job, in an environment that has always been very familiar to me.

Why Metropolitan?
ML: When we first started in 1986, model agencies were not at all what they have become today. In the 80's, business was neat and friendly, but not particularly suited to the market's demands. Girls ended up modelling for the social status attached to it, rather than out of finicial need.
The concept of Metropolitan was to stick much more closely to what customers wanted, notably by innovating and imposing girls that did not necessarily meet the beauty standards of the time.

Were the early days tough?
ML: We first started in very small premises, with only four girls! Of course, at that time we had very little financial means, but lots of amibition.

And what about today?
ML:Today Metropolitan is a well renowed agency on a worldwide basis. We work around the globe through affilitates and representatives, and we actively manage the career of approximately 350 models.

What types of girls are you looking for?
ML: The ones we don't have yet! I look around for a more unusual type of beauty, one that has not been widely broadcast by the media.

'Why fashionistas wear sunglasses indoors' (Sept, 2006)

2006-10-06T22:35:00.000-07:00

Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, famously keeps her sunglasses on while striding through the lobby of Bryant Park's tent complex and then while taking in the shows. It goes well with her aura, and no one is going to call her out on it: Who does she think she is? One supposes she thinks she's the editor of Vogue.

But what about Fashion Week's lesser presences? How skilled are they at justifying the dark lenses that hide their eyes from view?

Name? Dani Stahl
What brings you here? Accessories director at Nylon magazine.
What kind of sunglasses are those? Marc Jacobs
Why are you wearing them inside? " 'Cause I'm tired."

Name? Nicole Albano
What brings you here? "Fabulousness."
What kind of sunglasses are those? In a hush: "They're from Chinatown."
Why are you wearing them inside? "It completes the look."

Name? Emmaline Ranzman
What brings you here? Works for StarStyle.com; "We link consumers to products on TV."
What kind of sunglasses are those? Bottega Veneta
Why are you wearing them inside? "Because the lights are really bright, so really it helps me get a better sense of the clothes."

Name? "You can say Mike."
What bring you here? "I work for a freelance company that helps out with the event."
What kind of sunglasses are those? "I normally wear Maui Jim … This is brandless."
Why are you wearing them inside? "I'm an optimist."

Name? Lauren Wyse
What brings you here? "I do international licensing."
What kind of sunglasses are those? J. Lo
Why are you wearing them inside? "Because I have a prescription."

Name? Starr Micheli
What brings you here? "I'm an advertising and marketing spokesmodel."
What kind of sunglasses are those? "You can't see what they are?" Indeed, on the stems, it reads, "FERRE."
Why are you wearing them inside? " 'Cause I don't want nobody to see me. Why, you got a problem?"

Name? Tamara Ericson
What brings you here? "We do, like, production—fashion shows, music, dance, the whole nine."
What kind of sunglasses are those? "Not anything special."
Why are you wearing them inside? "I have no idea. I don't even need to, actually." Removes glasses. "I'm not tryin' to be too cool."

Name? Atoosa Rubenstein
What brings you here? Editor in chief of Seventeen.
What kind of sunglasses are those? Chanel
Why are you wearing them inside? "Because I'm about to go outside. I'm being an urban warrior."

100 NYFW models (2006)

2006-09-26T14:12:00.002-07:00

A survey of 100 Fashion Week models, mostly at the casting for Cynthia Rowley’s show last week (with additional models from VPL, Malandrino, and Phillip Lim and at Elite Model Management).

How old are you?
14–15 . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
16–17 . . . . . . . . . . . 26

18–19 . . . . . . . . . . . 41
20–21 . . . . . . . . . . .24
Over 22 . . . . . . . . . . 4

What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
“Coffee and doughnuts.” “Starbucks.” “Toaster strudel.” “A cheese sandwich.” “A protein shake.” “Turkey sandwich and barbecue chips.” “Paracetamol tablets.” “Oreo cereal.” “Bacon, egg, and cheese.” “Red Bull.” “Sushi.”

How were you “discovered”?
“Wal-Mart flyer.” “Walking on the beach at the U.S. Surf Open.” “The Miss Hamburg competition.” “At the dentist.” “At Ikea.” “By a random guy on the street. Then I lost 30 pounds.”

Biggest hassles of being a model:
Dirty old men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Too much travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
When the “look” changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Sore feet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Sore eyelashes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Kate Moss:
Comeback queen . . . 68
Cautionary tale . . . 23

How much do you expect to make during Fashion Week?
“Nothing in New York, thousands in Europe.” “Approximately nothing.” “Three thousand dollars.” “Enough to cover the hotel.” “Tons of clothes.” “Twenty thousand dollars.” “Enough to buy a house.”

Who makes the best boyfriend?
Rock star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Investment banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Pro athlete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Actor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
“Whoever loves you” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Male model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Donald Trump. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 “Ewww.”

What’s your favorite book?
The Da Vinci Code (4); Harry Potter (3); the Bible (2); “anything by Dostoevsky” (2); The Bell Jar; Flowers in the Attic; Invisible Man; The Devil Wears Prada; The Odyssey; No One Here Gets Out Alive: The Biography of Jim Morrison; The Picture of Dorian Gray; On the Road; “my diary.”

After modeling, you plan to:
Go back to school . . . 33
Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Get married . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Design my own fashion line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
“Produce films.” “Be in a band.” “Write.” “Study medicine.” “Paint.” “Go to law school.” “Be happy.” “Open a bakery.” “Be an accountant.”

Natalia Vodianova (2005)

2006-09-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

Four years ago Natalia Vodianova was a poor fruit seller on the streets of Moscow. Now she's one of the world's most in-demand models and married to a very rich, very handsome aristocrat. Luckily, it's hard to hate her.

Natalia Vodianova, the 23-year-old model of choice among fashion heavies like Calvin Klein and Anna Wintour, the editor of American Vogue, is not a head-turner. As she enters Manhattan's Odeon restaurant, a loud, popular lunch spot where she is a regular, one is almost more inclined to admire the tall, striking hostess who seats Vodianova and her husband, Justin Portman, at their table. Vodianova's fair hair is tousled, her clothing casual, a smockish men's shirt from Marc Jacobs hanging loosely on her frame. Thin and medium-height, she simply doesn't take up that much space. Her hair is not bleached blonde enough to scream celebrity; her colouring is muted.
Natalia Vodianova
Vodianova's is a classic rags to riches tale

'We had a fun, trashy weekend,' she says, apologising for her fresh-from-bed, sleepy look. None of this, however, is to say Vodianova isn't beautiful: hers is a connoisseur's beauty, the kind that invites a longer look once it's captured the viewer's gaze. Her face is subtle and distinctive, with deep-set sapphire-blue eyes, tawny skin, a pouty mouth and a sweetly snub nose. And she definitely turned the heads of the connoisseurs who count: Vodianova had modelled for Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Marc Jacobs before Calvin Klein signed her to an exclusive deal three years ago (she is also the international spokeswoman for L'Oréal, one of the more coveted modelling gigs). The American Vogue arbiter of chic Grace Coddington has predicted that Vodianova will 'stand out in model history'.

In this September's massive American Vogue, an issue so seam-splitting the pages fall out as you thumb through it, Vodianova was everywhere: eight pages of Calvin Klein advertisements and 18 pages of fashion shot by Steven Meisel with overtones of Chekhov and Strindberg - riding crops, boots, high-necked, long-sleeved, buttoned-up tops in black.

Also prominent in the shoot was Vodianova's husband, Portman, a tall, boyish 36-year-old whose marriage to Vodianova is a significant part of her legend. Until she was singled out at a model-scouting session, Vodianova was a struggling fruit-vendor in the Russian city Nizhni Novgorod; Portman, by contrast, is, in fact, the Honourable Justin Portman, educated at Harrow and raised on his family's 3,000-acre estate in Herefordshire (the family properties once included Oxford Street and Marylebone, and now extend to Antigua and Australia). Vodianova met Portman, a former serial 'modeliser', at a party in Paris. Married a year later, the couple spend equal amounts of time in London, Paris and New York, where they have a 7,000sq ft home in TriBeCa (there are well-endowed museums in New York that would kill for that kind of space).

Her story is a time-tested classic: industrious beauty swept off her feet by near-royalty. His is entirely modern: blue-blooded playboy marries model. It seems only appropriate that in the Vogue spread, Vodianova is cloaked in ensembles so old-fashioned they look almost like costumes, while Portman gambols about in flip-flops and thermal T-shirts. Most New York women Vodianova's age are scouting for internships or working at Gap by day, while doing the best Carrie Bradshaw imitation they can afford by night. Vodianova, however, is a wife, working mother of three-year-old Lucas (her second child is due in March) and philanthropist. She recently started the Naked Heart Foundation, an organisation that raises money for indoor playgrounds in Russia.

'My family was very, very, very poor, and Russian kids have no nannies - they're just up to things by themselves on the street. It sometimes leads them the wrong way,' Vodianova says, her voice deep, her accent present but surprisingly faint for someone who didn't start learning English until her late teens. 'We're trying to put in a lot of playgrounds and take children from the street and entertain them in some sort of educational way, giving them some kind of hope.'

Vodianova says she's seen the results of destitution on the friends left behind. 'One's a heroin addict, one's dead,' she says. 'All are single mothers who hate their children's fathers. It's very hard.'

Vodianova's life changed not just dramatically, but also quickly: within weeks of leaving Russia she was already working the top shows. Within months of meeting Portman, at the age of 19, she was pregnant with his child and, soon after, married in a civil ceremony (a massive St Petersburg celebration came after Lucas's birth). 'If not for Lucas,' she says, 'we never would have married. But in order for Lucas to inherit the name and the rest, we had to marry.'

The two had been together a matter of months when Portman suggested they take better care to stop her getting pregnant. 'And I said, 'Well, I don't know. I love you, and if, then that's great,' Vodianova says while Portman is away from the table taking a cigarette break. 'And he said, "But what about your career?' And I told him that everything happens for a reason; if this is meant to happen, then this is meant to happen, and my happiness would only increase.'

Two days later she was pregnant. Rather than hurting her career, the pregnancy, Vodianova says, did wonders for it. Three weeks after she gave birth she looked as if she'd never carried a child, a freak of genetic good fortune that was the talk of the autumn shows, where Vodianova modelled for Yves Saint Laurent. Soon after that, she won a contract with Gucci and, eventually, her coveted Calvin contract. Billboard images of Vodianova nibbling the near-naked bottom of a male model caught people's attention; if she's not a household name yet like Brooke Shields, blame the polysyllabic surname.

'Journalists loved the story of the working mother, and right about that time they saw this boom of young successful mothers not caring about their career, thinking family was more important. Everybody had a child at that time - I did, Sarah Jessica Parker did, Kate Moss…'

There's an irony in being rewarded professionally for making a statement about putting family first, and it doesn't seem entirely lost on this savvy young woman. 'My career just went whoosh, and it's definitely something to do with that image of being a hard-working mother with a two-month-old child. People take you more seriously when you're a mother; you're not just this young kid.'

Although Vodianova clearly enjoys her life, there's nothing giddy about her adjustment to her new princess-like status.

She has a distinctly Russian philosophy about the amazing set of circumstances that altered her existence - both hard-nosed and idealistic at the same time. 'If I'd stayed in Russia, it would be good, too, because I would not know this life,' she says, drinking a glass of wine along with her artichoke-heart salad. 'I would have nothing to compare it to, and it would be fine. I was never miserable - I was always very happy. I loved my life… are you kidding? I even miss it sometimes.'

What she misses, she says, was the edge: the constant trick of surviving, haggling with the mafia guys, hustling the Chechnyan vendors who sold her the fruit wholesale. Vodianova, who has a disabled younger sister, ended up supporting her family when it became obvious that she had better business instincts than her mother. She was 14 at the time, regularly making an hour-long drive with a friend to get the cheapest fruit. Her life sounds more Mills & Boon than Tolstoy, but Vodianova, who makes it clear she was educated despite her poverty, has a weakness for Russian novels.

'They do love their tragedy, their pain and suffering,' Portman says midway through his omelette. Vodianova looks up, fork in mid-air. 'Who doesn't, darling? Don't you love it?'

'No, I don't like pain and suffering at all,' Portman replies.

'I love it. I love Anna Karenina and Tolstoy, it's all about…' She clutches her arms to her chest and makes a dramatic gasp. 'We love it, even in our own lives. We sometimes choose difficult parts in order to experience this feeling, because after something really tragic comes the feeling of great love or relief, and that feeling is what we need - it's what we love.'

'Bloody women,' Portman responds.

Despite Vodianova's itinerant existence the two of them are rarely separated, which means that Portman follows his wife from one far-flung locale to another. A trained painter, Portman says he's 'not working on much at the moment'.

'It's amazing, his work,' Vodianova says. 'I hate him that he doesn't paint.'

'Well, he's busy with his wife,' Portman replies with a small smile. Not that she's high-maintenance, he adds; it's just that the family prefers to stay together. 'She's the opposite of high-maintenance,' Portman says. 'She does with what she's got.'

Nevertheless, Vodianova admits she enjoys being in the limelight. 'I love a lot of attention, believe me,' she says, now on her second glass of wine.

I think everyone loves attention, but you don't seek it out,' Portman responds gently, a bit of editing going on, as often seems to happen with the two of them.

'When I go somewhere I really make an effort to be different,' she says. 'I want to be noticed for who I am. Sometimes people need a little push, especially in this business, where you tend to go with whoever is striking. There are a few people who inspire me, and I'd like to inspire other people.'

Who inspires Vodianova? 'Steven Meisel, Grace Coddington, Anna Wintour, Mario Testino - strong, wonderful people. Or geniuses, my friends, Nicole…' Nicole? 'Kidman. Although I feel she's getting a little tired of her own self,' Vodianova continues. 'She's trying so hard to stay up there she doesn't realise that the down part is healthy and good for you, because afterwards you can be up there again and say, "I'm back!" There's nothing better than that.' The last time she saw Kidman, Vodianova says, 'she looked like she couldn't even see what was in front of her, and that's too bad, because she's missing out on her own life.'

So much of what Vodianova has to say seems reflected in the images she portrays for the camera: both knowing and naive, insouciant, young and intense. She sounds so serious and passionate one almost believes her when she says she could have been just as happy if she'd never left Nizhni Novgorod.

'Something would have been different, but I know it would have been good as well,' she says, as her husband looks on adoringly. 'You never know - maybe it would have been better.'

Christian Lacroix (2003)

2006-09-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

Christian Lacroix recounts to Michel Gaubert his journey from Arles, through Paris's revolutionary moment, to the return of Cocteau in the neo-Baroque '80s glory of the priviledge club.

MICHEL: Growing up in Arles, did you get to London or Paris much?
CHRISTIAN: When I went to London in the early '60s I bought pseudo-erotic black-and-white images by Aubrey Beardsley. I read Oscar Wilde. In 1967, I met a super-sexy girl in Arles, who wore silver sandals and enormous gypsy blouses. She knew all about Gustave Moreau and Beardsley. She was the daughter of a radical hairdresser named Bobby, who was also the director of a movie club, where we saw films like Polly Maggoo and Mr. Freedom. One night she invited us to a very bourgeois house. The inside was straight out of the film fin de siecle, with gas lamps. Everyone wore period outfits and women walked around holding English parasols like during the Belle Epoque. There was a woman wearing a red peignoir named Marie Colette. I recognized her from seeing her at the band, the Credit Agricole. [laughs]
MICHEL: Sounds a bit like Bette Davis as Baby Jane.
CHRISTIAN: Sort of. But Marie Colette was only twenty-five. She received you from her bed, lace galore, holding her lamp. I arrived with a notebook in hand. I drew. I wasn't allowed to speak. I loved to listen. The ninety-year old grandmother who lived their was always drunk. She'd been a tart in Monte Carlo at the turn of the century. She kept a scimitar and a dagger for all the troublemakers. Marie Colette's mother now has all my drawings from '66 and '67, sketches of people in the house, people straight out of Cocteau — musicians, mediums, bullfighters. No one thought such personalities could exist in Arles. In ten years they'd be gone.
MICHEL: Were people trying to recreate the past in Paris when you first lived there?
CHRISTIAN: I arrived in Paris at a moment when the bourgeoisie had become revolutionaries, giving the past it's honor due. We created a gallery of ancients. In fact, just before the revolution of 1789, fashion was also inspired by history. That was around the time when Herculaneum and Pompeii were discovered. But the look of that time generated modernism, beginning with neo-gothicism of the nineteenth century- Princess Eugenie dressed like Madame de Pompadour. Much later, designers like Dior and Saint Laurent recreated styles form the '30s and '40s. It was a strange but exciting time, one that you were too young to have known.
MICHEL: I remember art deco circa 1970. David Bowie, glitter rock...
CHRISTIAN: A remake of the '30s, as if they'd never existed. That was the idea behind glam clubs like Seven and The New Eve. You could eat and dance to live music. To enter you had to descend a grand staircase.
MICHEL: Glamour's not exactly the word.
CHRISTIAN: Maybe you don't remember the grand Eugene, a drag queen who brought back the elegance of the old caberets, of Edith Piaf and Mistinguett. There were photographs — tres, tres louche — of her weeping deliriously over a drag queen who had been suspiciously murdered right after his singing debut on Champs Elysees. That was in 1971. It was the return of high fashion, of couture... white satin, perfect blonde wigs. The blonde bombshell was back with total elegance. Eugene's still with Dior.
MICHEL: It's true, Paris of the '30s and '40s was recreated everywhere in France during the '70s. I remember the director of Chanel did everyone up like Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo...
CHRISTIAN: Peter O'Toole's wife Sian Phillips dressed up like Marlene Dietrich. She looked like Marlene, wore a huge coat like her. Supposedly around the time of Marlene's last concert, Phillips also sang like heart the Espace Cardin. That's how "Marlene" influenced Cardin. That's when we started looking back to dandyism and fin-de-siécle naiveté. Going out in Paris was like going out in the '30s dressed like the Andrews Sisters. It was everything I'd seen in books at my grandparents' house, only it was our generation. I'd experienced the '40s and '50s by looking at my grandparents' old clothes, books, and magazines. They created a kind of collage. But it seemed like the more we advanced, the more the future looked impossible, making us return to the more radical times in the past. For me, fashion had emerged from the flea market in Clignancourt, which was inspired by the explosion of British pop. Then Karl Lagerfeld showed us everything.
MICHEL: Everything?
CHRISTIAN: Yes. In 1974, Karl put out such a sublime men's collection I was stunned. I suddenly felt less unique, realizing I wasn't the only one with such taste, because there it was, incarnated by Lagerfeld.
MICHEL: Do you miss those times?
CHRISTIAN: The notion of time bothers me. You look at thirty-year-old photographs and realize how the time has passed. We all look for lost time. I think the '90s were about a return to a period just before it.
MICHEL: Weren't the '80s a mix of art deco and the '40s?
CHRISTIAN: They were the final opulence before a period of crisis. Basquiat and Schnabel, whose paintings we could have seen as caricatures, were normal icons of our times. It was like a return to the age of Cocteau, a neo-baroque born in the avant-garde...in the cubic architecture of Robert Mallet-Stevens's Villa Noailles in Hyeres, in the intellectuals who were a bit baroque and a bit bohemian. It was like the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and a bit of surrealism, all a bit puffed up.
MICHEL: But that self-confidence was so ostentatious, so assuming. It was why people were called "power dressers" in the '80s, with their padded shoulders and self-assured attitude.
CHRISTIAN: There's always some kind of hidden logic. During this summer's Paris fashion shows, everywhere I looked, I saw neo-Renaissance cloaks a la Port Royal.
MICHEL: A basic structure seemed to dominate?
CHRISTIAN: The sleeves were like those you would see in paintings by Cranach — a bit rigid, a bit aggressive. But you don't know where it's going.
MICHEL: When I was a kid, films often influenced fashion. Now there is more than one tendency in every field. It's no longer said that this winter the color is red. That's finished. In Italy, for example, styles seem to be dictated by industry — unlike in Paris. The market sets the rules for wearing this or that.
CHRISTIAN: Italy is a divided country without a center. In France, Paris is the center. In Italy, the Milanese are well organized but follow bourgeois taste. They adhere to certain codes of elegance, but not to individualism. They're a bit like Austrians, with the taste of the north. They say that the best furniture and clothing design from the '50s and '60s is Scandinavian or Milanese. But the Milanese have made bad choices, bad fashion, and bad jewelry.
MICHEL: The first time I visited Milan I thought it would a really well designed city, but it's not at all. I thought Moscow would be the same. Instead, it was sad.
CHRISTIAN: I like the Mussolini perspectives in Italian architecture, and the furniture from the time of King Victor Emmanuel. The worst is the melancholy one finds in Italian suburbs with their spinach-colored houses in disrepair.
MICHEL: Yeah, little by little you understand that Milan is quite a mess.
CHRISTIAN: That could be said for London, Brussels, or Antwerp. The things that bother me about Italy are the dancehalls, certain hotels, and sometimes people's homes. There's something that makes me ill aesthetically. It's not because the places are poor or ugly — even the most opulent places have their disturbing side. But in Italy, there are often things found only in nightmare, particularly in their bathrooms.
MICHEL: You mean the bathroom fixtures.
CHRISTIAN: Exactly. There's no nuance. The same could be said about their crockery, their colors, their living rooms, their kitchens...the bizarre proportions of Italian cafes.
MICHEL: The way they mix odd pinks and greens?
CHRISTIAN: And those strange designs from the '70s and '80s in blond wood. The English aren't really like that. My first time in England, in the '60s, the interiors were somehow familiar to me, probably because of the books I'd read and the images I'd seen.
MICHEL: I had the same impression. I think it's because I listened to the Stones and Bowie since I was a kid. I know those songs by heart. It was like seeing what those songs were about.
CHRISTIAN: I translated Beatles songs for my English class. Even my parents were fascinated. They were born in '27 and '28, and were kids during the liberation of France. My father was just a worker, but he was fascinated.
MICHEL: There's something futuristic about the Anglo-Saxon consumption of music. In England a record can hit number one in a day. Even their hair...All it takes is two or three singers or one top model to wear a certain hairstyle, and bang! The next day the girls are lining up to get their hair cut that way. In France, even now, we hear something and don't know if it's good or not.
CHRISTIAN: For fifteen years I've had Swiss clients who tell me that it's a mystery how the French react to their own artists, especially the painters. One of them said, "In the '50s, artists like Soulages and Dubuffet were well known, but the French ignored them." He'd bought Dubuffet paintings in the '50s. The French wait for the Beauborg-Pompidou stamp of approval before they buy. The French are like that.
MICHEL: A bit lukewarm.
CHRISTIAN: That's why modernism isn't so strong in France. It's still exotic. Even if we like it, it's not something that we take to viscerally. The French are tempted by things, but we tend to keep a distance. It's what makes French taste more about fascination than passion. The Paris store Colette is successful because it's a filter for things that are made elsewhere. It's the kind of store France needs. MICHEL: It's also a French thing to say that modernity is ridiculous. People said that about email, "It's too modern. It'll never work." But it always does.
CHRISTIAN: If I were a teenager, I'd make computer drawings. I need people to do that for me because I don't have the time.
MICHEL: Some people are afraid of technology. Whether it's a machine or a credit card, they think it's a form of witchcraft.
CHRISTIAN: I've been reading a book on Belgian architecture lately and have been amazed. Brussels in the '50s already looked toward the aesthetic of Blade Runner, and the science fiction that would become the repertoire of the late twentieth century. Bourgeois France is nothing like that, except for a few Mackintosh-like buildings in the north. French design hardly exists, except as artificial modernism.
MICHEL: French design is a bit neo- '20s, with horrible colors and grape vines festooning everything.
CHRISTIAN: The typography here in France is equally catastrophic. Maybe we'll like it in twenty years but I doubt it. In Anglo-Saxon countries, it's more natural. In conservative London the signs above those mahogany and copper pubs never look fake. There isn't as much design as we think. It's the weakness of our times. Radicality works. Remember Rochas building?
MICHEL: Loved it.
CHRISTIAN: For what seemed like forever people thought it was scandalous, because it was more dynamic than just about anything else.
MICHEL: I went there long ago. The cafeteria was fantastic. You entered a room full of wooden furniture and copper lamps, then you opened a door and the hall was painted a varnished purple. There was a disco and a little bar. It's a pity when places like that are destroyed, because they recall the most passionate moments of an era.
CHRISTIAN: No doubt. But it takes an almost arrogant confidence to do something that interesting. There are days when I'm completely depressed and able to do only one drawing. I'm by no means a complainer, but when you feel good you feel confident, and it's easier for me to make something of quality. But in that earlier time there was confidence in the air. We felt it.
MICHEL: I remember when the Privilege club opened in 1980, designed by Gerard Garouste. That was gutsy, especially for a painter to do!
CHRISTIAN: When it first opened, people flipped out.
MICHEL: I was the DJ for the opening. There were cast-iron chairs and couches that were thrown out six months later. People hated them because they were too uncomfortable. The slipcovers had even been torn up. It didn't work at all for the first year.
CHRISTIAN: What was great was the feeling of modernity, in the paintings, the walls, the furniture. It was like the set of a movie from the '70s.
MICHEL: There were other places that I like but that seemed cursed, like Karl Lagerfield's shop, which was a kind of architectural hallucination. The interior was amazing, with it's terrazzo floor and Bohemian colored-glass ceiling. And the exterior!
CHRISTIAN: That's completely gone.
MICHEL: There were also stores that seem almost mythic now.
CHRISTIAN: Le Drugstore was like that.
MICHEL: Yes, at the top of the Champs Elysees. It was a very fashionable store, almost like Colette today.
CHRISTIAN: It's as impossible to bring back the '60s as it is the Belle Epoque of my grandparents. But I hang on to the memory of clothes that no longer exist.

Sophie Ward (2006)

2006-08-21T02:19:00.000-07:00

O2W: How did you get involved with modeling?

Sophie Ward: The story goes like this: Gemma was in the audience to watch the competition “Search for a Supermodel” in Perth and she was discovered by an agent who saw her sitting there. She called my mum and asked her to come down to the TV studio because she was in the final 10. We (me and mum) were in the audience watching her and the judges asked me why I didn’t enter. Then I explained I was Gemma’s sister. The same agent who took on Gemma asked me to join the agency too. I couldn’t enter the competition because I had my finals three weeks later so we decided to take it slowly, at my own speed, when I had the time. A few weeks later was the “City Face Competition” (which discovered Nicole Trufino and Dion Carnell) and they asked me to enter, but I said I had to study. They begged me to come so I went in the afternoon and won the competition, That’s how I got my first photos done, in 2003, then I was at university in Perth and I kept modeling at arms length, I decided education was more important, then in the third year I was able to go to Sydney a lot for lots of different jobs, I had become more mature and learnt how to juggle lots of things.

O2W: What is it like sharing the same name as your sister who is an international supermodel?

SW: Its cool, I get to do lots of fun stuff, it’s opened the world up for the whole family. It’s made it possible for all of us to travel to see our family in England. I miss Gemma so much when she’s not here, but now I get to see her much more often. Gemma was 15 when she started, and she always had a chaperon, my mum was with her for six weeks in New York when she first went there. She was on option for Meisel the whole time and they weren’t sure how long to stay in New York for because it was costing money and nothing was happening. But she got the break and got the Prada campaign. Our parents let us try anything we like, they are really good to us. People always say that we’re so happy together and it’s true. They wanted us to experience a richer understanding of life so they were happy to see us be happy within ourselves by experiencing so much. Mum is a nurse and Dad is a doctor so they are both very educated and caring people.

O2W: Do people always compare you to her, or have expectations of you because of her?

SW: We’re both our own person, one of the main obstacles of my career is that people will always compare me to her. I didn’t want to be at IMG to begin with because it’s the same agency as Gemma but I’m glad I decided to because they understand we’re different and have different looks.

O2W: What is your relationship like with Gemma?

SW: We’re best friends. I went oversees for the first time to Glastonbury festival in England last year and we went to Porto Fino in Italy at the home of Dolce & Gabbana when Mario Testino was shooting Josh Hartnett and Gemma together. Now and again Gemma reminds me about when we were there and Mario told her that she looks so normal standing next to me because I am taller and look more couture than she does. We are very close as friends but we have strong points of difference of course. She showed me around in New York, it was amazing because she lives there most of the time and it’s like home to her now. It was her turf and it changed our relationship and took it to another level. We realized how much we love each other. We both love having our family around. It’s like your heart. We’ve spent all of our lives together but it’s hard to be apart but now I know she’s always close by no matter where I am.

O2W: What are your other brothers like?

SW: I have two brothers who are twins, Henry and Oscar. They’re 15 years old. It’s hard to tell if they’re going to model when they’re older. If it’s up to them then they won’t. It’s not something I can see them being interested in, they are really into playing basketball and they both really love school, they’re insanely smart. Oscar learnt to read when he was three, and then taught Henry how to read as well. Oscar is definitely going to be something academically extraordinary when he is older. A few years ago I told Henry that if you drink lots of milk you get strong and tall. He wants to be 6′7” tall like Michael Jordan, and I said if you drink milk it will make you grow, now he drinks two liters a day of milk, cereal three times a day.

O2W: What is it like back in Australia in the Ward family?

SW: In Perth the family house is really big and airy. It’s in the suburbs near to the river. It’s far from anywhere and so it’s expensive to travel so we would have family holidays along the coast, ride jet skis, play golf and tennis. It’s very recreational. There is no nightlife really in Perth but it’s a very safe place to live. In our house the kitchen was always the center of the house. My mum would cook lemon meringue pies because we have a lemon tree out the back. We sat for hours and hours talking when we were younger. Mum taught us how to cook and about life. People said we were like the Brady Bunch because we got on so well it was odd, we argued sure but it was always so nice to live there. We all took a course about how to resolve conflict and leave the past behind and about how live a life full of infinite possibilities. It’s called Landmark Education. You can do it all over the world. Police forces do it and now they’re trying to implement it into schools.

O2W: Where do you all live now?

SW: Gemma lives in NY most of the time. She just got her own apartment eight months ago. I’ve been living in Sydney around my friends Tiia and Dion [Carnell] for the past year and the rest of family is still in Perth. My aunty has bought a derelict French house and the whole family is going there to do it up. I think my parents want to retire to France and have goats and orchards.

O2W: What were you all like as children growing up in Perth?

It was so funny, I have so many stories. We spent our whole childhood barefoot. We had a go-cart and we could all fit on it and we would roll down the hill. We did the most crazy things in that, we jumped off the jetties and went to the ice cream stores. Holidays were spent at the beach. My favorite holidays were the ones where we banned anything with a screen (televisions, Gameboys or anything like that), so we would go camping. I remember me and Gemma had a dictaphone and we made up stories with each other and then listen back to them and laugh all night long. Before that we used to write letters to each other when we were in the car. We made up a story that I was the woman who owned a quickie mart, my brother’s character I can’t remember actually and I think Gemma was a lady who owned a tissue factory. For Gemma’s 18th birthday, I scanned all of the letters I could find and made them it into a book. She loved it so much! We also had a swing in our back garden, it was on a huge pine tree maybe 30m high and my dad put a rope on. We used to jump off the shed onto the swing and do gymnastics, then the branch fell down eventually, and we were sad.

O2W: Your Grandma has a reputation of being quite the fashionista herself. Tell me a bit about her.

SW: Oh yes, Nanna lives in Essex, just outside of London and she was the chaperon for Gemma when she came to London, so my Nanna would come. She lives alone and loves going on outings to London. She always called up the agency to ask where Gemma was staying and who she was shooting with. My bookers told me that she would ring and ask “Who is she shooting with this time, it is Nick [Knight] or Mario [Testino]” then she would say “Ok I’m going to have tea with Mario.” Gemma was so embarrassed by her for a while she came along to the shoot and tell the team which photos she likes on the computer screen. She’s so chatty and she tells you every detail of her life. I’m sure Mario was thrilled.

O2W: What have you been able to experience so far through your work?

SW: The main reason I stuck with modeling is the people, the amazingly inspiring, creative and energetic characters. There is so much life in fashion. I love that the other reason is that it opens so many doors. Gemma was really into acting and acting school doing commercials in Australia. It seemed like a good way to break into it. I think now she sees modeling as acting in a way. I think that’s why she’s such a great model. I did an arts degree and so I get to meet all of the top writers in fashion. They wouldn’t know who I was if I wasn’t a model. It’s like training for something creative.

O2W: Has it made you look at the world differently or changed your plans for the future?

I grew up next to a university so I always wanted to go there, I don’t plan too far into the future. I don’t think you can do that. Life can change so fast in a week, right now modeling has changed my life in a different direction. I’m still living a life that I love and it’s changed my life but in accordance with my heart.

O2W: What do you do like to do in your free time?

SW: I listen to music a lot, I haven’t been able to do it much recently but I love going to museums with exhibitions. I hardly go shopping, but I like going to markets, especially little antique type ones or book fair’s. I like museum shops and art gallery shops more than clothes shops. I like hanging out in the park and going to parties, dinner parties, picking cherries. I love writing emails too. I’m really dedicated to writing to my friends back at home about how I feel. I can express my emotions very easily through writing. It’s how I write when I write for magazines too, very unconscious, I never think about what I’m writing, it just comes out naturally.

O2W: How would you describe your style?

SW: I would say quite earthy, a lot of it is high fashion style but not always expensive and quite graphic too, I like lots of shapes and prints. Growing up I stood out because I’m so tall. When I was young I wanted to hide and blend it now I express it because I am tall and its part of who I am. I always try and make new combinations with all of my clothes so I have a different look each day.

O2W: Everything about you is so innocent. Surely you must have some vices?

SW: Well yes, I do, they aren’t too naughty I hope… They all begin with the letter C too….chocolate, cigarettes and coffee.

Veruschka (Feb, 2003)

2006-08-21T02:00:00.000-07:00

Veruschka was no ordinary '60s model; a German countess, she could be anything from Greta Garbo to a leopard in a tree. Now, at 61, she is still an inspiration.

Of all the players in Michelangelo Antonioni's cult 1966 film BlowUp, there was one legendary enough to star as herself.

Veruschka - the model whose farout features dominated fashion magazines in the late '60s - appeared for hardly five minutes, but her performance was electrifying.

Announcing herself ("Here I am") at the studio of the David Bailey-esque photographer (played by David Hemmings) barefoot and in a black mini-dress, she proceeded to seduce the photographer's lens by writhing on the floor like a wildcat, while he sat astride her, snapping furiously."

She moves like nobody on earth," Hemmings sighed afterwards.

In real life her photo shoots were no less extraordinary; US Vogue editor Diana Vreeland would give Veruschka carte blanche to conceive fashion stories with her then lover, the Italian photographer Franco Rubartelli.

The leotard-clad Veruschka and Rubartelli would jump on a plane together, taking all the clothes, body paint and photographic equipment they needed to the middle of a desert, or to some snowy wasteland against which Veruschka would throw her lean body into contorted shapes. They once travelled to the Bahamian island Eleuthera on Christmas Day to take photographs by moonlight.

You would expect such an astonishing figure to make an entrance. But when Veruschka, now 61, arrives at a Parisian photographic studio, she glides in swiftly, shrouded like a brightly coloured Lawrence of Arabia.

Within seconds she has disappeared into a back room for a further hour to apply her make-up.

Veruschka, who now goes by her real name, Vera von Lehndorff, is in Paris to meet the New York fashion designer Michael Kors, who chose to capture her spirit in his spring/summer 2003 show for the French fashion house Celine.

To a sitar-laden remix of the Rolling Stones' Jumping Jack Flash, Kors sent on to the catwalk a collection he dubbed Veruschka Voyage, a holiday wardrobe gleaming with gold embroidery and hot pink and orange tie-dyes.

Kors's models looked like leisured, sun-tanned bohemians, sporting collar-bone-skimming earrings made of linked brass discs.

Today, von Lehndorff is just here to hang out while the photographer Vincent Peters shoots the Celine advertising campaign with the 27-year-old Midwestern model Frankie Rayder, who appears airily unconcerned about measuring up to one of modelling's all-time greats.

Von Lehndorff's pale, heavily lined face and broad features remain impassive as she draws on a cigarette. Her ensemble is on the outer reaches of eccentricity; over her taut body she wears something resembling a black body stocking, a floor-length orange cardigan and a raggedy orange tie-dyed scarf.

On her size-nine feet are Vivienne Westwood pirate boots, and her straggly tawny hair hangs from under an orange bandanna decorated with spangles.

Odder still, earlier in the day this look was completed with a pair of orange-lensed Ali G-style sunglasses.

However, von Lehndorff's career as a model has had unusually little to do with clothes. As she said to Nova magazine in 1968, "I hate the whole kind of chic look - Dior, St Laurent. They might look very nice, but I don't feel them." And her attitude hasn't changed. "I'm not especially inspired by fashion," she says slowly in her contralto, Germanic voice, before giving the rail of Celine outfits a polite but cursory survey. For von Lehndorff, modelling was all about transforming herself. "I was always being different types of women. I copied Ursula Andress, Brigitte Bardot, Greta Garbo. Then I got bored so I painted myself as an animal," she says in a deadpan way. "One day I ended up as a stone. I was depressed and went out on to my terrace in Rome. I wanted to disappear, to be like the stones of the terrace. I painted myself lying down in the mirror, and copied the stones on to my face."

But at the beginning of her career, changing was a necessity, not an artistic, endeavour. She had first travelled to New York in 1961 as plain old Vera, but failed to secure a single booking. After retreating to Milan for a spell, she returned to take Manhattan under her new name, Veruschka.

"I dressed all in black and went to see all the top photographers, like Irving Penn, and said, 'I am Veruschka who comes from the border between Russia, Germany and Poland. I'd like to see what you can do with my face.' "

It worked; constantly booked, Veruschka gained almost mythical status. When Life magazine profiled "the most sought-after model in the world", they magnified her 1.8-metre frame to an alien 1.9 metres. Her extraordinary physique, complete with outsize hands and feet, even spawned industry rumours that she had once been a man.

Von Lehndorff's background is as intriguing as the Veruschka creature she invented. Of noble birth, her full title (which she never uses) is the Countess Vera Gottliebe Anna von Lehndorff. Her father was a Prussian count who was involved in a plot to assassinate Hitler in 1944 and hanged that year, when Vera was three. Her mother was arrested, and Vera and her sisters spent the rest of the war in Gestapo camps. They were reunited with their mother after the war, but the family was destitute, and ostracised by other Germans for their father's treachery. She ended up studying textile design in Florence, where a fashion designer first asked her to model.

Von Lehndorff stopped modelling in the early '70s when the newly appointed editor-in-chief at Vogue, Grace Mirabella, advised her to cut her hair so readers could identify with her ("I hate that idea"). She then sought to become "an artist who had modelled for a few years". Collaborating with the artist Holger Tradilzsch, she was photographed in 1971 and 1972 as a series of characters, clad only in body paint.

Although she has made the odd foray back into modelling (for example, to launch a menswear collection for Karl Lagerfeld in 1995), von Lehndorff lives the life of an artist in a rundown area of Brooklyn, with her lover Micha Waschke, a musician who doubles as her assistant. She has exhibited a steady stream of work, from photos of herself covered in ash to a short film, Buddha Bum (1998), in which she plays a series of homeless people and Buddha.

It is unfortunate that von Lehndorff talks about her art in the kind of indistinct terms that smack of half-baked pretension. "Veruschka was the first emanation of the children of illusion," she murmurs, referring to her sprawling work in progress, Emanations. Since the mid-'90s, she has collaborated with designers ranging from Helmut Lang to Paco Rabanne to explore characters that include "urbanites and savage animals, presidents and movie stars". But the results are compellingly strange, and far from anachronistic.

The fashion world fosters an ongoing fascination with her '60s persona, the make-up brand MAC sells a lipstick called Veruschka, and there are still boutiques named after her, yet she is detached from any hype. Asked if she misses the glamour of modelling, she looks down her wide, flat nose unselfconsciously: "No. I have my own drama and glamour anyhow. As long as I am here, it is not gone."

"Oh, I think she's more glamorous than she ever looked in her pictures," designer Michael Kors chips in, which is plainly untrue. But in fashion, where myths can hold more sway than reality, Veruschka will always be an extraordinary beauty.

Louise Wilson

2006-08-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

The Met's spring fashion exhibit—"AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion"—could easily have been named after Louise Wilson. Since 1992, Wilson has dutifully served as the course director of the 2-year Master's degree program of London's Central Saint Martins, arguably the world's most influential and revered fashion school, which she also attended. While at the same time, the 40-year-old mother of one has done so with an unorthodox teaching method that goes well beyond exacting. Former students have called it loud, brutal, abrasive and terrifying—even fascist. Reaching back, imagine the cane-pounding dance instructor in Fame ("You've got big dreams? You want fame? Well, fame costs. And right here is where you start paying. With sweat."), multiplied by ten in fearsomeness, dressed in a uniform of black and hurling insults laced with profanity. (Not even "AngloMania" escapes a dagger from the punctilious professor: "It's very well-done and affords British fashion the clout it deserves. But it was difficult for me to look at because it felt staged and overdressed, like a Ralph Lauren shop.") The strategy, however, has paid off, as a high ratio of her former students have gone on to greatness, usually after taking part in the now-legendary annual graduation fashion show, where scouts from key stores, magazines and the occasional conglomerate come from far and wide for a glimpse of the future. Having first met Wilson during London Fashion Week, I caught up with her again in New York. She was in town representing the university at the "AngloMania" opening-night dinner. Perhaps owing to the sunny day of our meeting in SoHo, I found her to be open, warm and cheerful—if cheerfully contrary—as we spoke about everything from building a super-brand to her own transgressive past.

In my mind, Central Saint Martins is like an atelier or an elite workshop. What is it really?

A hellhole. (Laughs.) No, Saint Martins is a government-funded central London studio with many disparate students from different backgrounds. It's a big multi-disciplined art college, within which there is the fashion school. It's a scruffy place. You could paint on the walls if you wanted to. I'd hate to think there's a kid in East Berlin or Slovenia who's put off by the image of professionalism that we have.

It's quite competitive, isn't it?

Yes, and it takes a bit of time to get in the rhythm. Students sometimes turn up at my course and they look a bit like they're going to Bali with only Wellingtons and a map, and they never leave their hotel room because they didn't think to bring a bikini. I'm full of bizarre analogies like that.

You told me before it was difficult getting your professorship. Why?

That's just me being sarcastic. It didn't appear I got my professorship for any work I did at Saint Martins, but because I left and came back. I went away to be the head of Donna Karan in New York, and came back with a veneer of something else. In my twisted and bitter view, I think it's a shame that you have to leave and do something outside to gain recognition, although I'm sure the university will say it was my work on the MA. As the course director, I'm also a professor, which I'm really happy about because there's no other professorship in the school. There are, however, honorary professorships. And honorary doctorates, like [Alexander] McQueen and [John] Galliano. As for me, I'm basically just a fat fucker who by some fluke gets to teach really great people, and some really tragic people who become great people. Don't forget there's also the BA course, which is extremely good.

Difficult as it is, how would you describe what you teach?

I have no idea. I've been asked to give lectures, and I think how would I sum it up in a lecture. It's amorphic. I know what my job description is, but I don't know what I teach. Basically I teach across all pathways. We have women's, men's, knitwear, textiles, fashion journalism, and we just added accessories. I teach all of those except journalism. I also teach portfolio design.

Do you have a particular method? Is it hands-on or more theory-based?

Very hands-on with lots of interaction. I work very much by tutorials, or going up and moaning at everybody. You have to get inside their heads. Until you realize what they're capable of, you can't push them to achieve that. I get more out of them than they ever expected. And I teach them that people are out there. If their work is good enough, those people will help them realize their goals. I often ask students is this what you would show Tom Ford, and they say, no, we'd have done more work or we'd have dressed better. So I say, why don't you do that here?

Do you like fashion?

Yes. But what you'll find is many students don't really like it. If they don't like it, they won't be able to tell you who the stylists are or the photographers. If they say they can't remember the names but they recognize the work, I'll say that's bullshit because if you were selling mobile phones, you'd know all about the phones' features and tariffs. You can't subvert knowledge until you have knowledge. At the same time, I respect a student coming at it from a totally different position and trying to move it forward, and not falling into the rattrap of work that came before. It's not about the mark; it's about the work. Once you've entered the industry no one cares what marks you got. They care about whether you can do the work or bring something new to it.

What do you look for in students?

When people ask what I want, I say I only know what I don't want. When they ask what I don't want, I say I'll know it when I see it.

Who are some of the graduates of the MA course?

Alexander McQueen, Sophia Kokosalaki, Peter Jensen, Emma Cook, Jonathan Saunders, Eley Kishimoto, Jens Laugesen, Bora Aksu, Marios Schwab, Basso & Brooke. There are also a lot of people who go work in the industry, but you never read about them. You only ever read about people who started their own labels. Alber Elbaz has two MA students at Lanvin, Phoebe [Philo] had three at Chloe, Gucci men's had two, plus there's Adidas and Puma. But those aren't sexy, or they don't appear sexy to the press. We had a boy go to work for ACNE jeans in Sweden, but you'll never read about him doing that. You'll read about Christopher Kane.

Do you try to create fashion stars?

Absolutely not.

It happens by accident?

Yeah, it really does. A lot of people have tried to figure out the mystique of Saint Martins, but it's simply a group of students in a building that's not that glamorous, taught by a committed staff who the students probably hate.

How much do you have to wean them from the time they come in?

There's quite a bit of weaning. Sometimes they come in towing the line of respectability, and yet you have brands like Comme des Garcons who are being urban and edgy. It should be the other way around. It should be the youth who are making their own guerilla stores. They should be posing something that we react badly against, not something we already understand. But not all of them should be doing that because some of them do want to go to America and work for Calvin Klein or Banana Republic, or whatever.

Do you set out breaking the students' spirits?

I don't think so. Students may feel the criticism is harsh, but I think it's possible they haven't had criticism before. It's my job to point out when something is badly done, or when there's no point of view. To build a brand you have to have something about you. If not personality, then some thought process. I'm forty, and they're young, so they're meant to be informing me. They should be bringing me a book or something that I haven't seen, not like some obscure chant book by Dominican monks, but an image of the way they see the world.

Are you sad to see them graduate and leave the nest?

We're lucky because once they've left us, nine times out of ten we have a good relationship with them and they come back and give talks. People like Kim Jones, Giles [Deacon] and Emma [Cook] come in like three times a term and see a small group of students, so they get an objective viewpoint as if they took their portfolio outside. Someone like Peter Jensen has his own label and also teaches menswear at Saint Martins. Most others come and say hello at some point. I'm always glad to see them, but if I see ten people a day and it's five minutes each, that's fifty fucking minutes a day.

Do you keep up with students after they graduate?

I keep up with them on the Internet and in magazines. I don't usually go to the shows in London, because if I go to one I have to go to them all. Besides, they usually go on to be so successful and huge, and I'm just some sad fuck stuck in my office. They end up having far more exotic and fabulous lives than me.

Do they ask for advice?

Some come after me for my advice. I just laugh. What advice could I possibly give them? Sometimes I actually ask for advice from them.

Are you like a mother figure?

No, because I'm a terrible mother. And I don't feel like their best friend, either. Sometimes you hear rumors they've seen tutors in gay clubs and they're laughing about it, and you realize you are not them. They are going to be the gods. I have a fear and dread that one day I am going to be in some one-room cottage in penniless retirement, and they're going to be whizzing by in their fucking Ferraris, clutching their bloody god-knows-what bags and throwing morsels to me out the window. I suppose I could keep a photocopy of their first project so that later on I could bribe them. That could be my retirement fund.

I know you don't like playing favorites, but can you give me an example of a student you felt great about?

I never taught Hussein [Chalayan] because he was in the BA course, but I remember seeing his paper dresses and they were fantastic. The craftsmanship was something else, and he had magnets under the catwalk so the clothes moved. That year was a fabulous year. More recently, I've felt great about Christopher Kane. It's not that I admire him above anyone else; it's that he works so effortlessly. He comes from a point that I would never start or finish at. Now, he's doing Versace couture as a consultant and he's hoping to do his own thing.

Do you put graduating students in touch with, for example, Versace?

No. Well, in an indirect way, because the older you get, the older your friends get, and they end up everywhere else in the industry. Do people phone me up when they have a position? Yes. Do I put them in touch? Only if I've been phoned, and only if the work is right.

Do you tip off the press to hot students?

No, I've never been that clever.

Changing gears, what's your opinion of High Street and fast fashion?

I've changed my mind on that. When you speak to young designers who are supported by High Street, they'll tell you they wouldn't be able to do what they're doing without it, unless they were living in a squat and starving like some people have done. And they'd never be able to compete with those companies' manufacturing. Every now and then strict tailoring will come into the picture to try to knock High Street off-kilter, but you can't quite get the masses to wear that. Everyone knocks Britain, but you could always say we had a great High Street, even if our designers were not super-brands. We create people who are brave enough to do their own thing. So what if Britain hasn't built a super-brand since Burberry?

Would it be possible to build a Burberry today?

I'm not being facetious, but if I knew that I would be bloody retired and have my house on Fire Island. I know absolutely fucking nothing about Burberry. They've been doing it for hundreds of years, and they had Rose Marie Bravo and they have Christopher [Bailey]. Like Balenciaga, it's a brand that only had to be reawakened. They're not starting form scratch. Or like Yves Saint Laurent, which only had to pull in the licenses and restart. I don't get this obsession with super-brands.

Then I presume you're not a fan of American brands.

I'd like someone to write a book about how American designers make their money. I'm not naming names, but how do they live in penthouses, employ their staff, have their shops and travel around the world—when they're not moving that much stock? There must be some fabulous tax dodge that happens in America. I've often tried to work it out. And then you have companies like Abercrombie & Fitch, which is exactly the same as Ralph Lauren, but with a loud soundtrack. I just went to an Abercrombie & Fitch store this morning—I was buying for my son—and thought, oh my god, it's like being in some ecstasy acid house.

What do you make of a big brand like Hilfiger buying Lagerfeld?

I haven't thought that much about it, but maybe that's me being a bitter and twisted cow. I respect Karl Lagerfeld and what he's achieved, but why not build a new name? Although, who's going to invest much money in a new name? But I really have no idea. I live in a microscopic bubble of cancer-causing chemicals called my office.

What about British designers who didn't go through Saint Martins, like Julien Macdonald?

I've never given it any thought, apart from wondering whether he's had facial surgery. He's changed beyond all recognition, and he's wearing his hair in a strange way. Now he'll never speak to me again. And those television commercials. There's this Julien Macdonald for Debenhams advert that you can see when you're at home lying slumped in your bed. It's most unflattering, and you wonder why he put his face on the telly. Do I think he's a designer? Not in my book. Am I sad he wasn't at Saint Martins? Not really. But that's me being a cow.

What are you wearing?

A black dress that I designed many years ago to clothe my semi-deformed body. Thank god, because when I read all these bloody magazines, I wouldn't know if I have the right cropped nautical jacket, or if my trench is the right length, or how to be more boho. It's my Chairman Mao uniform. I have about 39 identical black dresses, and in white and taupe linen for when I'm in Bali. I'm also wearing a black Lanvin scarf, black knickers and black sandals. The jewelry and leather bracelets are Hermes.

Do you wear designers you've helped bring into the world?

Alber [Elbaz] gives me really nice pieces of jewelry, pearls and stuff. I have to thank him for that. I didn't teach him, though. This bag is from Jens Laugesen, and Phoebe sent some nice Chloe bags. I have a student at Pucci who gave me a dodgy Pucci bag—not the one I wanted, but beggars can't be choosers. And I have a stash of Donna sweaters to keep me going for years.

We're in the middle of SoHo in New York. Would you ever think about shopping here?

Well, I nearly bought a Chanel bag today, but it would have been the sad fucker that's in the advertisement. I caught myself and thought I really wanted the small quilted one that you wear under your arm when you're a size 8, but that would look ridiculous on me. I spend a lot of money on bags and beauty products. I think most fat people are quite obsessive about their furthest extremities.

Let's talk about your background. Do you come from wealth like so many Brits?

My father was a gentleman farmer, so I had something of a privileged upbringing. I was born in Cambridge and raised in Scotland. I rode horses, and competed all through my teens. Eventually I gave up horses because you can't go to school and continue that level of competition. Also because I wanted to be in Newcastle where the black men were; they had a great time and played loud soul music and drove fast cars. It was an American naval college, and it was a short trip away by train. The man I hooked up with, though, is from Ghana, and I met him in London. We were together like twenty years and we have a son, but we never got married because I can't bear fat brides. Anyway, I nearly didn't go into fashion at all, but I remember my father taking me into the garden and putting his foot down. He said I was not going to do business studies in Newcastle. I had to take the offer of doing fashion at Saint Martins.

But why fashion?

I don't know. Saint Martins was where it was all happening. And, to be corny and un-me, my mother was always interested in fashion and always had Dior outfits out and nice handbags and things. Since the age of ten or eleven I was buying British Vogue and plastering [model] Marie Helvin all over my walls. I arrived to Saint Martins looking quite the fright in electric blue shoes and white mascara.

I love that. What year was it?

1982. There we were at Cafe de Paris with our jingles, our bangles, our Gaultier and our tragic hoop earrings. The forgotten thing about fashion today, and this makes me sound ancient, is we had to make clothes. Everybody in my generation remembers the horrible things we made in college to be different. Nowadays you will find a lot of people make nothing for themselves because it is cheaper to buy.

Did you have any professors like you?

A tutor who comes to mind is Ossie Clark, but in the ignorance of youth, I didn't even realize who he was. He had had his fame and gone back to teaching. I wish I'd kept some sketches or something.

What did you do after school?

I worked in Italy and Hong Kong for various labels. Then I came back to Saint Martins because the course director asked me to help as a tutor on the MA. Then I went to Donna Karan in '97 as a consultant for the collections, then left Saint Martins on sabbatical from '98 to '99. I then came back to Saint Martins to resume my position as course director and remained a consultant for Donna until 2002.

What was it like working for Donna?

An eye-opener. I could tell you a hundred crazy stories. I'm fond of her. She's a genius to have done what she's done. And she's fucking passionate about it. What she taught me was how to fit. She can take a sack and turn it into something. And she worked so hard herself. She really put the hours in. Sometimes people say bad things about Donna, but everything she's done has been slightly ahead of its time. As a woman, I can look at it objectively now and see that it gets personal if you're a woman. The things that have been written about Donna have been so much more personal than the things written about Calvin. But she stayed very open. I wouldn't be a very pleasant person in that environment. I'm already rude, objectionable and generally a loony.

What do you do to relax?

I go to Bali every year for six weeks. I'm on that bloody beach in a bikini bottom and a straw hat pretending I'm Elle Macpherson. It used to be absolutely fab because there was no one there I knew and I could be on the beach topless. Then people I know started coming up and saying hello.

Any regrets?

No. I'm lucky because what was essentially my hobby became my job. Some people have their jobs but have other hobbies like fishing, therefore the magazines they read on the toilet are fishing magazines. The magazines I read on the toilet are fashion magazines.

Zaldy (2004)

2006-08-02T23:03:00.000-07:00

PARKER: Today's not a good day for rollerblading.
ZALDY: Did you rollerblade over here in the rain? People always tell me not to.
PARKER: It gets kind of slick with all the gasoline and dirt. But I wanted to get over here fast. What year did you move to New York,1980-something?
ZALDY: 1987, I think.
PARKER: '87, '88, and '89. That was such a great time in New York.
ZALDY: It was pure nonsense. All you cared about was the way you looked, where you were going, and if it was free.
PARKER: And how you were dancing. Didn't you start out making clothes for Kier, the singer in Deee-lite?
ZALDY: Yes, she was the first. I was also Kier's synchronized dancing partner for a few minutes. And around 1988, I began designing outfits for Susanne Bartsch. Susanne was producing parties all over the world — in Paris, Milan, Tokyo. Susanne would wear outfits that my friend Matthu and I were making.
PARKER: Susanne was like the queen bee and you were her sewing bee. [laughs]
ZALDY: Exactly. Susanne would hire Matthu and me to be go-go dancers, but we were more like creatures. Every single penny we made from those parties would go into our outfits.
PARKER: You have such an imagination — it's amazing how you translate that into clothes.
ZALDY: I would never go to an event unless I was totally dressed up — not necessarily in drag, but in my interpretation of drag, which was more androgynous. For one outfit, we made a bodysuit covered in hand-cut plastic mirrors — all you could see were my eyes and mouth. We called it the disco ball. We thought of our outfits as our art. We were really interested in the idea of transformation.
PARKER: When you're young you're just flying by the seat of your pants.
ZALDY: Working with Susanne was great because it closed the world for me — it became a smaller, more accessible place. And it was through all the parties and travelling that I started modelling.
PARKER: What was your first job?
ZALDY: Vicky Bartlett and Joshua Jordan suggested me for a Steven Klein shoot in Interview. But things really started to happen after I attended a Vivienne Westwood show in Paris wearing a showgirl-type outfit, with crystals dangling over my nipples. An editor at French Glamour saw me and asked me to call her. I didn't think much of it — just another random card. But I ended up shooting a ten-page story in the magazine, and that led to runway work and print campaigns.
PARKER: And then you did that Levi's commercial in 1995. That was such a scandal. You were in drag...
ZALDY: ...looking very hot! I hail a cab and the driver and I start flirting. Then I look into a compact and realize I have some stubble, so I take an electric razor out of my purse and start shaving. At that point, I couldn't grow stubble, so they had to glue hair to my chin. At the end of the commercial, the cab lets me off at my stop. It was banned in America, and in England they could only show it after nine at night.
PARKER: What was it like being in the middle of all that controversy?
ZALDY: : It was an insane moment. I found myself in Greece making personal appearances at all these Levi's stores. I would arrive dressed in drag in a New York City cab. Policemen would be there to hold back the crowds. I was offered a bunch of movie stuff. I had all kinds of castings and readings. But I was always sure that I wanted to make clothes — that was my passion. By the mid-90s I didn't feel like dressing up so much anymore. I started to focus more on making clothes for private clients.
PARKER: Where does that passion come from?
ZALDY: I guess fashion was always there. My grandmother ran a school in the Philippines called the Paris Manila Fashion School. When I was a little boy, I used to watch Cher on television with her. She loved Cher so much, and so did I.
PARKER: I remember coming over here once and you were making a dress out of coffee beans.
ZALDY: I can't believe you remember that!
PARKER: That was hard to forget.
ZALDY: I had been hired by the Gevalia coffee company for an ad campaign. We decided to create a gorgeous beaded dress out of coffee beans. But a coffee bean has a flat and a convex side. We couldn't glue the flat side down to the chiffon, because we wanted the line on the flat side to show. So we had to sand down the rounded side of each bean individually. We spent a week sanding. The place smelled incredible.
PARKER: When you design your collection, do you ever worry that your work is too avant-garde?
ZALDY: Sometimes. The clothes for my collection are very subdued, considering the lengths to which I can go! I just want to reach more people, to have a larger voice. I'm still trying to work it out. It's a business, and I'm not a business genius.
PARKER: I remember there was a guy from LA Gear at the party for your spring 2003 collection. I kept thinking, "Why won't he just ask you to design some tennis shoes and write you a check?"
ZALDY: I know. You just have to do what you do and believe that it's happening at the pace that it needs to.
PARKER: You have to be optimistic.
ZALDY: But it is difficult to live this crazy life, trying to develop my own business without an outside backer.
PARKER: I got to wear a lot of the clothes from your Fall 2003 collection for my role in Laws of Attraction, which is coming out in March. I play a fashion designer who's married to a rock star and lives in Ireland. When I put on your clothes, I felt blasÈ, tortured, artistic, decadent, glamorous, and emotional.
ZALDY: All that, wow. It was fun to dress you up. I can't wait to see you in that orange gown walking down the castle steps in Ireland. That collection had a lot of Celtic influences. We did macramÈ leather with Celtic knotting, and huge prints of Celtic knots. The fact that your character was living in Ireland was too perfect.
PARKER: The gown had these tremendous cuffs that hung off of my elbows and almost reached the ground.
ZALDY: It took about ten yards of fabric to make that dress. It was made for that moment.
PARKER: I can see you designing costumes for conceptual movies like Blade Runner.
ZALDY: I would love to do more film work, but we'll see. How many more projects can I say yes to right now?
PARKER: Who have you been saying yes to?
ZALDY: Recently, my big fun client was Britney Spears. She was a doll.
PARKER: No way! Had she ever seen anything like your designs?
ZALDY: When she was trying things on, she said, "Trust me, I've seen so many clothes and your clothes are so different." That was nice. I've also been working with Gwen Stefani, who just launched a line called L.A.M.B. I'm working on the second collection, for fall 2004.
PARKER: Are you the designer for L.A.M.B.?
ZALDY: I'm a consultant. L.A.M.B. is like a think tank. There are also two guys from a company called Nice Collective who make a lot of her husband Gavin's clothes. We all get together with Gwen and her assistant designer, Annie. It's been amazing — I've never done anything like it before.
PARKER: I can see how she'd be a great muse for you.
ZALDY: I remember the first time I saw her in that "Spiderwebs" video — she blew me away. And her energy is amazing. I'm also developing a line for David Barton Gyms.
PARKER: It's not going to be a bunch of spandex and Lycra, is it?
ZALDY: No, it's going to be clothes that you can live in.
PARKER: I love that. I have these onesies from your first collection that look like little bloomers. You could just laze around in them all day.
ZALDY: Or go to the gym and work out. David Barton's new location is the YMCA across the street from here.
PARKER: Are you serious?
ZALDY: Serious. I'm going to be able to walk out of the Chelsea Hotel in my bathrobe, have a sauna and a Jacuzzi over there, and just come back home. It's going to be a fantastic extension of my bathroom.

Diana Melly remembers Mary Quant (Oct, 2005)

2006-08-01T00:04:00.000-07:00

Fifty years ago, Mary Quant (above) opened a boutique on the King's Road, and swinging London was born. Diana Melly was there from the start. She recalls the sex, scandals and helmet hairdos of the original Chelsea Set

I got a Saturday morning job in Bazaar, Mary Quant's first shop on the King's Road in Chelsea, just after it opened in 1955. I was 18 and, like everyone else I knew, I wanted to be a model. Or rather a model girl. The distinction was important back then before the age of Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton. Model girls were considered decent, while model on its own could suggest something of the night.

Bazaar very quickly made a huge impact. It was where anyone young and interested in clothes had to be. It's hard to appreciate now quite how radically different Mary's clothes were from anything else available at the time. When I wasn't working in Bazaar, I would do modelling for magazines like Women's Own, Vogue and Queen and there it was all tweed suits, pinched at the waist, finished off with hats and gloves. We were constantly being told to make ourselves look older because fashion was directed at women over 30. It wasn't something for people of my age.

Mary Quant changed all of that. She was the same generation as us and her short skirts, little white 1/2 plastic collars to brighten up a black dress, and stretch stockings were what we wanted. She was a visionary.

We were just coming out of post-war rationing and we weren't used to having lots of clothes. I only had one dress from Bazaar. The wages didn't stretch far, but it was bright pink and curvy with a scoop neck and bare shoulders and I was so proud of it.

We all admired her so much, but even though she was only three years older than me, I was very intimidated by her. Her whole demeanour was quite like a headmistress " a very nice headmistress, but a headmistress nonetheless. Even later, in the 1960s, when I was married to George and we used to go to dinner parties in her entirely red dining-room at her house off Sloane Street, I never really felt as if I was her friend. She always seemed out of my league. Meeting her was a bit like meeting the Beatles. She was that famous to my generation.

In the late 1950s, Mary was the undisputed queen of the 'Chelsea Set'. Bazaar was one of its main meeting places. That was part of the reason why I wanted to work there. My friends could come in to gossip and giggle " though we tended to shut up when Mary walked in. It was the same just along the King's Road at Kiki Byrne's, another boutique that opened at the same time, or at one of the two coffee bars nearby.

They were the haunts of the Chelsea Set during the day. In the evenings, after work, we'd go to one of two pubs " the Markham, round the corner from Bazaar, or the Pheasantry. You went to find out where the nearest party was. And then you'd take your cigarettes and your bottle of cheap red wine and head off there. Sometimes they'd be fancy dress. There would be dancing to Paul Anka records. I don't remember there being any drugs. We were, in many ways, very innocent.

I've read a lot about the Chelsea Set subsequently and its importance, but it didn't feel like that at the time. There was a sense of the new and exciting, yes, of being in the forefront of change. And, of course, we were always being written about in the papers. In some ways the Chelsea Set was a media invention. The focus on us was out of all proportion.

I have one good example of this. In October 1957, I made the front page of the Evening Standard in the later editions, displacing a story about the Queen in Canada, just because someone had hit me. 'Model Knocked Out At Chelsea Party' it read. And the next day the other papers were full of stories about how my assailant's mother had brought me flowers at the hospital.

All that had happened was that a gatecrasher, a young male model called Robert Taylor, had tried to get in to one of our parties. My boyfriend, Michael Alexander, had gone down to throw him out. Robert went to punch Michael. Michael ducked and I got hit. Why was it front page news?

The only explanation is that there was something new, unusual or challenging about the Chelsea Set as far as the papers were concerned. But I still can't see it. There were in reality two Chelsea sets. There was Mary and some of the slightly older, wealthier women who came in to Bazaar to buy the clothes " people like Sonia Melchett, wife of Lord Melchett, or her sister Bunty Kinsman. If they gave parties, we'd dress up and be flattered to be invited, but really they were grander than us. You didn't take a bottle, although I do remember that on one occasion Sonia and the publisher George Weidenfeld had a party where we were all told to bring either champagne or brandy.

We were younger and although a few people did have titles we were a much more ramshackle bunch of free spirits. Some didn't have to work. They had private incomes. There was a lot of hanging about and going to parties, looking for someone to pick up if you hadn't gone there with someone. We may have seemed terribly promiscuous to the papers, but our liberation paled into insignificance in comparison to what came along in the 1960s. And anyway I believe that it was the wartime generation who had changed the old moral standards. I don't think our behaviour was terribly rebellious. For most of us it was just great to break out of our backgrounds and have a good time. 1/2

I used to spend whatever I had earned modelling on food for Michael and his friends. These were the days before women's lib. We lived in a flat in Harrington Gardens. He was a writer " the nephew of Earl Alexander of Tunis is how the papers described him, though in truth he was only a distant relative. He was very glamorous. He'd been in Colditz and was 41. I was just 19 and potty about him. I'd already been married at 16, had a child and divorced by 18.

Michael was at the heart of the Chelsea Set in more than one way. He had a secret deal with Charles Wintour, editor of the Evening Standard. He got a pounds 500 retainer for supplying gossip from the parties that would appear in the 'London Last Night' column which vied with William Hickey in the Express to detail our every move " and plenty of imagined ones. It was disgraceful now when I think about it.

The same old names would appear in all those reports and they always had a way of describing people. So Sharmani was 'the Sinhalese model', Suna Portman 'the niece of Lord Portman', Mark Sykes 'her fiance', Antonia Fraser 'the daughter of Lord Pakenham' (as her father, later Lord Longford, was known then) and Lady Jane Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 'a maid-of-honour at the Coronation'.

There was undoubtedly an element of snobbery about it all. Titles and aristocratic families seemed to matter more back then. I do remember everyone getting very excited one night because there was a rumour that the Duke of Kent was coming to the party we were at. And of course Anthony Armstrong- Jones, who later married Princess Margaret, was around.

I don't remember it being extraordinary or scandalous, though. The one big scandal was the suicide of Tony Beauchamp who'd been married to Churchill's daughter, Sarah. He was a photographer and his death and his part in the Chelsea Set was very well covered in the press.

It was Mary who was extraordinary and what she started at Bazaar. That went on and grew in the 1960s but my memory is that all the rest changed in 1958. The Chelsea Set had a brief heyday with the opening of Bazaar but within three or four years, it was over. I went to Afghanistan for four months with Michael in 1958 and when I came back it had all gone. There were no more parties, no one in pub you knew. I think it probably came back alive again with the swinging Sixties, but by that time I was married to George and living in Golders Green.

Today when I go down the King's Road, it doesn't seem very bohemian to me any more. Just rich. Bazaar became a chemist's shop. The whole place is so changed that it doesn't feel like anything to do with me. There's just Waitrose and expensive chain shops where we used to play. s

Diana Melly's new memoir, 'Take A Girl Like Me', is published by Chatto, priced pounds 14.99. She was talking to Peter Stanford

George Melly on the Chelsea Set

I lived in Chelsea in the 1950s (the picture of me with Diana, above, was taken soon after I'd moved out) and shared a basement flat at the wrong end of Cheyne Walk. It was the sort of area where MPs used to keep their mistresses. My flatmate was Andy Garnett who was one of the heads of the Chelsea Set. He had a Bubble Car and used to like to drive posh totty " as we'd call them " to low clubs in the East End. He saw endless glamorous debutantes, all part of the Chelsea Set. There was always a terrible racket going on in our flat with all my jazz set staying. Andy was wonderfully relaxed. Once he came in and there were mattresses everywhere. He pulled back the sheets and looked at the naked bodies. He turned to me and shouted, 'What do these animals eat in the morning, George? Hay?' It was a bit like the 1920s, when after the First World War people reacted with short skirts and the Charleston. This was only 10 years after the Second World War. But if you think of the artists who used to live there, such as Augustus John, Whistler, Rossetti, Holman Hunt, then you realise that bohemianism wasn't new to Chelsea. I remember Mary Quant well. She looked very sexy. Not that she particularly was, I suppose, in real life, but her skirts were shorter than anyone else's and she had this wonderful helmet-like haircut. She was good at overturning all the conventions.

George Melly's latest autobiographical book, 'Slowing Down', is published by Viking

Peter York on 50 years of the King's Road

The opening of Mary Quant's Bazaar marked the moment when the King's Road first began to establish itself as crucial for the young, aspirational and fashion-conscious. But it would continue to draw increasing numbers of would-be avant-gardistes from the hinterlands of London and beyond for at least the next 25 years. In the 1960s it was one of the key places where rock stars and toffs socialised together. It was full of Chelsea girls with their aristocrat and pop-star boyfriends in velvet suits. One of the most eye-catching landmarks back then was Granny Takes a Trip, a boutique which appeared to have half a car buried in its faade. Go forward to the early 1970s and along came Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood's little clothes shop Let It Rock (later renamed Sex), the birthplace of punk. It was just around the corner from me, in my second-ever bedsit, in the crotch of the King's Road, just before World's End. But while the King's Road was still rather glamorous and exciting at the time, changes were already well under way. You would see flagships of multiple shops with branches in Oxford Street opening and it was also in all the standard tourist guides. That was the killer. A lot of very mainstream shoppers began hanging around there. Most people began to think of the King's Road as a glorified shopping centre. The original Chelsea crew were forced to retire to the back streets. It was no longer their own place of parade. And now I think Chelsea is due for some fashionable revival. If you called Nicholas Coleridge (MD of Conde Nast Magazines), I bet you he'd say, 'I'm thinking of going back to Chelsea'. There's just that feeling in the air.

Ann Demeulemeester (2005)

2006-07-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

[She burst onto the fashion pages to decades ago with designs that were called "deconstructionist." Today she is revered for clothes that respond to the intricacies of the body with quiet drama.]

JEFF: Belgium wasn't known for its fashion designers until the mid-'80s when you, Martin Margiela, and your other classmates from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp came along.
ANN: We started from zero, so nobody was expecting anything from us. But we were all very ambitious and had a kind of chemistry together. The only way to show the world that Belgium even had designers was to create something really good and different.
JEFF: As a student, were you looking at Comme des Garçons and agnès b.?
ANN: It was more like Mugler, Montana, and Versace. Punk had just started in London. Because Belgium is right in the middle of Europe, we felt its influence immediately.
I was so inspired by punk — it made me feel revolutionary and strong. That has stayed with me. The things that happen when you're seventeen or eighteen really shape you.
JEFF: How was that received by your teachers?
ANN: I wanted to revolt against school. I had a teacher at the Academy who loved classic Chanel. She tried to teach me how to make clothes like that. But I didn't want to make Chanel clothes, you know?
JEFF: Classicism implies a certain balance and order. Everything is proportional. Your work adds another dimension.
ANN: I want to cut nonchalance into my clothes. To do that, you have to work with balance. For example, a jacket pocket will hang differently after you've put things in it. Clothes will eventually take the shape of your body — a favorite coat will have a completely different soul than an identical jacket before it has been worn. The idea that garments are alive is a big inspiration. I want to fill them with soul. I've worked on that for a long time through the cut, the fabrics, and the treatments. I want to create the shape of your arm in the sleeve of the jacket.
JEFF: Did you develop this approach when you were in school?
ANN: No. You don't learn everything there. [laughs] At school, I had to learn technique and make historical costumes. But I happened to be part of a particularly ambitious class — why we were all there at the same moment, I'll never know.
We all worked like crazy, but we all ventured into very different directions. We fought a lot. If I loved punk, and another designer was into disco — that could cause a big fight.
JEFF: Was there a particular moment when who you are and what you do came together?
ANN: There hasn't been one exact moment when I thought, "This is my moment." Because I'm a hopeful person, I hope I can create many of those moments. Any time you have a great idea is a good moment. I'm very grateful for all the good moments I've had and for the people around me, the love in my life. But I never say, "Okay, I did it, it's fine." I'm always looking forward.
JEFF: I imagine that designing clothes for men is totally different than designing for women.
ANN: Yes and no. I follow the same rules, and I'm interested in the same look. But men's bodies are completely different. And women are used to being more playful with their clothes. It's okay for a woman to wear a man's suit and tie. But if a man came in here wearing a skirt and a fancy blouse, we would all laugh. As a woman, I can choose which side I express, but it's different for men. They are very straightforward with their clothes, which I appreciate.
JEFF: And what about their lives?
ANN: Men are not into a lot of role-playing. They just are who they are. Their attitude is, "Am I going to look confident today? Relaxed?" They know what they like to wear. Women search more. There are so many possibilities for us — it's more exciting, but it's also more difficult.
JEFF: You started your men's line in 1996. What was the impetus?
ANN: My husband and male friends were begging me. I said, "Okay, I'll do a small wardrobe." I didn't want to add another collection. But I showed it, and it sold — apparently there was a need that I could fill. I work with my husband's body in mind. I'm not in a girl's club. I always work with my husband.
JEFF: Is he a designer?
ANN: Originally he was a photographer. We were teenage sweethearts — we've been together since I was seventeen. Growing up together, we have everything in common. When I started out as a designer, he was working as a photographer. At a certain point we felt that if we both followed our own creative directions, it would separate us. As a creative person, he could have devoted himself to photography, painting, or design. But he said, "You need help, so I'll stop what I'm doing and help you. Then we can both concentrate on the same thing." He felt that as long as he could tell his story, he would be happy.
JEFF: So he has always given you feedback on your men's clothes?
ANN: Absolutely. It's very important because he and I have different criteria for judging them. I'll say, "This is beautiful," and he'll say, "I feel wrong in this." So we start again, until I arrive at an idea that feels right to him.
JEFF: You work a lot with textiles and fabric treatments. I saw some fabrics in your showroom with photographs of horses printed on them.
ANN: I've loved horses since I was a child. A few months ago, I was thinking about doing something with horses, but not the typical thing. I wanted to catch their beauty, the shiny strength of their skin. I knew I needed a photo that would capture that quality. So I started doing research, and I came upon Steven Klein's work. One of his photos had the shine, the muscles, and the veins that I was looking for.
JEFF: Kind of like your clothes.
ANN: Yeah. So I phoned him, told him my idea, and asked if I could use his photo. I told him, "Your picture expresses what I want to express." He sent me pictures, and I got to work. I printed this horse image on silk with an inkjet printer.
JEFF: Do you ever travel for inspiration?
ANN: I don't travel.
JEFF: So your clothes only draw on your life in Belgium?
ANN: No. I make clothes for the whole world! I sell a lot of clothes everywhere! [laughs] JEFF: Yes. But, your fans in Tahiti aren't going to wear your signature heavy leather boots.
ANN: Maybe not. But the fashion seasons are always off, anyway. The summer clothes come into the shops in January. I should put boots in my summer collection — people would buy them because they'd come out in the wintertime.
JEFF: Do you think that being Belgian has something to do with how honest and straightforward your clothes are?
ANN: Yes. There is something about our national character that is quite unpretentious. We're sincere, even humble. Maybe that's reflected in my clothes. I think a designer's background and culture are expressed in an uncontrolled way. I don't have a choice about it, it just comes out.
JEFF: Is there a particular type of person who wears your clothes?
ANN: I really follow my heart when I make a collection — I'm not designing for a type. People can mix and match and adjust the clothes to fit into their lives. I don't know exactly who will end up wearing my clothes. It's like creating a present for an anonymous person.
JEFF: Is that why you don't use logos?
ANN: I prefer meeting a real person instead of a label. The clothes can never be more important than the people themselves. They have to become part of them, part of their world.
JEFF: You love black and white. Do you ever have the urge to throw in a dash of, say, yellow?
ANN: Probably not. But never say never, eh? I ask a lot of questions when I'm designing. What do people want? What can I add that isn't there? I'm a very serious person. I don't want people to look ridiculous. I want them to be beautiful and human, not like dressed-up dogs.
JEFF: Actors work in ensembles and musicians usually play together. But writers work alone, holed up in their homes or offices. I have the feeling that being a designer is like being a writer — that it's very private.
ANN: In my case at least. I don't go to parties or lead a very glamorous life. I'm always working, studying, and searching. Sometimes I suffer by asking too much of myself. Designing is not an easy thing for me. I don't know how long I will go on doing this, because I can only do it very well or not at all.
JEFF: You've being doing it for a long time.
ANN: Yes, but I've never planned ahead. I just go from one season to the next. If I ever feel like I've told my story in this medium, it'll be time to move on to another.

Behati Prinsloo

2006-07-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

o2w: How did you begin modeling?

Behati Prinsloo: I was 15 and on holiday in Cape Town. A photographer gave me Storm's number, but at first I didn't want to go because I didn't really know what was going on. I thought it was a scam because he just wrote the number on some paper but my mum’s brother said “No, no, Storm is huge. You have to go.” I went there and they took me on. Then a couple of weeks later Noelle from Storm in London saw me and they decided I should go to London.

o2w: Did you know much about modeling before you were scouted?

BP: Well I knew what it was but I didn't really know much more than that. Some girls dream all their lives about being a model but it wasn't something I'd thought about. But I'm really glad to be in the business now because it’s so much fun. The only magazines we have in my village are Cosmopolitan and Sports Illustrated. We all heard of Vogue but never saw it. I didn't even know who Kate Moss was until someone showed me a picture of her and said she looks like me. Then I started noticing her everywhere I looked and I loved her style.

o2w: Had anyone in your school or village ever said that you could be a model?

BP: Well I was always the tallest in the class, which was really embarrassing because I was taller than the boys too. Some of the grown ups said I should be a model. I only thought about it when the photographer gave me the number.

o2w: What do your parents think about your career?

BP: My dad is a pastor, it’s like a priest. He really supports me and gets excited about it. I know there are some things not to do because he wouldn't approve of it and he trusts me not to, like being naked in a shot—my whole town would disown me [laughs]. My mum called me the other day to say that she saw me on Fashion TV, she was so excited.

o2w: What were you doing before modeling?

BP: I was studying at school and I would come home and play hockey or netball, there was nothing else to do. Everyone went to the same school and around the town there are loads of farmers so all of their kids went to the school too.

o2w: What's it like where you're from in Africa?

BP: I'm from a really small place in Namibia. There is no cinema, no club, there is only one school and everyone knows everyone's business. They have a couple of supermarkets and a few clothing stores. It’s a really big country and everything is so far apart; between the different towns there is nothing.

o2w: So what was it like when you first came to London?

BP: It was so different from what I expected. I came on a weekend with two other girls from South Africa. The streets were so busy with cars and it was tipping with rain. I think I expected a lot more actually because I remember the airport was so small compared with Johannesburg. After a while I really started to like it, it’s like home now.

o2w: Could you speak English well when you arrived?

BP: Yes we use English back home. All our books are in English. We speak Afrikaans to each other though.

o2w: Do you know of any big models from South Africa?

BP: No not really, I only know of one famous person: Charlize Theron, the actress. There aren't any famous models from South Africa! But there are really good looking guys there [laughs], well I think so. There are so many South Africans in London too and they're all hot.

o2w: What was your first modeling job?

BP: I did a job for Italian Vogue, but don't laugh when I tell you about it. I was so excited about it. Then they told me it was just going to be a picture of my feet [laughs].

o2w: What has been your favorite job so far?

BP: It was so good to work with Mario Testino and Paolo Roversi on Vogue. It was a great experience and I went to Paris for the first time.

o2w: Is there much difference between working with famous photographers and less established ones?

BP: Well the famous ones have a lot more assistants [laughs]. They know exactly what they want from the shoot. Sometimes you work with a photographer and they don't really know what they want but the big ones know exactly how its going to be which makes it easy. The worst thing is when a photographer says “Do what you want,” because it’s always going to be wrong because it’s not what they want.

o2w: What campaigns are you doing at the moment? Is there any campaign you would love to do?

BP: I'm going to be in Aquascutum and Marc by Marc Jacobs next season but my H&M is coming out in December. I would love to be in campaigns like Dolce &amp; Gabbana. I love the D&G campaign too with the big wigs. Also Valentino, Dior, and Marc Jacobs.

o2w: Do you have any favorite designers?

BP: I love, love Prada shoes and I like some clothes I've worn on shoots like Dior. There are too many to name!

o2w: What are your beauty secrets?

BP: I don't wear a lot of makeup. On jobs you're always wearing so much so I go natural for a change. I use moisturizer, that's really good and a little bit of mascara is nice. I use Dermalogica face wash, Aveda Damage Control conditioner and normal shampoo. Sometimes hair stylists ruin your hair, you see it falling on your lap and you want to cry so you have to take extra care of it.

o2w: Do you feel that female models are under pressure to stay in shape?

BP: I don't feel any pressure but you know, you need to do it for yourself. If you eat too much or whatever you aren't going to fit into the clothes, and if you don't fit, you aren't going to do the show. The agency doesn't put any pressure on you, they will advise you to maybe do some exercise but ultimately it’s up to you to look after your body. It can be tough for some girls.

o2w: You are really healthy looking now. Do you feel you need to be thinner?

BP: No, not really at the moment, there are some girls who look thin and sick, especially in Milan. I think that puts pressure on other girls too because they think that if they get thin too they will work more.

o2w: What's the coolest thing that's come from being in the industry?

BP: Going up the Eiffel tower was so magical, I saw the whole of Paris and I wanted to cry. Also in New York seeing TRL was crazy because we watch that at home in South Africa. I haven't really had anything amazing happen yet but I really, really want to meet Kate Moss.

o2w: Who taught you how to walk?

BP: I went to a woman who used to be a catwalk model for an hour and she helped me find my own style of walking.

o2w: Have you had any embarrassing model moments?

BP: Luckily I haven't had one so far! I haven't fallen over on the runway.

o2w: What's it like being with Storm Models?

BP: Well obviously I think they're the best [laughs]. The bookers are so nice and everyone gets along, you know everyone and they try their best to get you the top jobs. I will stay with them forever, except when they're really mean to me [laughs].

o2w: What do you like to do in your free time?

BP: I love to go to the movies, I love socializing, going to parties and being around my friends. I go shopping too. Everyone dresses uniquely here [in London]. Everyone has something a little bit different about their style.

o2w: What do you want to do in the future?

BP: When I was young I wanted to be a dermatologist or an air hostess. When you're young you have a different dream every other day I guess. Right now I want to go to New York and do lots of work there. I think that's every models goal, to go and get the big jobs. I want to travel the world with friends of mine, see everything and experience it.

o2w: Any advice for our readers?

BP: Always be positive in every situation, laugh a lot, definitely, smile and be happy, that will keep you young.

Stella Tennant (Jan,2006)

2006-07-16T01:07:00.000-07:00

WHEN I arrive at Berwick-upon-Tweed railway station to meet Stella Tennant, who is photographed on no fewer than six pages of the new Vogue modelling the new Burberry Prorsum collection, I am prepared. I am in a Burberry raincoat, Burberry floral shirt and grey Burberry V-neck sweater. This is what you wear to the Scottish borders, isn't it?
But when Stella, 35, hares up to the station in the most beaten-up, mud-splattered car I have ever seen, she is wearing an old parka, jeans that reach only halfway down her calves (she is 6ft) and Converse sneakers that have seen better days.

Her hair is bleached and sticking up on end, and she is bare of make-up. Shouldn't someone who has been acclaimed as a Great British Beauty at least have the latest Chanel winter balm on her lips? "I never bother with skin creams or make-up or hair conditioner or anything," she says cheerfully as she pulls away from the station. "Good skin, great beauty, it's all down to good genes."
She has been dealt her fair share of those. Her maternal grandmother is the Duchess of Devonshire, the former Deborah Mitford, who, at the age of 85, is still active and elegant. "I persuaded Granny to do a shoot with me and Bruce Weber not so long ago," Stella says, "and as well as posing with her beloved chickens in a Traina-Norell ball gown, she put on a black Helmut Lang jacket with white cuffs and she just looked stunning."
The legendary Mitford sisters (Stella never met her great-aunt, Nancy, author of Love in a Cold Climate, who died before she was born, but has fond memories of Diana, who married Oswald Moseley) must have an incredible wardrobe that Stella raids? "Oh no, dressing up in my grandmother's clothes is just not me," she says. "If the elegant gene was going to kick in, I think it would have done so by now, don't you?"
After half an hour in the car, we career through a pair of impressive gates, up a winding track and there is Stella's house, a Georgian mansion built in 1741, with eight bedrooms, four bathrooms, even its own stream and elegant little bridge. It all looks worryingly idyllic until we enter the bootroom and it is like a scene from one of Nancy's books: dog baskets, toys, Hunter wellingtons, mess and smells. Stella and her French husband, David Lasnet, bought the house in 2002 for just under half a million and have spent thousands renovating it.
It is freezing, but neither Stella nor David, who emerges clutching their one-year-old daughter, Iris, seem to notice. Their oldest children - Marcel, seven, and Cecily, five - are at the local primary school, presumably to keep warm [they also have a three-year-old, Jasmine]. "We have only just switched the radiators on!" beams Stella.
This scene couldn't be further from the world of high fashion, but Stella claims she doesn't miss it at all. "I have a real life," she says. "Yes, it was amazing when I was discovered by Isabella Blow and shot by Steven Meisel and whisked off to Paris to shoot a Versace campaign, and there I was in a room with Linda Evangelista, but I'm not interested in power and money and status." Isn't that easy to say, though, when summer holidays were spent exploring Chatsworth House?
The current Vogue pictures were shot on several hundred acres of Yorkshire owned by Stella's family; Christmas was spent at their castle in Ireland. "Yes, I am privileged, I went to boarding school, but my parents aren't rich; they are farmers."
Tobias and Lady Emma live an hour and a half's drive away, in Roxburghshire, on a 15,000-acre sheep farm, which is where Stella and her brother, Eddy, and sister, Isabel, grew up - and which Stella found so boring she started smoking at the age of eight. She hated Marlborough but did her A-levels there because the art course was highly respected, then studied sculpture at Winchester art school. She only started modelling when she was 21. "That was why I was able to take it in my stride," she says. "When you are 16 you really are not ready. Even girls as skinny as I was were told by Valentino, say, to lose a few pounds, and that criticism destroyed them."
She met David on a shoot with Mario Testino. "I asked him out, yes," she laughs. "When I want something I'm not afraid to go and get it." David gave up photography - "I am often the 'ouse 'uzband" - and I ask if he misses it. "No, not at all. Mario spotted me in the street and asked me to model for him; I only became his assistant because I was broke."
He is now studying part-time to be an osteopath, which means frequent trips to London. I ask Stella if that makes her nervous. "We've been together for 12 years and I hadn't thought about infidelity until one of my close friends told me that her relationship is in trouble because of an affair. She asked me who David stays with when he is in town and had I met them, and when I said no, she said I must be mad. But I'm not."
Stella, who oozes confidence, earned several million as the face of Chanel early in her career. She only works now when she feels like it. In the next few days she will be flying to Paris to appear in the Dior couture show for John Galliano.
Is he a friend? "I would say John is a close colleague." Does she miss the catwalk? "God, no," she says. "David used to come with me, but after a day being pulled apart and prodded and pinned and having your make-up and hair done, I couldn't even bear for him to touch me. Plus, how ridiculous would I look walking out in front of a 16-year-old Estonian?" But Kate Moss keeps working, I point out. "She is the exception. I bumped into Kristen McMenamy [the model famous for her punkish looks] the other day and she, too, has four children. You have to work out what your priorities are."
Helmut Lang, who designed her simple wedding shift, is someone she admires. "Because he is no longer designing clothes [his label was bought by Prada] doesn't mean he has lost his identity; that whole idea that work should mean everything is ludicrous... Motherhood is the most important thing in the world to me."
So serious is Stella about motherhood that she has just given their nanny her notice. "I said to David that he works part-time, I work part-time, why on earth do we need help with the children? Who better to look after them than their parents? And if some people think I am letting the feminist side down, I don't care." I tell Stella that she must worry about her figure sometimes, having given birth four times (all at home, all without pain relief) and she admits she bought a bicycle with the plan of cycling down to the village, but gave up on the idea because it was too windy.
Much has been written about her family and the supposed family curse. Her uncle, Lord Glenconner, frittered away much of the family fortune before buying the island of Mustique, where he proceeded to live a playboy existence. One of his sons, Henry, died of Aids in 1990 at the age of 29. His eldest son, Charlie, became a heroin addict and died at 39. A third, Christopher, was in a motorbike accident and is brain-damaged.
Stella doesn't believe in curses, but her gilded life has been tinged by tragedy. Her best friend, Sebastian, whom she first met aged 18, was helping to renovate her New York apartment when he fell off the roof. "I was pregnant with Marcel and we were in London when we got the call," she says. "I remember asking: 'How badly is he hurt?' And they told me he was dead."
Did they still move into the apartment? "Yes, we did; he was an architect and he had worked too hard on it, living in it was like a memorial to him."
David puts some lentils on to soak for dinner - "We have only been out to eat once since we moved here," says Stella - and then they drag me out into the biting wind for a walk around their 18 acres. The four children, who all have Stella's eyes and impeccable manners, and Quill, the black Labrador, accompany us. The children dig happily in the mud with the dog. "We are trying to bring them up to be bilingual," she shouts against the wind. "When David has to study full-time in London we will live in Paris for a couple of years." Won't you miss all this? "No, it's just a house." She is off to Milan before she heads for Paris, to show her support at the Burberry menswear show. How will she tear herself away? "I am looking forward to being able to soak in a bath without someone telling me they need a pee," she says. I tell her I will be at the Dior show. "Come and see me backstage!" she shouts, and I really think she means it.

agnes b (2000)

2006-07-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

It makes perfect sense that agnes b. likes her name in lowercase. Visit one of her low-key shops, and you'll find clothes, not Fashion. This isn't to suggest a sea of bland basics. Au contraire! You could walk in looking for one of her sturdy-yet-sexy t-shirts and walk out with a vampy gold lace wrap dress. Her collections are never all about one theme. Maybe that's why she has so many agnes b. groupies all around the world. What with designing collections for men, women, babies, and teenagers, not to mention doing bags, shoes, watches, and cosmetics, it's a wonder ms. b. had even a sliver of time to talk. But she kindly took a break for an exciting transatlantic phone call. She was super-friendly, giggled a lot, and even told me what she was wearing.

MARY: I wear so many of your clothes. I'm thrilled to be talking with you.
AGNES B: Thank you.
MARY: I seem to remember reading that you used to be ... were you a fashion editor? You worked at a magazine?
AGNES: Yes, for Elle, when I was very young. They noticed me because I was dressing a different way. I was wearing clothes from the flea market and from Monoprix ...
MARY: That's the discount chain in France?
AGNES: Yes, because I had no money at all. So they noticed my style and that's why they asked me to work for them.
MARY: How long were you at Elle?
AGNES: Less than two years. And then I was studying to be a stylist, but choosing clothes was not so exciting from my point of view. I thought, if I had to work in fashion, it was more interesting to make them. So I worked for a few different companies — little payment, no holidays, nothing. But I learned a lot, and then began to design for myself.
MARY: Did you start straight away by opening a shop?
AGNES: Yeah, in Les Halles. That was twenty years ago. We had birds flying around in the shop, with nests in the plants. We started with two birds in a cage, and one day we opened the cage and there were thirty. Baby birds were born. It was a very cool atmosphere. There was a swing for the children who came into the shop. It was the end of the hippie moment, and we were like left wing hippies. It was a cool time. We were idealistic. We did the shop ourselves and all our friends were coming every day.
MARY: So this would have been the late '70s?
AGNES: Yeah, late '70s.
MARY: Now when did you open on Prince Street?
AGNES: We opened in '83. I wanted to be in New York because I loved the city, and because I loved American cinema from the '30s, '40s, '50s - what we call in France film noir.
MARY: You always have those beautiful vintage posters up in the window. Would you say that film has influenced much of your design?
AGNES: I don't know. My designs are constructed to be unfashionable or ... out of fashion. You can't say it was from this year or that year.
MARY: Well, the first really expensive thing I bought was a leather jacket of yours. It was plain, with a V-neck. Later, I saw it on Cher and Robin Wright in two very different movies — Suspect and State of Grace.
AGNES: Yes. [laughs] I like clean, simple clothes. There must be an idea, but it doesn't have to be complicated to be beautiful. The material has to be new, or at least the use of the material. I like to make army pants — but in black satin.
MARY: Cargo pants?
AGNES: Yeah, I did that five years ago. I'm wearing them today.
MARY: I love how some of your earliest designs continue. I'm thinking the snap cardigan ...
AGNES: I was always wearing sweatshirts, and one day I thought it would be nice if I opened it up in the front. And I thought to have all these snaps very near to each other. Because in the old eighteenth-century portraits, like from Versailles, the buttons are very close together. So that's the story of the snap cardigan. I did one for myself in white, and then a black one. And then I made them for babies and for men ... for everyone.
MARY: Now one thing that I love about your clothes, especially if I go into the shop uptown, you see a lot of mothers and daughters shopping together. It seems that anyone can wear anything of yours.
AGNES: I always think of many different people when I design, and not just about very young people, but older people who don't want to be excluded.
MARY: Do your customers ever come up to you on the street?
AGNES: Yes. And sometimes they ask, "Why don't you do any more of these skirts?" So I say, "I'll make it again for you. You will find it in the shop." I like that — to be able to find again what you love.
MARY: What kind of notes do people leave in your guest books? Anyone famous?
AGNES: Leonardo DiCaprio left a message a few months ago: "You are a savior for me."
MARY: Do you know what he bought?
AGNES: Sometimes I ask, sometimes I forget to ask, or they forget to tell me. Jodie Foster shops in my store in L.A. I love her as an actor. But many actors wear my clothes, because they don't like dated clothes. I think they like to be themselves in their everyday life, not to be wearing very flagrant designs. They like the absence of the design. You can't see it, so you forget about it. And the personality of the person wearing the clothes is more important.
MARY: There are so many celebrities being dressed by stylists now — especially in L.A.
AGNES: David Bowie, for instance, I dressed him a few times recently. And I've loved him for years. You know, I'm a groupie. [laughs] The young group, Air, dress with my designs. Do you know them?
MARY: Air. The electronic group?
AGNES: Yeah, they are very good, very interesting.
MARY: I know in Paris you have the Lolita shop — your clothes for younger girls. Why isn't there one here in New York?
AGNES: We are going to make a big corner shop, which is going to be called B Spot. And there's going to be a mix for young girls, with a lot of street wear. It's like another label inside AGNES B.
MARY: You've had a gallery in Paris for years, and been really supportive of new artists, and now you have a gallery here too.
AGNES: Upstairs from the store on Greene Street, the men's shop, we have a big space. And sometimes we make a little show there.
MARY: So how do you feel about Soho? You were such a pioneer. It's so different from when you first opened. It used to be an art neighborhood, and now it's like a giant shopping mall.
AGNES: There is so much to buy everywhere. It's changed a lot. And I'm not a nostalgic person, but I liked it the way it was before. We might move, because we have to. The lease is finishing soon. We may stay in Soho. And the Lower East Side is not so far away.
MARY: Are you thinking about Chelsea?
AGNES: I don't want to go to the gallery area. I don't want to make again what happened in Soho. No, I will not do that. I like very much to go to the galleries in Chelsea. I think food and fashion shouldn't go there. I don't want to participate in that. But I think fashion is going to go there.
MARY: Are you friends with other designers?
AGNES: I don't see people working in fashion. I don't know if they see each other. Although I like Xuly Bet, for instance, because he's nice and he's normal. All my friends are artists. I go to galleries, I go to cinema, but I never shop. I have no time for that.
MARY: Now what about shows? I only remember one in the early '90s in New York, and one even farther back than that. Do you not like to do fashion shows?
AGNES: My clothes are discreet, they're not really for the runway. People like to see them up close. They want to try them on. And it's a big energy to make a show. In the end, I prefer to make a film. So this time I did a movie.
MARY: Oh great.
AGNES: I put the clothes in different situations with the models and I did a little story for each theme. It's a twelve-minute film, and we're showing it around the world. And it's much better than a runway show. There are all these little jokes in the movie, and we're fighting and dancing, and there's a funny wedding scene. I prefer to make a movie.
MARY: So that's once a year?
AGNES: No, it's twice — for the summer and winter collections.
MARY: Do you think there's a particular French style of dressing? It used to be very distinct.
AGNES: I think more and more it's less different from New York or London. Because people have the same culture and they see the same movies and they have the same influence for music and everything.
MARY: And your wardrobe?
AGNES: The way I dress — white shirt, long sleeves; black pants, white shoes, a black leather coat ... There's a red dress, because I like red. And a little silver jacket.
MARY: I've always wanted to ask you; your T-shirts last so long — what's the secret?
AGNES: It's the same material used for the uniforms of rugby players in France. [laughs] So the clothes have to be very strong.
MARY: It's really good.
AGNES: It has to be. And I made my own stripes and colors.
MARY: I love those striped shirts. And a couple of summers ago I bought so many of the crinkle-cotton shirts. I think one was called the Vincent, and then there was the Ricky ... Do you name them after people who work with you?
AGNES: Sometimes. But it could also be an actor or a musician. That's why we have a DeNiro shirt, because I admire him so much.
MARY: That's a men's shirt?
AGNES: Yes, of course. And we've made it for quite a long time. He comes in and says, "You're using my name." He frightens the girls in the shop. But it's just a joke for him. He's great.
MARY: When did you start your men'swear?
AGNES: In '81. Because I saw men trying on the women's clothes. They were putting on the jackets I was making for women. So very quickly I did some pieces for men, and then we opened.
MARY: We have to talk about the communal dressing room.
AGNES: I thought it was interesting to encourage this relationship between the customers, so that they would be talking to each other. They don't know each other at first, but then they talk and they share the clothes. "Oh, I like you better with that." Or, "I took it first." It's funny. There are many things happening in the changing room.
MARY: On Prince Street, first you had communal, then you had private dressing rooms, and now you have both.
AGNES: When someone doesn't want to be undressing in front of other people, of course I understand that. We had to have a solution.
MARY: Another thing I like about the shop is that I know I can always find a great T-shirt or a great coat or a great whatever. But then all of a sudden you've got gold lamé pants or a lace shirt. How does that happen? You just decide you need that?
AGNES: We have the same collection all around the world. And I like it to be like that. But you have to surprise the customers. Otherwise it becomes less and less interesting.
MARY: And now you're opening a shop in Miami.
AGNES: Yeah, and it's funny. It's in the former Greyhound station. It's very beautiful outside, and we kept it just as it was in the '50s.
MARY: So you're in New York, you're in Boston ...
AGNES: L.A., San Francisco, Chicago, and now Miami Beach.
MARY: And then in Japan you have lots of shops, right?
AGNES: Yes. Like fifty shops in Japan.
MARY: Is it a different sensibility there?
AGNES: It's always changing very quickly. So I have to surprise them, and I'm happy to do that. It's quite a difficult period in Japan. There's a recession, so it's a challenge, but I like that.
MARY: What season are you designing right now?
AGNES: Next winter.
MARY: Wow.
AGNES: I've got to be ready in the next month or so. I have to get the prints made ...
MARY: Do you design all your prints?
AGNES: I find them or I do them. And the materials too.
MARY: But you have a team you work with?
AGNES: I design everything myself.
MARY: That's crazy.
AGNES: I know. But I'm not a teacher. I don't want to judge someone else's work. I'm not comfortable with that.
MARY: Now, of all the styles you've done, is there one that's lasted the longest in the line? A favorite coat or jacket ...
AGNES: There is a cotton crewneck, for men and women, very simple. It's made with big knitting needles, and there are big ribs. I love it. I was wearing it for the pictures they took this morning. I love cotton sweaters, even in winter.
MARY: Well, your cashmere is pretty nice too.
AGNES: Yeah.
MARY: A friend of mine just bought one of your sweaters and was showing it off. I was jealous.
AGNES: [laughs] Oh, I'm sorry.
MARY: Are you making everything in France?
AGNES: Yes. That's why it's a little expensive. Making clothes in France costs much more than in Thailand. One minute of work in France is seventy times more expensive. But there is a tradition here; the people who make the clothes are very faithful, and the clothes are very well done. It's part of the style, I think, and that also makes people faithful to my designs.
MARY: And then there's the fit ...
AGNES: Yeah.
MARY: Because your clothes fit so well — especially for small people. And I thank you for that.
AGNES: Very often I jump in the clothes just to feel how they fit. I will take something from a model and try it on myself. You can feel the pockets — where they are, how deep they are.
MARY: Have you ever designed underwear, like lingerie?
AGNES: I would love to do that. And for men too.
MARY: I think you do everything else at this point. You do shoes ...
AGNES: Yeah.
MARY: You do bags.
AGNES: I also work for Seiko for glasses and watches, in Japan.
MARY: And then you have a beauty line too.
AGNES: Yes. With L'Oréal. I do the style of the line. But I don't just put my name on it. I do the colors, the design, everything.
MARY: So now, just add to the work load and do some lingerie.
AGNES: Yes.
MARY: As if you have time. [both laugh]

Doutzen Kroes (July 2006)

2006-07-09T16:16:00.000-07:00

The Frysian Doutzen Kroes (21) is doing shows for Viktor&Rolf and Dsquared, she’s the face of Calvin Klein and this autumn also L’Oréal Paris. Two years ago she was on ELLE’s cover, by now she’s hot in the world of fashion. ELLE searched for Doutzen for a retrospection.

What do you remember from that covershoot?
‘It was fun to do, especially because it’s a Dutch magazine. Now my friends could see me on a cover, they rather buy a Dutch ELLE then an Italian Vogue.’
Are you different in your work now then 2 years ago?
‘It’s getting easier. You get used to the travelling. I’m working with the same people, it’s actually a very small world.’
What the biggest change in your life?
‘Moving to New York. I really needed to get used to it there, I missed my friends and family. It’s so different then Oostermeer, the village where I’m from. When people asked if I was going to live in Brooklyn or Manhattan, I said; No, I’m going to live in New York. I really didn’t know the difference.’
Are things different then you expected?
‘The fashionworld is less glamourous then it seems. It’s very busy. People always expect me to be beautiful and never being ill.’
Do you think it’s hard to stay with both feet on the ground?
‘No. Some girls act like a diva. That’s a stimulus for me to do that not. I think it’s important for people like me. I did learn to defend myself, but I don’t think that’s acting like a diva.’
Did there ever go something wrong during a fashionshow?
‘During a show for Victoria’s Secret, my shoe fell off. I did not know what to do. Keep on walking or go back? I reacted just to turn around and pick up the shoe. And during a show for Dsquared my heel kept hanging in my dress (?), I just tried to keep on walking and not make a weird face.’
How does it feel to be the face of L’Oréal Paris?
‘I’m very honoured to be part of their team with all those famous actresses.’
What do you want to do after your modelling career?
‘I want to do something for the world. I’m living in a dreamworld, being surrounded by luxury. Some time ago I was on holiday in Sri Lanka and saw how it’s like in poor countries. I realised: What’s bothering me now? Clothes?

Helmut Lang (2004)

2006-07-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

Helmut Lang is a complicated guy, a personality vibrant with the push-pull of creative contradiction. While he can only be described as the most European of men, he has chosen to live and work in New York. He is reserved and irreverent, methodical and spontaneous, a doer and a dreamer. Perhaps this same complexity is what has fueled his fashion design over two decades, allowing him to create work that is always refined and coherent, and usually transgressive and provocative as well. Peter Halley spoke to the designer in his studio in Soho.

PETER: The idea of starting a fashion house in Vienna is so improbable.
HELMUT: I know. It's beyond my imagination now. I think you only do these things when you are very young and inexperienced, and you have nothing to lose. Somehow I just slipped into fashion quite early on, which I had never planned.
PETER: You started when you were just eighteen or nineteen years old.
HELMUT: My teenage years were so restricted. It was a really hard time. I came from very simple circumstances, and I had the classical stepmother in a bad Hollywood movie. When I could finally move out when I was eighteen, I just had to find myself.
PETER: That was '74 perhaps? Was how you dressed your form of expression?
HELMUT: I was trying to define myself in terms of fashion. I think I wanted to do what everybody does at that age. You want to look good, you want to go out, you want to explore life and sexuality.
PETER: Were you putting together things you found, or were you making them yourself?
HELMUT: I had clothes made, but mostly in polyester, because it was very cheap. At the time, the fashion industry had not yet arrived in Vienna. We had this very strong made-to-measure tradition left over from the old Austrian culture. There were a lot of seamstresses who had their own little businesses. People would ask me where I bought something, and I'd say I had it made. They'd say, "Can you do something for me?" I'd say, "Sure," because I was looking for something to do anyway.
PETER: Working with the seamstresses was, in a way, your education.
HELMUT: Yeah, directly. I had a little studio with two or three seamstresses — that's how we started. Then I said, "Well, we have to do a fashion show in Paris." We did a show, which was completely naive and crazy. As I said before, you can only do this if you're young, inexperienced, and have no idea of the consequences.
PETER: I guess you have always had the confidence to make things happen.
HELMUT: That's something that I had quite early on in life, I think. I grew up with my grandparents really high up in the mountains — it was very detached from civilization, actually. When I was a little kid, I would always gather the other kids together to make things. When the first tourists came, we put flowers, stones, and sticks into little plastic ice cream cups. We were handing them out or selling them — I can't remember which. So on the one hand, I am very conscious, but on the other hand, I depend a lot on imagination for the creative work.
PETER: What was it about fashion that became your sustaining passion?
HELMUT: The most important and intriguing thing about fashion is that it relates to people immediately, in a very short time frame. That's also an incredible burden, because of the concentration of the work. It's so fast and so intense. It needs so much input — you always have it in your head. There are also the deadlines. But a deadline also forces you to formulate. Without one, it's actually much harder.
PETER: Despite your Viennese beginnings, your work has always had an international feeling.
HELMUT: I don't feel particularly Austrian, even though that's where I was born. I've always felt quite borderless. I'm more interested in groupings that have to do with familiarities of the mind. I think that fashion, art, and everything else can only work globally. People everywhere are looking for a certain idea — for things to look at, to dress in, to be inspired by. Of course, there are variations around the world, especially in art. But more than ever such local character is becoming less and less intense.
PETER: Vienna is so interesting historically. Austria was a multi-ethnic empire until the beginning of the last century.
HELMUT: My father's side is Polish, Russian and Czechoslovakian, and my mother's is Hungarian and Yugoslavian. I was only born in Vienna. My family was not from there.
PETER: It's a big place, in a way.
HELMUT: It was a big place. A hundred years ago, there was something about Vienna that was truly revolutionary — and strong. It had all this incredible tradition and also a strong counter-movement towards modernism. But just before the Second World War it was basically deserted. It's been that way ever since. What's left now is just a phantom of the spirit which was there, but that's good enough.
PETER: It's a city that seems to inspire some ambivalence.
HELMUT: If you live there for a while, it animates you somehow. Vienna itself is sweet and mean enough to train you for anything. Before I went to New York, everyone said, "You'll see, New York is really hard." But in comparison to Vienna, New York is really nice. Vienna is what it is. If you have something creative you want to do, you have to leave, or it will kill you. I felt that from the very beginning.
PETER: And that's where Paris comes in.
HELMUT: I have spent a lot of my time in Paris. In the '80s, the city was really astonishing — it was one big creative party. What was so unique was something that is lost everywhere today — you had all kinds of people, people from different age groups, just going out and having fun. It was about contact, exchange, doing things, working together — it wasn't as ghettoized. I found it incredibly productive but very amusing at the same time. Then it all closed up in the '90s. I had always thought that I would move our fashion house to Paris. But in the end we came to New York, which was even better.
PETER: You seem like such a European guy. It's interesting that you have chosen to live in New York.
HELMUT: As a base, I'm very lucky to have New York. It has a different mindset. When I go back to show in Paris, in a way it's like going home. I've been going there for a long time now, so I know a lot of people. But there is also something about Europe that is quite heavy-handed. You'd probably go crazy in a European town after being in New York.
PETER: Are there things you miss?
HELMUT: Europe has this fantastic, rich quality that I wish we had in Soho. If September 11th hadn't happened, maybe Soho would have achieved that kind of coffee-house culture.
PETER: I sometimes imagine your menswear was designed for a prototypical nomadic European.
HELMUT: Things often appear different when you are looking at them from the outside. I have never tried to localize my work for a certain group or certain type of man. Of course, I recognize that what I do is always related to culture because it is made for people, so it has to relate to their lives.
PETER: One year ago, you opened your made-to- measure boutique at 142 Greene Street in Soho. It's like a return to your early years in Vienna, making clothes for private clients.
HELMUT: By the late '90s, I was thinking, "What else shall I do?" I decided we should do made-to-measure, in order to provide really personal service again. It's a counter-movement to the corporate and marketing elements that are so strong in fashion. A lot of the made-to-measure work is for our Hollywood clients. But it also functions as a design studio. We have the prototypes for the collections there. It's like we've come full circle.
PETER: Helmut Lang, as a company, has such a cohesive worldview. The made-to-measure shop, the taxicab advertisements, the runway shows, and the design itself all reflect the same sensibility. And I've always admired your website.
HELMUT: It's just very simple. It's there to provide information. I felt that our website shouldn't be full of tricks or grab for attention as if it were based on computer games. We just thought it should just be a normal extension of what we do. Before we launched our site, our work was always edited by someone else — in magazines, on TV. The entire body of work could never be seen, except by a few fashion professionals. The great benefit of the internet is that everybody can have access to everything.
PETER: The simple design is very satisfying.
HELMUT: I always think that I should look at it again to see what else we could do. But then there's another show or something else to do, so I never really come back to it. At the very beginning, the website designers we talked to said, "Your website looks like shit. We could do a lot for you," blah, blah, blah. We'd look at their ideas and say, "This is everything we don't want." So we didn't change anything in the end.
PETER: In your own way, you are very good at business.
HELMUT: I'm not so sure I'm so good at it. I never wanted to do it, but I had to for a really long time. Of course, four years ago we merged with Prada.
PETER: As a creative person in business, you have to keep everything together, otherwise things just don't happen.
HELMUT: I think of it just as defending my creative point of view. In the end, I'm the only one who can take care of it — there really isn't anyone else who can do that for me. From the beginning, I wanted to be able to concentrate on the creative aspects of the work and everything that's related to image. But you always have to do much more than you actually want to. There is no such thing as being completely detached from all these issues. Somehow, they always come back to haunt you.
PETER: Is it a different process from the creative decisions?
HELMUT: Yes. With creative decisions, it is very emotional. It's not about togetherness. It's the fight to reach the point at which whatever you're creating is strong enough to fight you back. Then you just have to let it go. You are the only one who can really decide that.
PETER: Your creative life seems to be characterized by a few very stable long-term relationships. The architect Richard Gluckman designed all your spaces in New York. You don't switch from one architect to another every two years.
HELMUT: I think as long as a relationship is good, there is really no reason to break it. It's as simple as that. The idea of being faithful is a good one, as long as it works for both parties. But if it doesn't work anymore, it will fall apart anyway. That's also happened to me. In the course of your life, people come and go. If you're lucky, there are very few people — perhaps one or two — who you will know for your entire life.
PETER: You have longstanding friendships with two artists, Jenny Holzer and Louise Bourgeois. Louise Bourgeois must be in her eighties, but she's doing great work.
HELMUT: She has this incredible quality. When you meet her in person, you leave so completely enriched and touched. I think she's incredibly strong and focused at the same time. She's producing so much wonderful work now. She's at an age where that is basically all she wants to do.
PETER: Visual people like yourself often have a need to create a visually harmonious environment.
HELMUT: I am definitely interested in architecture and interior design. I like playing around with my environment. It's something that I have to do. I don't always have to build something from the ground up — I'll change rooms or move things around just to be sure that they are in the right place. Sometimes before doing a new collection, I used to rearrange my entire apartment.
PETER: It's almost a design warm-up.
HELMUT: I like everything that's an exercise of form or proportion in areas that have nothing to do with fashion. It's important to look at a lot of different things to train your eye.
PETER: For me, the proportions of a room can affect everything.
HELMUT: I think it's absolutely important.
PETER: If I go to a hotel, and the room is...
HELMUT: I can't go anymore.
PETER: I've found people usually don't understand this. They can't believe that it might have some connection with my actual work.
HELMUT: On the one hand, it should mean nothing. On the other hand, if I stay in a hotel room in which everything is against me, I am unable to relax — there's just no way around it. If the proportions feel contrary to me, I can't feel at home. It's not about good taste or bad taste. You can find beauty in every kind of traditional style or in modernity. But, if a room feels completely dislocated, I would rather be in a tent. I won't be able to sleep, or I'll have to stay out all night long. It's difficult to explain, but I think it has something to do with just taking care of your environment.
PETER: How do you absorb cultural information? How do you follow what's going on in New York?
HELMUT: My cultural experience starts with CNN in the morning, which I started to watch regularly after September 11th. I think that's just what you do in New York. Earlier this year there was a week of exhibitions called Americana. I was interested to find out how American design differs from the European tradition. It was a very good counterpoint to contemporary art. It's always fun to watch the crowd, which was so completely different from the art crowd or the fashion crowd.
PETER: And these influences somehow go back into the work.
HELMUT: Fashion is an expression and a reaction. It's a reflection, and even a proposal, on the current situation of our society. In line with this, whatever sidesteps you take should have some humor and some element of provocation. The work should contain some ideas that will eventually grow in the future, and some that just go off like fireworks — that explode and glimmer briefly, and then fade. Hopefully, the consistency of the work over the years adds up to an interesting story. Depending on how strong you are, that story can be short or long.

Veronique Branquinho (date unknown)

2006-07-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

Veronique Branquinho

At what point were you first aware that you were becoming a fashion designer?
I was quite young when I determined to be a designer. I was maybe around fourteen years old and I was interested in drawing. I noticed the emergence of the famous 'six' Belgian designers [Walter van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Marina Yee, Dirk van Saene, Dries Van Noten and Dirk Bikkembergs]. It was the first time that I connected to fashion, because I loved fashion, but it always seemed really far away from me. It was the period of Montana, Mugler, Gaultier; very much fashion as a show. Very far away. When I saw those Belgian designers I felt 'yes, this is what I understand and what I could do'. I was really closely connected to them, so they gave me the start. Then I moved from a normal school to an art school, in preparation for the Academy.

Of what relevance is your training at the Fashion Department of The Fine Arts Academy of Antwerp to your current practice?
There are two aspects to this. I see this like a phase, in a lifetime. I don't think what I do now has much to do with the Academy. I came to the Academy in 1991 when I was eighteen years old, not a fully formed person. They help you to discover what's inside of you. They don't force you to do things, they just help you to say what you have to say. You get more formed and when you leave (in 1995) you're more certain of yourself. More secure. Then, when you start your own collection (for me, in 1997), it's nothing that you can be prepared for. It's not something you can learn about. It was a very useful phase of my life, to have been surrounded by creative people like painters, photographers, a lot of my friends come from the Academy. It was a very important time of self-discovery.

Can you describe how you approach designing a new collection: which bits do you keep and which do you discard?
Those decisions are made very intuitively. When I'm working on a collection, I'm looking for a certain shape or a certain form of garment. For me, it's like the pure form that's important. It's like purity. When you find that pure shape, I don't see the need to change it every six months because it's summer or winter. That's why I keep a lot of the same shapes. That's the base, you know. Like when I was looking for the perfect pair of trousers. I worked a long time to have this shape. Of course I will do other shapes, but for me, those are the essence. It's difficult in a society that is so reliant on change, and some use the charge of continuity as a form of criticism, doing the same things. But it's a big collection, like ninety different models, and (of which) maybe only six are the same.

Do you have any stock sources of inspiration that help you out in a creative crisis?
I have notebooks everywhere in the house. Every time I think of something, I just make a note. When I start working on a collection, sometimes it's really conceived in my head: 'its going to be that', and I start with a certain mood. Then sometimes I want colour: it's more of an abstract process, like a mood. It's very difficult to talk about. Those notebooks, I always have a look at and some ideas from them fit into the collection. I start more with a mood than with a shape or something. The first few seasons were very much about this 'double life', duality and womenhood. I could find that in Twin Peaks' Laura Palmer. Since then, it's been following me, this character of Laura Palmer. In any collection of mine, it's about the question 'what is a woman? What is the inner nature of being a woman?' It's still about what you feel.

Much has been made of the treatment of femininity in your clothes. What you have characterised as a 'duality' of womanhood or the progression from girl to woman in the designs, some critics have identified as a lack of overt sexuality. Do you think this is a fair assessment?
Sometimes people say my designs are sexless and I feel 'oh my God! It's not meant to be!' Maybe that's just the way you look at sexuality, it's different for everybody. For me, it's very much about what's going on in your head, about a certain mood. It's not about showing breasts and legs. It's a very intellectual thing. Belgians are very reserved people and it's not about showing off at all. It doesn't mean that what I want to say is sexless. On the contrary, the collections are very close to me and what I'm living through. I'm not a sexless person; I like the way that it gets a little bit complicated, a little bit mysterious. To conquer sex is much more attractive than the act itself. The tension between two people; that's harder to get than to merely show off a body.

For your A/W '03 collection, upon which Jean Francois Carly's film is based, you have said the inspiration was ice-dancing competitions. Again, this is a forum in which girls are encouraged to be confident and powerful. Is this something you consciously pursue?
I think the girls that ice-dance are considered confident mostly by the outside world, but they still have certain insecurities. The thing with ice-dancers is that they are looked at as big ladies who can do a lot of things but in fact, they are also insecure about failure and things that can go wrong, about growing up too early. It's very ambiguous. I think they are too sensitive to be secure, as that would be arrogant. They are not that.

Do you see a difference between looking at your clothes captured in film to those in still imagery?
I really like to see them in films because when I'm making a collection, it's not only a static thing. It's also about movement, it's very important. I really love ballet and dancing and ice-skating because of the movement of the clothes. Also, when you are making a picture, it's more like a set-up: it gets more like perfection because you can camouflage all the faults. It can look much better on a picture, but I like the natural way of moving it. It's the way they are meant to be, it's not a museum exhibit or gallery piece. They belong to the streets and people's lives.

You have said that your collections are personal diaries: records of your innermost feelings. How do you reconcile such an intimate act with putting them up for review before a critical audience?
It's really hard sometimes. For me, every six months it's the same story. You put all this energy into it and show it. Whether the reviews are good or bad, you've still put the same amount of energy into it. I'm trying to get used to it but criticism can be positive, building. It also gives me more energy to do more, as I'm not finished yet. It's never one opinion: you try to take some distance. The press opinions can be quite contradictory and then you have the customers, friends, other people. If you can get something positive out of it, it's better.

Do you take notice of other designers' work? Who do you consider to be your peers?
I'm very interested in other people's work. What I've tried to do is just to say what I have to say. I think that's what the others do too. The people who I admire are very much into their own world. I think that's the only way to do it. When I started, there was Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester, you know, they're very much into their own world. Now, I think somebody like Hussein Chalayan is doing what he's doing. Helmut Lang has been doing it for a long time already. Maybe during those ten years, the press has been less positive than others, but he was still doing his thing. It's now the sixth year that I've been busy and I guess opinions change, but I can only do what I'm doing.

What do you think it means to categorise you as a 'Belgian designer'?
It's very much created by the press: 'Belgian Designers'. There was a time, maybe two years ago, when it was at the top. Everything Belgian was great and now, the press have maybe had enough. So now when you say it's Belgian design, people are like 'yeah, they're always dark, always negative'. It's what they make of it. I don't like those etiquettes, but I am Belgian and I am a designer. The only thing I have in common with Ann Demeulemeester or other people is that we are all Belgian and we are all designers, but we're all doing our own work. We're not following trends.

summing up designers (2006)

2006-07-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

Rick Owens:
"I'd describe my work as Frankenstein and Garbo, falling in love in a leather bar"

Sonia Rykiel:
"I hope my creations can give a little bit of joy"

Anna Sui:
"People who go to my fashion shows kinda go to a rock concert"

Valentino:
"I design for romantic people"

Dries van Noten:
"I aim to create fashion that is neutral in such a way that each person can add his or her own personality to it"

Viktor & Rolf:
"The illusion that next time it might be perfect keeps us going"

APC (Jean Touitou):
"What inspires me is whatever helps you to get away from mental pollution"

AF Vandevorst:
"Fashion is a language"

Costume National (Ennio Capasa):
"There is no distinction between who I am and what I do"

Marilyn Sainty (Nov,2004)

2006-07-02T19:24:00.000-07:00

New Zealand designer: Marilyn Sainty

My favourite books:

My family and other animals by Gerald Durrell
A very easy death by Simone de Beauvoir
A gradual awakening by Stephen Levine
Janet Frame: An autobiography
Any human heart by Willaim Boyd

My most treasured possesions:

"I have a little shrine at home, full of momentos and gifts from friends and family, such as notes, photographs and all sorts of funny eccentric finds"

How I unwind:

"At the weekend, I love cooking, having breakfast with friends, taking long afternoon walks and sharing the crossword with my husband, Peter"

My favourite fashion item:

"My Lanvin ballet slippers"

Who I'm listening to:

Leonard Cohen
Claudine Longet
Caetano Paloma

My Favourite movies:

Talk to her
To have and to be
Orlando

My latest Obssesion:

"Food, I spend a lot of time cooking-it's one of my greatest joys. My speciality is a warm lobster salad with basil and delicious dark greens"

My greatest extravagance:

"An exciting holiday where you're completely free, making new discoveries. I've just travelled to France spending time in Luberon and Bordeaux, laughing and eating with friends along the way"

What I'm most proud of:

Her cocktail chair. "I worked with a steel maker on this chair and spent so many hours working on its design to get it right. It was an idea I had that I was determined to follow through with".

Travel essentials: various models (Nov, 2004)

2006-07-02T01:48:00.000-07:00

Flight attendants:
Topmodels are forever flying around the globe. We find out what they won't take off without.

Poulina Kouklina

"Clarins Multi-active day cream, I love the smell"
"A good detective novel"

Eugenia Volodina

"Lancome makeup remover-it's so gentle"

Elise Crombez

"M.A.C concealer"
"A book to write poetry in"

Hana Soukupova

"I use Avene moisturiser and Evian facial Brumisateur to spritz on during the flight"
"Theres always a toothbrush in my hand luggage"

Jessica Miller

"I love Benetint by Benefit"
"I always fly with my ipod"

Julia Stegner

"I wash my face on the plane, then use Nivea moisturiser for dry skin"
"My makeup essential is Maybelline mascara"

Kate Moss (March, 2003)

2006-06-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

Penny Martin, Editor,: Kate Moss, we have invited you to participate in our series of interviews with major image-makers because you occupy the roles of both image and image-maker. Not only are you one of the most talked-about and desired women on earth, you rose to fame during a decade where fashion became a mainstream cultural concern. You are the face of a British youth movement shaped by the end of Thatcherism, dance culture and new technology. Does any of that make you happy?

Kate Moss: Yes, it definitely makes me happy that I'm part of a period of such cultural change. However, I don't think about me being a desired woman, or as being talked about, because that would make me paranoid.

Phil Bicker, New York: Before modelling, did you have any idea of what you'd like to do?

Kate Moss: I knew I wanted to travel, because my Dad worked in the travel business and I knew I wanted to leave Croydon. I hadn't even thought about what I wanted to do when I left school because I was only 14 when I started modelling.

Charlotte Cotton, Victoria & Albert Museum, London: What did it feel like to see yourself on the cover of The Face in July 1990?

Kate Moss: I was really embarrassed because there were pictures of me topless inside. I was still at school of course, so I got a lot of stick because I was so flat-chested.

Elaine, New York: How much of your success would you attribute to your management? At what stage did you start to make your own decisions rather than following instructions?

Kate Moss: Quite early. When I started working a lot, at one point I was doing about 10 flights in a week and I had to start saying no to things. Of course, your management push to get you work and you want them to think about the long-term, where I would be like 'I want to do The Face', even thought it wouldn't earn me any money.

Charlotte Wheeler,: At what point did you realise that your height wasn't going to stand in the way of your success?

Kate Moss: When I started doing shows, because of course, everyone else was taller. I thought, 'if I can do the runway with all these taller girls, then nothing can stand in my way'.

Marianne Faithful, Paris: So Kate - I went through a long period of time where I thought it would never all work out. Wanting the dream to come true, then it changed and the dream became a reality. Have you ever experienced that? Please explain.

Kate Moss: Oh, God, Marianne! I didn't really have a dream where I thought 'Oh, I want to be a star'. It kind of all rolled along and then suddenly, I was in the papers and it was all a bit of a shock. Now I've got the dream because I've got the family and I'm still working. That was my dream always.

Sadie Frost, London: What's been the happiest day of your life?

Kate Moss: Well, you know, I gave birth, so that's definitely got to be up there!

Euan Angus, Galloway: What's your all-time favourite cover featuring yourself?

Kate Moss: Probably now, it's the Face one or the June 1998 Vogue one with the sheepskin.

John Galliano, Paris: My first show in Paris was also your first defile for me in Paris. If I remember you were only 16 years old...How did you feel doing the show with the top supermodels Naomi, Linda and Christy?

Kate Moss: I was so nervous that I couldn't eat all day. The runway was the longest one I've ever seen. I felt like it went on forever and I was up there on my own. The afterwards, we went to watch the video at his office and someone had stolen all the champagne. There was only whisky and I drank so much that I passed out at his dinner. I was supposed to be back at school on Monday morning and I was still in Paris on Wednesday!

Nick Knight, Richmond: Why do you model? Is it a need for love and appraisal? Is it a natural desire to show off? Is it art or is it a drug?

Kate Moss: I wasn't a show-off by nature, but I do think you get into that, even though I was shy. That becomes the drug.

Jonathan The, Perth, Western Australia/Achim Reichert, Paris: On a photo shoot do you feel like an artist or a mobile sculpture? What is the level of your involvement?

Kate Moss: I felt like I have to become what the team want me to become. It grows: the make-up and the hair, and then the light... The atosphere of the shoot: you become that. Being versatile is what makes a good model.

Harold Koda, Costume Institute, Metropolitan Museum, New York: If clothing can be art, has there been one piece of apparel that you have worn which was a transcendent masterwork?

Kate Moss: I have worn things by John Galliano (it was a gypsy skirt with purple tulle with bells all over it and a fox jacket that was unbelievably amazing) in an Annie Leibowitz shoot for American Vogue that were definitely transcendent masterworks.

Joanna Leonard, Teddington: Do you ever look at any of your old campaigns and think: 'that doesn't look anything like me'?

Kate Moss: Yes, all the time.

Penny Martin, Editor, : Is there an image of you that you wish you'd never had taken?

Kate Moss: I'm sure there are, but I can't think of *one* right now.

Ka-Poon Chan, Hong Kong/Luke Rynderman, Sydney/Miche,, France: Which photographer do you most like working with and why?

Kate Moss: They are all different. You get something different out of working with different people, so I wouldn't want to work with one alone.

GrZ�goire Alexandre, Paris/Juani Sarrabayrouse, Buenos Aires: David Bailey said he falls in love with everyone he photographs. Can you describe the model/photographer dynamic? Do you ever feel uncomfortable being photographed?

Kate Moss: When I work with a photographer, I try to become what they feel. It's not even like you're smiling, it's an instinct. If you can get where they are coming from, then that's the dynamic. I feel uncomfortable being photographed by paparazzi and there is only one instance where I've felt uncomfortable with one guy. He got put in prison because he was a perv.

Geert De Keyser, Belgium: What qualities make a photographer brilliant?

Kate Moss: Light and retouching! Ha!

Mario Testino, London: Am I still your number one as you're certainly still mine?

Kate Moss: Of course, Mario, you'll always be my number one.

Solomon Light, Adelaide/Adam Levett, Toronto: Why do you like shooting with Mario Testino?

Kate Moss: Because we just have the BEST time. We have so much fun!

Daniel Brown, SHOWstudio: Do you let photographers know what you think of their images? Do you bluntly tell them if you don't like an image, or do you have more subtle ways to hint that you're not impressed?

Kate Moss: I say 'I prefer that one'. I don't actually say if I don't like it.

Wong Kar Wai, Hong Kong: What's it like working with Nick Knight?

Kate Moss: It's an experience. It's intense. Always. And you're really working, you can't get off lightly. You can't sail through the day.

Glen Luchford, London: Is Glen Luchford the best photographer you have ever worked with?

Kate Moss: Sorry, Glen! Mario asked first!

Marc, Paris: Would you mind working with a lesser-known photographer?

Kate Moss: No, I woudn't mind at all!

Mert and Marcus, London: Who is your favourite: Mert or Marcus?

Kate Moss: I can't say - they're just both divine! I couldn't pick. I love those boys, they're fantastic.

Marc, Paris: Are there any surprises left in fashion photography for you?

Kate Moss: You can definitely always push it a bit more.

Luke Hahn, Melbourne/Agnes, Hong Kong/OK, Hong Kong/G.Rt De Keyser, Belgium: Define beauty.

Kate Moss: I can only think of Lila. My daughter is the most beautiful thing to me.

Pablo Gimenez Zapiola, Texas: What do you think it is about your appearance exactly that has brought you fame?

Kate Moss: I've no idea. At all.

Juergen Teller, London: Are your nipples really like fighter pilots thumbs?

Kate Moss: My assistant, Fi Fi, says you could hang two wet duffle coats of them with two bottles of Irn-Bru in the pockets.

Peter Lindberg, New York: When you look in the mirror, do you think you see what other people see?

Kate Moss: No, probably not.

Penny Martin, Editor, : At what stage did it become evident after the publication of the Corinne Day story in the May 1993 issue of British Vogue that you were destined to become the leitmotif in every tabloid discussion of body size? How did you decide to deal with it?

Kate Moss: I just thought it was all bollocks, basically. It was upsetting sometimes, but I was really young and skinny and some girls just are. That was me, I wasn't trying to be anyone else.

Landon Bradley, Vancouver: Why do you think the media chose to pin the debate about body image on you when there are so many other small female celebrities?

Kate Moss: It was just the time. It was a swing from more buxom girls like Cindy Crawford and people were shocked to see what they called a 'waif'. What can you say? How many times can you say 'I'm not anorexic'?

Harvey Allen, Stroud: Have you ever been on a diet?

Kate Moss: After having Lila, I couldn't have my french toast in my fry-up in the morning. I had to watch what I was eating, after having been eating for two!

Deanne Jade, The National Centre for Eating Disorders, London: I visit schools on a regular basis, talking to students about their weight issues. If you were asked by a student, 'what would I have to do to look like a model?' what would be your honest answer?

Kate Moss: You have to be yourself, as models come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are girls who are out there who are more voluptuous and they work better for different sorts of stories.

J. J., Washington D.C.: Last year I lost 55 pounds and started modelling, but have since gained 30 back. Things have fallen apart and I have lost the motivation to diet. I am desperate. How do you do it?

Kate Moss: I wouldn't advise anyone to be desperate to model. Certainly not by dieting so intensively.

Dafne, Milan: When is thin too thin?

Kate Moss: When you look ill. When you're not healthy.

Bryony, London: Are you a feminist?

Kate Moss: I'm an independent woman, yes.

Igor Mijalkovic, Yugoslavia/Ceri, London: What's the meaning of the heart tattoo on your hand?

Kate Moss: It's personal. It was when I was young and in love.

Zoe, Maidstone/Didi, Italy: Who advises you on your hair? Will you cut it short again?

Kate Moss: No, never again. I had to do it because I'd talked about it for years, but now I'm growing it long again.

Naomi Campbell, Location Unknown: Did you ever feel that I was over-protective? Did I ever nag you?

Kate Moss: You took me under your wing, but ocasionally, yes! You did!

Allan Martin, London/Alexandre de Bellefeuille, Montreal: You must have experienced just about everything in your career in fashion. How has your perception of the industry changed?

Kate Moss: I don't think it has, really. I don't really do the shows: that's really when you ssee the industry in its full glory. I work with people more on a one-to-one basis, and therefore see it less as an industry.

David Fahey, Greenwich Village: What's the most hurtful thing anyone in fashion has ever said to you?

Kate Moss: There's been quite a lot! Fashion people can be very bitchy, especially when you're young. People said 'if you don't take you're clothes off, I won't use you'. When you're young, you're put under a lot of pressure.

Oscar Arzamendi, Mexico City: Does your role in promoting companies that drive global capitalism worry you?

Kate Moss: I've got a lot to deal with, never mind taking on global capitalism.

Pao, Italy: Who are the 5 most powerful people in fashion industry?

Kate Moss: Anna Wintour, Mario Testino, Bernard Arnault, Tom Ford and in his day, Steven Miesel could make or break a girl

Nicolas Coleridge, Chairman of British Fashion Council, London/Emma, London: If you could only wear three designers for the rest of your life, which would they be?

Kate Moss: John Galliano Alexander McQueen Stella McCartney

Dylan Jones, Editor, GQ, London: What would you wear if we photographed you for the cover of GQ?

Kate Moss: Probably nothing, knowing GQ!

Tom Tesch, Vienna: You are clearly a woman with a strong sense of style. Would you ever consider becoming a fashion editor?

Kate Moss: I have thought about it. Maybe later. I do love clothes.

Daniel Mayer, Munich/Samantha, USA: How would you advise someone interested in pursuing a career in the fashion industry?

Kate Moss: Try and get into work experience with a designer or a magazine.

Craig McDean, New York: You've had so many lenses pointed at you that I hardly know what you're thinking anymore. What's it all about for you now? Do you know you're gorgeous?

Kate Moss: For me now, it's about going to work and creating something new and having fun.

David Bailey, London: Who are the five most attractive and sexy men and women that you've met?

Kate Moss: Jefferson, Daniel Day Lewis, Frank Sinatra (he was REALLY attractive), Emanuelle, Roman Polanski's, wife Marianne Faithfull

Rob W, Canada: Does fame make it more difficult to find love?

Kate Moss: Yes, definitely.

Edward Enninful, London: Which would you rather ride: a limo, a camel or a man?

Kate Moss: A man, of course! What are you like?

Michelle Duguid, : Corinne Day is on record as saying that after the controversy the 1993 Vogue shoot caused, you cut all ties with her. What was it like working with her again in 2000, after seven years had gone by?

Kate Moss: It was amazing. It was like a day hadn't passed. We had a great time.

Landon Bradley, Vancouver: Are Jake and Dinos Chapman misanthropes?

Kate Moss: No.

Alexander McQueen, London: Do you take it up the arse?

Kate Moss: Lee, you know! I'm not going to tell the whole world! We know you do...

Katy England, London: Is the Pope a Catholic?

Kate Moss: What about you, Katy?

Jenny Vagan, Paris: Does Marianne Faithful give you good advice?

Kate Moss: Yes, she does. We both give each other good advice, I think.

Simon Foxton, London: What do you find attractive about Jefferson?

Kate Moss: He is the sweetest man I've ever met. Definitely.

Ursula Young, Ullapool/kirsty, london: Has he proposed?

Kate Moss: No, he hasn't.

Paul Bastick, Hanover: Who will design your wedding dress?

Kate Moss: I can't imagine myself in a wedding dress. I have worn them on runways. I did Brides magazine when I was 15! But, I haven't thought about it.

Fiona Campbell, London: Just about every restaurant in London claims that you lunch there. Do you really eat in a different place every day?

Kate Moss: Yes, most days! No, I don't really. I work, I can't go to restaurants every day.

Terry Jones, Editor in Chief & Creative Director, i-D, London: Who first called you 'Kitty'?

Kate Moss: Edwina. (Edward Enninful)

Penny Martin, Editor, : Where did you learn to pole dance like you did on the Corinne Day documentary?

Kate Moss: I had lessons at Astral, that strip club. It was amazing exercise, we did it for toning as it was more fun than going to the gym. It is so hardcore: pulling your body up onto a pole.

Frieze Magazine, London: What's your favourite work of art featuring you?

Kate Moss: The Lucien Freud painting!

Jose Duran, Barcelona: What's your favourite porn film?

Kate Moss: I don't know any names!

Julien, Li?ge: Who's your favourite writer?

Kate Moss: F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Mario Sorrenti, New York: What is your favourite colour of knickers?

Kate Moss: Pink. I know what kind of knickers you like!

Ana de la Vega, Madrid: What's your favourite magazine?

Kate Moss: Another Magazine.

Meg Matthews, London: What's your favourite cheese?

Kate Moss: Brie, as you know very well, Meg.

Kode, toronto: Do you have a favorite web site ?

Kate Moss: No, I don't.

Rob W, Canada: What are your views on George Bush?

Kate Moss: He's frightening. I can't even look at him.

Kim Sion, Smile Management, London: Have you been down to Argos lately? Which is your favourite branch?

Kate Moss: Last time I went to Argos, it was in Croydon, down Surrey Street Market.

Jenny Vagan, Paris: Do you own a bible? Have you any spiritual convictions?

Kate Moss: Yes, I do own a bible, but I couldn't recite any of it for you.

Val Garland, London: What make-up product could you not live without?

Kate Moss: Black eye-liner. Always.

Corinne Day, London: I would imagine Kate would be such a great Mum... I can't wait to give Lila a cuddle! My question to Kate would be: 'how is day to day life with Lila?'

Kate Moss: She wears her bangles that you gave her every day. You've got to come over soon because she is so gorgeous.

Kate Currans, Philomath: What did you crave during your pregnancy?

Kate Moss: Japanese.

Lois Wang, Taiwan: How did you shrink back to your original size after giving birth so quickly?

Kate Moss: I worked out in Thailand a *bit* and watched what I ate a bit, but I didn't make an intensive effort.

Ian Murray, Manchester: Have you given up smoking?

Kate Moss: No.

Rosie, London/Sofia Kazulkina, USA: Where did the name Lila Grace for your baby daughter come from?

Kate Moss: I had a book and it was called 'Lila Says' and I just loved the name. Grace I really loved.

Pat Byrne, Tallaght: Who are Lila's godparents?

Kate Moss: I haven't decided completely.

Guillaume, Toulouse/Joris Eeckhout, Cork: Will motherhood mean you do less modelling?

Kate Moss: I won't be flying around and doing the shows, but I will still be working.

Eugene Souleiman, London: What is it like to have someone to care for other than yourself?

Kate Moss: It's the best feeling in the world.

Verity McIlveen, Senior Editor, WGSN, London: Hi Kate, Congratulations on the birth of lovely Lila. What's your favourite motto for life right now?

Kate Moss: I don't really have one!

Jelle, Brussels: Has the birth of your baby changed the way you look at other women?

Kate Moss: Yes, when you're a mother it definitely changes the way you feel about life in general.

Nic Mulvaney, London/Anna Parker, Essex/Wong Kar Wai, Hong Kong/ANNA, ESSEX: Would you be happy for your daughter to pursue a career in modelling?

Kate Moss: No, I wouldn't want her to be a model. I don't think it's the best industry really for young girls. Unless you're really strong, it can really fuck you up.

Hilary Semple, Utah: Do you worry about younger models taking your place on the catwalk?

Kate Moss: No. Good luck!

Ada, Bologna: What will you do after modelling?

Kate Moss: I don't know yet.

Phil Bicker, New York: Name three things you'd like to do that you haven't before.

Kate Moss: I'd like to jump out a plane I'd like to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef I'd like to sail around the islands in Tahiti with my family

Dylan Pharazyn, Auckland/Kristin, Location Unknown/Marian, Fashion UK, London/Joris Eeckhout, Cork/Dan Whittaker, Hackney/Elaine Cristina, Norway/Gavin, London/Justin Montag, NYC: After your collaborations with Bobby Gillespie and Primal Scream, do you have any ambitions to pursue a career in music? What other musicians would you like to work with?

Kate Moss: No, I only worked with Bobby because I've known him for years and I couldn't turn down the experience of being with him and the band in the studio. I love them.

Fran Cutler, London: What do you think you would you be doing now if you were not spotted in JFK airport by Sarah Doukas?

Kate Moss: Who knows.

Guido, London: How do you cope with being a housewife, a modern day icon and a mother? When you retire, will it be to Croydon?

Kate Moss: I'm coping very well at the moment, thank you! I'm not retiring in the near future and when I do, it definitely will not be to Croydon!

Liberty Ross, London: Which image would you like to be remembered for? Which would you most like to be forgotten?

Kate Moss: I like the Nick Knight cover I mentioned. That was a good moment. I'd like the Vogue pictures that they harped on about anorexia over to be forgotten.

Geth, Location Unknown/Landon Bradley, Vancouver/Richard, London/Robert W, Canada/Michael Chichi, San Francisco/Luke Rynderman, Sydney/Pao, Italy/Andrew Warwick, Derbyshire/Bjorn Larsen, Brooklyn: The above list of people all chatted you up / asked you for a date in various, often unrepeatable ways. Would you like to accept any of them?

Kate Moss: No. I'm happy with Jefferson right now!

Penny Martin: Question: Thank you for being so candid Kate, It's been a pleasure interviewing you. Where are you off to now?

Kate Moss: Going for dinner!

Vivienne Westwood (April,2004)

2006-06-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

Penny Martin, Editor in Chief,: Vivienne Westwood, we have invited you to be the seventh person in our series of live interviews with leading image-makers because over the past 35 years you have broken so many new territories in terms of what a fashion designer could be. In every case your taste, your intellect, your sexuality and your body are central to the brand and as such, are public property. Have you any need for escape from your public persona? What do you keep private?

Vivienne Westwood: I'm a fashion designer. The greatest thing about my job is that I get to wear really great clothes. I am the centre of my look in the way that Chanel was. It's easier for a woman to do that than a man, I am conscious of it. Through it, I can exploit my business. It is useful. I'm also aware that people are interested in me because of what I do. The important thing in my life is that I want to understand the world I live in. Although fashion is part of that, I exercise my brain in many other ways. In the course of my career, I'm constantly inundated with people asking me things. People are more concerned with my opinions than in looking at my clothes and there is a reason for that. I am a very small company, without access to large funds to support advertising and promotion. What happens is that I do have a respect from people that see that my clothes are real and not just hype. So, time has been on my side, I have a lot of credibility at this stage in my life. To answer the question, the honest truth is that I try to communicate what I think. So, I don't see myself as any sort of star or public property. If you feel that you have anything to say that might help, then you appreciate having the platform to say it.

Laura Mackness, London: You are pretty much a self-taught designer, do you feel that this has helped or hindered your career?

Vivienne Westwood: That's an interesting question. We live in an age where young people are flattered into believing that they can do anything that they want. It's not true and you have to have an aptitude for something. A talent for it. The general syndrome regarding education is that people are trained not to think: that thinking is dangerous. Nobody who's a sheep is ever going to be a fashion designer. The next important word is discipline. The only important discipline is self-discipline. There are some children that will never need to be self-disciplined, they do it for themselves. They discover it by applying themselves to something they are interested in. They do it themselves. An example would be a young girl learning to be a ballerina. A great teacher will know how to push that girl. They'll know what will interest her. She absolutely has to learn technique. Without technique, self-expression is impossible. So the more you can have somebody teach you, the better. The more you will know. But at the end of the day, you have to do it for yourself. A better example might be a gardener. You can read as many books about gardening as you like, but you have to do it yourself. To find a way yourself. The only place to find ideas is by looking at what people did in the past. It's the only way you can be original. You can't be original by just wanting to do something. nothing comes from a vacuum. You have to find it from somewhere.

Imbina Bianjovellio, London/Mark Raidpere, Estonia/Alin, Israel/John A Leslie, Ventura CA/Geert Neefs, Belgium/Pablo Gimenez Zapiola, Houston Texas/Dario Rumbo, Barcelona/Cristina, Florida/Diana Keough, Brisbane/Gil, London: What have been your main inspirations, throughout the years and in the present day?

Vivienne Westwood: This is the question I am asked all the time. The second question I am asked -following right after that one- is 'what are you doing next'? The last thing I am interested in is keeping up with the times. Just like the two journalists that ask those two questions, they are so busy trying to keep up with the times that they miss everything that's in front of them. So, I can't give any specific answer to this. There are all kinds of things you notice and realise that you can translate into something new. I always make my students copy things first because you have to fall in love with things. You have to imagine, for example, Queen Elizabeth. You are used to seeing a painting of her that is very formalised. But imagine if you were a rich person that was travelling along mud roads, in danger of being molested by highwaymen, on your way to see her. Finally, you are allowed into an audience with her. She would be so glittering, so white, she would look like a being from another planet. Imagine what that would look like. I have interpreted her in ways that don't look at all like the way I have just described. A classic example was where I reinterpreted an eighteenth century corset. It was so light - those panniers - like a flower. This is a much nearer example where I have taken something from the past and made it ready-to-wear for today. Usually, you don't see the source of my translation. It has been transformed into something else by the time I present it. I think the real powerhouse of why you want to continue is that you want to continually surprise yourself. My clothes get more 'free', the more and more I continue. The technique becomes so automatic. You can practically do whatever you want by the time you get to that stage.

Fiona Wylie, Leeds: What impact has the V&A and the Wallace Collection had on your inspirational collections?

Vivienne Westwood: The first thing to say is that the Wallace Collection is the best school in the whole country. There is more to learn from there, in that small building, than anywhere. The most interesting part of the collection are the eighteenth century painting, furniture, clocks collected by the 3rd Marquis of Hertford in the middle of the nineteenth century when nobody wanted it and it was cheap. The kind of things the French revolutionaries threw out of the windows and burnt in the courtyards. My husband, Andreas, told me when he was studying the French Revolution at school that he cried not about the people having their heads chopped off but at the destruction of all the beautiful things. Nobody who lives in the world today could paint one flower on the service porcelain in that collection. All those crafts have gone. I've mostly used the V&A for its costume and fabric prints. William Morris and the Pre Raphaelites are anathema to me, but there are nevertheless many wonderful things in the V&A collection.

Rosalind Savill, Director of The Wallace Collection, London: What is it about the art of Francois Boucher and the [Rococo] that captures your imagination?

Vivienne Westwood: My favourite painter is Titian and Velasquez and also Vermeer. I particularly love 17th century Dutch painting. The laughing cavalier, he's marvellous. What I visit the Wallace for in particular is that, the 17th century. But then you have the three eighteenth century geniuses: Watteau, Boucher and Fragonard. All three of them, they say so much of that age. These decorative, pretty, pretty things, it was so easy for Boucher. Watteau, those Comedia Del'Arte, they have wonderful things in there. There are two fantastic Bouchers as you come up the stairs, one is Apollo about to get into his chariot, surrounded by all the nymphs as he rises from the ocean. It's absolutely fantastic. Boucher is really sentimental, but you can't call him kitsch because he has such incredible facility. Playful but cynical somehow. He comes from an age that was very convenient for painters, all that mythology was part of a way of communicating in those days. Aert Van De Neer: he's famous for his paintings in moonshine, all these paintings of canals, you feel cold when you look at them. The other side of that is being able to go to a cosy home: you get both sides. To look at a painting is to enter a world. I love that Eighteenth century version of the pagan world. It's an absolute delight.

Simon Foxton, Stylist, London: I have read in past interviews that you feel that the British have no culture. Yet we are obviously a nation with a rich history of style and your use of that heritage in your work is testament to this. What do you mean by 'culture'?

Vivienne Westwood: When I talk of culture, I'm talking of something very high. I'm not using it in its anthropological sense, to indicate the difference between societies. I'm Eurocentric. That is, European culture is the only one that interests me, except for the Chinese. Regarding European culture, this began in the Renaissance when people re-discovered sceptical pagan thinking and ideas. The Renaissance migrated to the rest of Europe. It cam to England at the time of the Tudors and its finest flower was Shakespeare. There was so much happening: Elizabeth insisted - those courtiers would not be allowed at court if they didn't patronise art and culture. That's why you had such wonderful theatre. 'Lord so-and-so's men'. Culture has to be paid for by people that know what they're doing. (We recognise this today. But it's very doubtful that groups of businessmen have any taste so they throw their money away on rubbish.) This period of high culture finished probably by the time of the death of Queen Anne (1818). It was replaced by the industrial revolution. It continued in France up until the revolution. I can't think of any event in history that did more damage than the French revolution. Not only to culture, but also to society. Yes, I am English. It's in my bones. (Very unpatriotic and interested in French culture because although the revolution smashed so much, but nevertheless the French still had ideas up until the First World War). I consider the twentieth century a mistake - it had no ideas at all. Anywhere. -Everywhere has become Americanised. Have the English got style? I don't know. I don't look to the streets for inspiration, that's for sure. I'd like to mention England's greatest painter, Gainsborough, he's up on the Pantheon. The other one was Hogarth.

Ian Rickson, Director of the Royal Court Theatre, London: Do you feel constrained or liberated by notions of Englishness?

Vivienne Westwood: I think that theatre is incredibly important. It's very well known that in any repressive regime, the first thing they do is close the theatres. I don't think that anyone can understand the world we live in unless they read Huxley and Bertrand Russell. They had ideas that came from previous traditions. I think modern theatre is far too much on the same level as being in the taxi, where the taxi-driver says they're writing a novel. As if daily life is something that everyone should have a chance to communicate their version of. Everybody's got a novel in them, but nobody's reading. They should be reading for ideas, not the current rubbish. Huxley and Russell, what they were saying is more applicable today than when they were writing it. it's absolutely vital. The one time I met Gore Vidal, he said to me that the Nobel Prize should be given to readers not writers. Sorry, I know this answer's a bit of a jumble, but I'm just saying that if people read more, we'd have better literature and theatre. So, I certainly being British, would like to promote two of the greatest thinkers who one should read.

Ricardo, London / Gemma O'Brien, London: You once stated 'We need to allow a degree of anarchy to avoid stagnation'. Do you still hold this view with relation to contemporary culture?

Vivienne Westwood: What you are referring to is the monograph by John Stuart Mill 'On Liberty'. He's certainly not the only one who has tried to deal with this subject: how free the individual can be in society. It seems to be that liberty is reduced in direct relation to that in which organisation increases. In fact, one of my bibles is a book by Russell called 'Freedom and Organisation'. It may have been at one time 'Freedom versus Organisation' its subtitle is '1818-1918', as if putting boundaries on the nineteenth century, the more organisation increases, the less freedom exists. To get back to Mill, he finishes On Liberty with a paragraph that says that for whatever reason, governments, in order to rule more easily, dwarf the intelligence of people. They will find that with dwarfed intelligence, it's not possible to do very much. So, unless governments are willing to function in an environment that allow people to think, we won't have ideas. This is why in the past, the French governments have had people smashing the windows on the Champs Elysees, because they allow their people to think, unlike the British public school system. Anarchy is dangerous of course, although I am not an anarchist. It does not mean to say that I believe in any sort of anarchist government. Individual liberty does involve anarchy - governments have to allow a certain amount, otherwise people don't think. The answer lies in education. We're being trained up as a bunch of consumers rather than thinkers.

Mariechen, Berlin / Kate Shipman, London / Ryan Bissoon, Toronto: What part if any, does music play in your creative process?

Vivienne Westwood: None. I listen to music rarely, when I'm at home because I'm always reading. But, I do go to concerts. That doesn't mean to say that I like all classical music. For example, I don't like the German romantics, including Beethoven. There again, my taste in music is French. By French, I mean Bach, Mozart, Chopin, of course all the great French ones, particularly Debussy and Ravel. Again, add in the Russians, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, [Prokofiev] and I like Shostakovich. I include all those as French to me, because they started at a time in Europe when culture was French. It included right up the First World War, so I include all that as French culture. Pagan sceptical.

Archie Bourtos, Australia / John de Boer, New York City: How did your original shops work economically?

Vivienne Westwood: My shop at 430 Kings Rd, World's End, it's a very famous shop because before I had it, some of the great fashion ideas had already happened there. What it meant for me was that I always had direct access to the public, right from the beginning of designing clothes. Although my company grew, it grew in the same way. I was always able to test my ideas by selling them direct. My company has the same identity today. I've never had businessmen telling me what to do. Having that outlet, my shop was very important to me. For example, I never had a sale in that shop. The ideas where strong, but there weren't so many of them. For example, if I had one or two great pairs of trousers, I didn't need ten in those days. We did start by making a lot of money. But this didn't continue because soon after I had a manager who stole for many, many years. After I discovered it, my business started to grow. So, it was a good idea having a shop for me. I really don't know how difficult it would work today: to have it and sell great ideas. What it did for me was that it gave me a way to work where I wasn't under pressure, where I could develop my ideas and technique.

David Barnett, Music Biographer, London: How do you feel now about the use of the Swastika on the original 'Destroy' muslin? I notice it's one of the few 'Seditionaries' designs that haven't been re-printed from time to time, to be worn by celebrity fashionistas.

Vivienne Westwood: I recently read the book 'IBM and the Holocaust' by Edwin Black. He had more than 100 people working for him voluntary over a period of time, they amassed all this information. His book is a [compilation] of this research regarding the activity of international business machines, from the rise of Hitler until right through the war. What it amounts to is a chilling indictment of the lengths that business will go to, to make a profit. Their proto-computers (punch card system) enabled Hitler to identify, first ghettoise and then transport the Jewish people to their deaths. Some of the machines were necessary in the concentration camps themselves, maintained by IBM staff. These particular profits were in direct relation to the number of people gassed, certainly uncomfortable reading. It was Malcolm's idea to add the swastika and he's half Jewish. It was added particularly for our Destroy T-shirt, with a great swastika, the Queen's head and Jesus on the cross, upside down. We hated the older generation and it wasn't young people, but old people we felt were responsible for the mismanagement and cruelty in the world still going on. It didn't stop when Hitler killed himself. To us, it was a way of saying to the older generation 'we don't accept your values or your taboos'. Really throwing it in their face: 'we are what you are'. The key word there to me is 'destroy'. What I realised from my experience of punk rock was that the idea of destroying something doesn't mean anything. not only that, it might even be harmful. I don't believe in this destroy any more. I believe in ideas (the secret is education). The world could change. What I learnt from punk rock was that you don't change the establishment by attacking it. In the case of punk, it's just an idea that could be marketed. Punk was a marketable commodity. At the same time was the pretence that we have free expression. I did not want to be a token rebel. I just went faster. You need ideas.

James Cuno, Director of the Courtauld Institute of Art, London: Is fashion (and dress), inherently theatrical, if only for the street?

Vivienne Westwood: I definitely think that fashion is theatrical. I think it's a way of expressing your character. Beau Brummell certainly thought so, he went through all those neck-ties to express his spirit. I think that auto-irony is supremely elegant. You've only got to think of cross-dressing - e.g. women wearing tailored suits- to see how clothes help you to play a role, to see that clothes have the effect of giving you a role. Of course, people choose clothes because they want to be important. This is how they want to express themselves, and not always in the same way. They might want to change the next day. They are certainly about attracting the kind of people that you want to attract, therefore they are helping you project what you want. My fashion shows are extremely theatrical sometimes. The models, they can't help it, they behave according to the clothes. Theatre is a projection of a world and it seems that with our clothes, we wish to be a character in the kind of world we're looking for.

Nick Knight, London: Do you think fashion is a prediction of a yet un-experienced common desire, or the creation of one?

Vivienne Westwood: I've always said that a good idea is a perfect surprise. People didn't know they wanted it because it didn't exist. When they see it, it's just what they want. For example, I did know that this would happen when I did this corset, because people hadn't seen the d�colletage for two hundred years. When I see a fashion show, I am surprised. The phrase that is always in my mind is 'never before seen'. When I see it on the catwalk, I am shocked, because I never expected it to be what it is. it never is what I expect. It's always gone beyond that. We have fittings and we try the clothes on. But a lot of it is put together at the last moment. There's always a sort of gap between what I've done and what I see: I know the cutting process that produced that effect and I know the effects of the fabrics. All the things you need to know. But when I see it, what really surprises me is how free it is: it has a life of its own, and how it appears to me as a new creation. There is a sort of doubt in my mind; 'did I do that?'. At this point, I have created something that didn't exist before and hopefully, it will fulfil a common desire. But these things don't come from a vacuum, they come from somewhere. Where is that somewhere? From the past and from a translation from the past to the present, which is also a projection into a future-possible world. It's in the nature of fashion that it must change, quickly, once we've got used to something, Fashion sometimes goes away from something, or it fills a gap where something is missing. This is why you sometimes get more than one designer coming up with something similar. All fashion designers go back in history look to the past. Most of them haven't been back beyond the 60s, but now we hear it's the 50s. I don't think there are any vague longings, but it's not really quite possible to say whether you are realising what people are after or whether you create a desire. Nevertheless, the result is that thing that a designer does and I essentially think you do it from an understanding of the world in which you live. It's important to see the world from other perspectives.

Naomi Campbell, London: Why did you continue to give me your special blockbuster shoes after I fell down the first time, was it that you had faith in me?

Vivienne Westwood: I wanted you to do it again because we had two more shows to do, but I would never have tried to persuade you if I had thought you really didn't want to. I thought you would want to because you looked so beautiful. You just looked so incredible in them. You know, Naomi, I think you're the Aphrodite of the modern world and the walk of century, this and the last. Remember, we gave you a stick, which you nobly accepted and then held it, and then flourished it a chest-height, demonstrating that you did not need it. The fall was spectacular. Your fall was better than an animal that's just been killed, because although it was physically natural, it was also artificial. Civilisation is artificial, not natural. Fashion is part of civilisation. What I have faith in is your heroic pride.

Joseph Corre, London: What made you become involved in the campaign to free Leonard Peltier?

Vivienne Westwood: Leonard Peltier has been in jail for 28 years for a crime he did not commit. The federal authorities of the American government have admitted on record that he was convicted on their false evidence. They admit that they have no case against him. His case is nevertheless a very emotional one because he is an American Indian convicted (wrongly) of killing two FBI agents. But I'm not fighting his cause as an Indian, though he is a political activist, fighting for his people, who has just been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. I am fighting for justice before the law for any man or woman. The law should be a protection, not a weapon against human rights. Leonard's case is such a clear issue, his innocence is on record, yet justice is denied him. At the denials of his appeals, the arrogant contempt for justice and public opinion has been unbelievable. Freedom before the law is our most basic freedom. In fighting for Leonard, that's what we fight for.

Victoria Bartlett of VPL (Sept,2005)

2006-06-23T22:28:00.000-07:00

What inspired your Spring 2006 collection?

Hard body.

What music are you using for your show?

Music based around sweat.

What Fashion Week parties are you most excited about?

Haven't thought about it.

Why do you think New York is the fashion capital of the world?

Paris is the creative capital of fashion, New York is the eclectic fashion ensemble.

What's the most amazing fashion show you've ever attended?

Alexander McQueen's "They Shoot Horses Don't They" show.

When you were younger, was there one, pivotal "moment" that led you to a career in fashion?

A romance at our foundation.

What's your ultimate dream location for a fashion show? Where, how, when and why?

On board a plane an airline donated to put on the event. Why? It becomes international that way. It would be perfect in transit to Europe for the shows.

What movie do you think has the best fashion?

The Color of Pomegranate

What are you wearing right now? Please include fragrance, if applicable.

A VPL red SS04 Constriction T and Undies and a suntan.

Alexandre Herchcovitch (Sept, 2005)

2006-06-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

What inspired your Spring 2006 collection?

The freedom movements of the late '60s and '70s.

What music are you using for your show?

Animal Collective

What Fashion Week parties are you most excited about?

No excitement about that!

Why do you think New York is the fashion capital of the world?

Everything happens there!

What's the most amazing fashion show you've ever attended?

Vivienne Westwood, "Les Cocotes Stop the Traffic" collection of 1994-5.

When you were younger, was there one, pivotal "moment" that led you to a career in fashion?

The first dress I made for my mother in 1987.

What are you wearing right now? Please include fragrance, if applicable.

A Canada burgundy and off-white Olympics T-Shirt, Carhartt dark gray sweatshirt, Gap dark gray trousers, Nike sneakers, Nike socks, Calvin Klein underwear and a Codelane's gold baseball hat.

Channing Tatum (May 2003)

2006-06-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

Straight out of the croc-infested bayous of the mighty Mississippi, Channing Tatum roared onto the world's television screens this spring in a fiery-hot new TV spot from Mountain Dew called "Drive."
...............................
If you missed the Mountain Dew commercial, you may remember Channing Tatum as one of Tear Sheet Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful faces (October 2001), or even as the kid with the platinum Mohawk in Ricky Martin's video "She Bangs." But regardless, in less than two years he's been featured in campaigns for Nautica, Abercrombie & Fitch, Emporio Armani, Gap, Aeropostale and American Eagle, in addition to television commercials for Pepsi, Mountain Dew and American Eagle, and the sequel to his first 'Dew' spot hits this summer. First movie? He's already signed.

Channing has been photographed by Wes Bell, Todd Oldham, Tom Munro, Tony Duran, Richard Phibbs, Mikael Jannsen, Bruce Weber, Arnaldo Anaya Lucca, Dewey Nicks, Walter Chin, Rudy Martinez, Pamela Hanson and Randall Mesdon, for Vogue, Flaunt, Gentlemen's Options, Spoon, Empire Magazine, Out, Contents, l'Uomo Vogue and Citizen K magazines. He's achieved belted status in Kung Fu and Gor-Chor Kung Fu, and has years of experience practicing the ancient art of Wah-lum and Capoeira, the Brazilian dance/martial artform.

Born on April 26 and just turned twenty-two years of age, he stands 6' 1-1/2" tall, and is a true Tauran — "kind of animalistic," as he later confides. Part native American, part Irish and part French, he has all the pride, charm and passion that ancestry implies. What's clear is that he's going places, fast. But it all began where he was born, in a tiny little town just outside of Montgomery, Alabama, called Culman.

"I left Alabama when I was very young," Channing says as he sits down to chat. "But all my mom's family is there and we still have land, so I go back just about every summer. It's been a little bit more difficult the past two years just because I've been so busy."

Do you still have childhood memories?

From where my grandmother Nana and my Papa used to live. I loved my Nana and my Papa. They were my roots. Every summer my folks sent me off to the country to stay with them, hoping to keep me out of trouble. And you know grandparents are so real they don't even know how to be fake. They never bother saying what you want to hear, they just say "this is the way it is." I'd get up to something and they would just look at me and shake their heads and say: "Oh Channing ..."

You said you left Alabama at an early age?

When I was six we moved to Mississippi. We lived on the bayou actually, right on the Mississippi River, and that's where a lot of my early memories come from.

What was it like?

All the rattlesnakes and alligators a boy could possibly chase, fishing every day, Pop Warner football league, stuff like that. It was one of those kinds of settings. I'm not a country bumpkin hillbilly, but I do love the outdoors, totally.

Did you play any sports in school?

I played everything — football, soccer, track, baseball. I was always pretty athletic and my dad tried to keep me busy doing marshal arts and sports so I wouldn't get into trouble.

Staying out of trouble is already a recurring theme and we haven't got past the age of nine...

(laughs) Exactly, I had a lot of energy. I was bouncing off the walls. They had to do something with me. No more than your usual kid though — running, scuffing knees, getting in fights. I wasn't into stealing cars or anything. I was just very easily distracted. If there was a cute girl on the far side of the class, I'd be flirting with her every time. Girls were always my biggest distraction in school.

When did you start doing martial arts?

When I was six. At that age I don't think I even realized what it takes. They throw these kids in a ring and they're kicking each other's brains out. It took a lot of guts. You know, "Oh God, I can't lose, Dad's watching." But even after I left Mississippi I returned every few weeks to test for another belt. I loved it, the tournaments, the fighting ...

Why?

I don't know. The focus, the determination, the adrenaline — all those very basic emotions, I just loved them. Before, I'd always been involved in team sports. But this was something I could do that was just me. It was completely up to me to be however great I wanted to be.

And it kept you out of trouble?

I was trying to, trying to stay out of trouble ... (laughs). Things got a little bit rocky for a while when I started ninth grade though, so dad sent me to a military school. They had a good football team so I was fine with it, and it really did straighten up my act. I got with this really good girl that helped me a lot with school and with trying to be good ... (both of us are laughing as the sentence peters out)

What was your goal as you approached graduation?

From the start it was always football. That's all I worked for. From the time of my very first year playing football in the Police Athletic leagues, that's all I wanted to do, play ball. The only reason I wanted to graduate high school was to get a scholarship and play football.

Why did you love it so much?

Probably because my dad played college ball. It was a 'following in my dad's footsteps' sort of thing. It was one of the ways we related to each other. We'd butt heads now and then, but as soon as football season came around, we'd be back on track. That would always be our thing to keep us sane and together.

You won an athletic scholarship?

Yes. To a school in West Virginia, but I found out it wasn't what I wanted. There was no fun in it. Football at that level can still be fun and all, but it's a job. You're working all the time to keep that scholarship. You're working, doing two-a-days, three-a- days.

What's that, a two-a-day?

It means two football practices a day. A typical day is you wake up at 6am and you've got to be on the field by 7:30 am. You practice for three hours, then you have football study groups in a classroom for an hour, then you hit the weight room, then you have lunch, then you have another 3 hour practice, then you have school one more time at night, and then you're allowed to sleep for six hours. But all the work wasn't the bad thing, it just wasn't fun any more.

Sounds like the coach didn't inspire you.

Not at all. The coach that recruited me left before I got there, so I got stuck with a coach that had nothing invested. There was no bond at all. The other thing that was different was that I couldn't really play for my parents anymore because it was too far for them to drive up to the games. Anyway, I wasn't happy, and when I get unhappy I start fighting, and I ended up getting into a lot of fights. So I decided just to hang it up. It was definitely not what I wanted to do for the next four years.

That must have been a low point for you?.

Absolutely, because I didn't know what I wanted to do. So I went back home.

You mentioned that when you were little, back in that martial arts ring, that the pride of your parents meant a great deal to you. What was their reaction?

They just told me to come home if I wanted to, but they weren't too excited. They were used to being able to brag about me, so yes, it sucked. I definitely felt I'd let them down. If it wasn't for my mom, I just would not be here today. Not just the physical part of bringing me into this world, but she got me through everything. A lot of the bad stuff I don't really want to go into? She totally saved my life. She was the cornerstone. She got me through it no matter how bad it got.

Because she always believed in you?

Yes. She would never let me give up. Her word was relentless. Whenever I wanted to give up, she got me through it. When you're young, you always think you have it so terrible. But I look back on it all now and I realize how bad I didn't have it. I am who I am because of the way they raised me, and I'm so happy for it. I've really tried to take all the good things from everyone in my life and hold onto them.

So what did you do?

Well, I got a job with this puppy/kitty nursery, I worked in construction - framing houses, I worked as a mortgage broker, I got a job at the cologne counter of Dillard's and then at this edgy little raver clothing store.

Was that the scene you identified with?

Yes, I was really part of the raver club-kid thing, right from the time I was sixteen. That's still who I get along with best.

Is there anything in your life that takes you away from competition?

Dancing. I don't really like to compete with it now? But I used to be this really freakin' battle kid. I used to love going into clubs, whatever and getting into a breaking circle.

When did you get into it?

I was about sixteen and I was living with my sister for a while, and her friends would get me in. The clubs down in Florida are kind of lax, they're a little more grimy and a little grittier. But I got into the clubs and I saw this crowd of people going nuts over these kids flipping and spinning on their heads, and I was like: "What? I want to do that." Oh yeah.

Was it the physical challenge or did you want the attention?

It's not the attention, because I don't even really like to be looked at. At first it was the adrenaline, getting out there and performing, and there's another guy across from you that you're competing with. And you develop your friends that are your crew and you've got people who are coming into your club from the outside, and then you're going nuts and you're kind of like battling.

But I don't go in circles anymore. When I go out to dance now I go into the corner of a club and just kill it. It's so much more fun when you're not there thinking "Oh my God, who's looking at me?" When I was younger I definitely did it for the attention but now I do it for me. Like I'll go into the aerobics room of my gym and kill it for a couple of hours. I love it.

What is it you love about dancing?

It's more like a really cool body thing. The only other time I've felt it has been acting. Like, you feel this rhythm, or this beat or this lyric that means something to you. Or it doesn't even have to mean anything, you just relate to it somehow, it makes you want to move. The people who like to dance, they like the way their body moves because that's what's intimate to them. Moving their arm a certain way, that feels good to them. So the next thing you know, you're spinning around in circles and you're not even aware of what you look like, you're just kind of going with it.

I really get inspired by songs. Like, if I hear a thug "Want to kill ya" song, I'm ready to go out and get crazy. Or if you hear this really sexual, sensual slow song, I want to go have sex. I'm very animalistic when it comes to stuff like that. Very basic emotions. I don't know if I'm very complicated at all. I wish I was. I wish I was one of these deep, intricate people. But I just love having fun really.

Is that feeling of losing yourself in the music when you're dancing the same as it is for an athlete hitting their zone?

I guess they could be related. Anything physical, you're doing it, and then ... let's say you're playing football and you just get handed the ball and you're running. Sometimes everything just goes quiet, and the next thing you know, you're flying. You're just dipping and running and ... that's when the amazing things happen, when everything just focuses in for two seconds. Then it's over and you're just like "Yes! That was hot!" The excitement comes afterwards, when you realize what you've just done.

How did you get the Ricky Martin video?

I got into the Orlando casting through a friend's agency. There were about one hundred people in the room and they were playing "She bangs." They auditioned people in groups of three, so you kind of tried to dance with each other.

Did you think you'd get it?

I didn't expect to hear anything because I knew they'd alreeady done a casting in Miami and I was pretty sure they'd get all the dancers they needed there. And they did, except me — I was the only dancer they took from Orlando.

How much did you get paid?

I was so excited. I was just an extra, but they offered to pay me $400 and fly me to Atlanta, so I thought "Shit! I want to go to Atlanta." And it was crazy. Seven days and I don't think I slept once. It was so beautiful. Ridiculous. I think there were four guys and probably thirty girls. We never slept, we didn't sleep at all. We just partied the whole time. The only time we actually did sleep was when we went to costume, waiting to get dressed and made up and everything.

How many people on the crew.

I'm not sure but it was a huge set and the biggest production I've ever been part of. The whole thing was enormous. I had this platinum hair and a big Mohawk with these crazy spikes. Now as far as the pay was concerned, I realized being a dancer in videos wasn't for me. But I'd always wanted to be on an MTV video, and I'd done it, so I was like: "Cool! Done. Check that. What's next?"

So what did you do?

One of the dancers I met on the set got me a job as a choreographer with this little hip-hop dance group down in Miami.

Does it seem at all incongruous to you, Channing, that you're this football star doing dance choreography? I think it's so cool you have both sides going on, but don't you find it just a little jarring?

If I was doing ballet I could see it more, but yes, I have changed tremendously since I got out of high school. By leaps and bounds. (laughs)

What finally got you into modeling?

Another girl I knew was down in Miami doing some modeling and really wanted me to meet with some agencies. At the time I was still getting over the platinum hair from "She Bangs," so I looked like this little club kid, which is what I was, and I thought she was nuts. I didn't think of myself as a model at all.

ou mean you thought it was phony?

No, more like I'm not pretty. The truth is I didn't think I could be a model at all. I was looking at some of the guys on the walls at Irene Marie and I thought to myself "Jesus Christ. I can't do this. I don't look anything like these guys." But Paige Parkes represented actors too, and that was one of the things I thought I could really do, far more than modeling.

It's fascinating, Channing, there are so many twists and turns here -- martial arts black belt, high school football star, dancer, choreographer, actor ...

Acting has always interested me. You get to play all these different roles and I've always had a vivid imagination. I even had an invisible friend for years. I love games, I love role-playing — cowboys and Indians sort of thing. And I always loved movies: 'Goonies' was my all-time favorite movie! (laughs) ... that's what I wanted to be ... 'The Lost Boys,' 'Stand By Me.' all those movies I grew up with as a kid. I just knew I wanted to play those adventure roles out on TV.

So you signed with Paige Parkes?

I really liked them. They took the time to explain everything to me. They asked me what my goals were, what kinds of work I was interested in, and they told me what was involved and what I'd have to do if I was serious. So I moved to Miami, this is about two years ago, and I was down there for six months doing tests and stuff.

Were you worried about doing well?

I tried to prepare myself in advance and once I got there I asked my agent a lot of questions — "What makes a good model? Is it body? Is it face?" They'd tell me "It's modeling." And I didn't understand what that meant, 'modeling,' being comfortable in front of the camera.

What happened those first months?

In the beginning I didn't do very well. I did these little editorials, but no one knew what to do with me in Miami.

Why?

I was too edgy. I had this shaved head and I kind of looked like a skinhead or a thug. I couldn't do catalogue all that well, and that's all there is in Miami really. But then I did this fashion show for Danny Santiago in Miami. Danny was the one who really kick-started my career. He helped me get an editorial shoot with Greg Lotus for Spoon Magazine. It didn't run, but I still think to this day that they were some of my best pictures — pictures worth taking to New York, which is what I needed.

What was Greg Lotus like to work with?

He was awesome. I just love him. He's so interesting to work with. He's the kind of photographer that likes taking the picture. He likes you to be very still ... you just give it to him with the eyes. No running and jumping, more like portraits.

Then, Danny (Santiago) showed the Greg Lotus pictures to Tony Duran, and Tony wanted to shoot me for an editorial in Gentlemen's Options, so I got to fly up to New York. I was so amped. As soon as I got off the plane I was like: "This is it. This is where I want to be!" The fast pace, everything. And you actually get appointments here. For my look, Miami was a great place to get a book started, but not so much for work.

When did you first shoot with Bruce Weber?

It was for an editorial in Vogue, my very first published editorial in fact. It was a two-day shoot with all these amazing girls and Joel (McMillan) and here I was, this no-name kid, just trying to get into the picture somehow.

Shooting with Bruce Weber is like a right of passage. What was it like working with him?

First of all, I love Bruce. I really, really love him. He gets a bad rap. It wasn't scary at all. In fact, he's the one who really taught me how to model. I went to his house and he started taking Polaroids, so I started doing my whole "Blue Steel," "Magnum" shit, and he just looked at me and asked "What are you doing?"

He taught me a lot about being a model and about just being myself. He told me to stop and just relax, and showed me how to chill and be as natural as possible, that whole James Dean kind of 'let it go,' you know? Just learn to let it go.

So you have the distinction of shooting Vogue with Bruce Weber before shooting A&F?

Yup. And as a matter of fact, I'm still kind of offended. Bruce never asked me to get naked once. (laughs) I really noticed it at the A&F shoot — they never asked me to get naked and I was wondering "what's wrong with me? I mean what am I? Chopped liver?" (laughs)

To be honest though, I still don't think I fit into the Abercrombie category. You'll see in the pictures how everyone looks a certain way and then there's this bald ghetto kid in the corner.

I wasn't very big at the time and Bruce likes 'em just bulging, really, really in shape. So I was just the team mascot. I had to stand on the sidelines and watch while these guys got to put on pads and go out and hit. I was watching them just panting (he pantomimes) to get out on that field and play some ball. I was so pissed off. I was thinking to myself "you've got to be fucking kidding me."

I was so upset man. I wanted to get out there and crack heads so bad. It offended me. I should have been the one on that field. I mean, Who wouldn't want to use me? They don't have to love me, I just want them to use me. (laughs) It was pretty funny. As you can tell, I'm very, very competitive. I don't like losing, at all. That would be my biggest thing. I love competition.

How did you like shooting with Rudy Martinez?

I loved it.

All the guys rave about him. He and Tony actually. They are mentioned as favorites time and again.

Every photographer is different. I tried to be with Rudy (Martinez) the way I was with Bruce? No sir. (shaking his head) Now someone like Bruce, he wants you to literally just stand there and he's the one that takes the beautiful picture.

But Rudy likes you to work it, to keep moving — to stay with whatever attitude he's given you, something like "that tough, come-and-get-me-but-if-you-touch-me-I'm-gonna-kill-ya" sort of look? I think that's verbatim what he said to me. He said that's what I want: "Come get it, but if you touch me I'll fuck you up." That's exactly what he said to me. (laughs)

I love the way he shoots. It was my very first New York test, an editorial for Empire Magazine and I still have it in my book — gym scenes, a shower, naked basically, but I like taking beautiful pictures.

What about Walter Chin?

I worked with him on a shoot for l'Uomo Vogue. He pulled up in this amazing sports car. He got out of the car, an assistant handed him a camera and he just started shooting. He was totally amazing.

Have they sent you to Milan?

The first time I went to Europe was summer 2001. The plan was to spend about two and a half weeks in Milan and then a month in Paris. I'd always wanted to go over, so I was really psyched.

Everyone talks about how difficult Milan is their first year. What are you dealing with? The heat?

It gets so hot there in the summer, and you're packed into these crowded hallways.

Too many guys at every casting?

That's an understatement. 75 to 100 guys are lined up in front of you no matter where you go.

You've got Team Brazil cutting the line?

Yes, I don't know why they get away with it, but it's not worth fighting over.

A little impersonal?

Every client has a certain look they're going for, whether it's long hair, short hair, skinny, built, London look, scruffy look, clean-cut. So you stand in line for hours to do five castings, and then they don't even bother to take a Polaroid of you.

How long does it take to do those five castings?

It can take you all day, especially when you don't know where you're going. So you really start to question what you're doing there.

Does your agency give you anything to live on?

Nothing. Sometimes they'll front the hotel cost, but you end up paying for it out of your fees anyway.

What else do you have to overcome?

Not being able to get food. Store hours are really limited there. You're tied up in lines all day, and then when you want to get something to eat at eight o'clock at night, you are shit out of luck. There is nothing you can do about it except pray to God that your hotel has something in the mini-bar or you will die. And there are no gyms ...

I remember David Fumero talked about lifting boulders in a park to stay in shape.

It's just the whole vibe. You're all alone, you miss home but you can't call because it's so expensive.

And I guess this is the first time away from home for a lot of the guys?

Exactly. You learn to survive by asking as many questions as possible. I was pretty burned out by the time I finished up in Paris, but the clients that booked me that first year still book me today. After that I just spent four months traveling. I went to Spain, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia ... no one knew where I was.

So you kind of checked out for a while?

Yes. In the meantime Metro Models, my old agency closed, so I had to track Jason (Kanner, director of Major Models) down at Major when I got back. He told me to come back and he'd get something going for me.

How did you first connect with Jason?

I met with him the very first day I arrived in New York for the shoot with Tony Duran. Jason arranged the meeting. It turned out that in one day he'd heard my name from Greg Lotus, Al David, someone at Bloomingdales and then from Tony Duran, all in that same day. So he called my Miami agency and arranged to meet me. He was totally positive and promised to back me 100% and he already had six appointments for me. I really couldn't believe my luck. I was like: "This is great, this is just awesome."

Jason is my manager too. There's no one I'd trust my career with more. He is a total confidante. And he always has words of wisdom when I'm going through a tough time. He's like the quintessential big brother — that scolding, constructive criticism that's really tough on you, the sort of guy that won't take any shit. That's what I need.

So he's made a big difference?

I am where I am because of him. You've got to have a very good relationship with your agent — a personal relationship. But don't get it screwed up to the point that he can't tell you the bottom line about what's really going on.

So how did you get the Mountain Dew Commercial?

First I auditioned for this Pepsi commercial. It was called "Scratch" and it was directed by Tarsem Singh, the guy who directed "The Cell," and it featured a DJ. Every DJ in New York was up for that audition and they had records with them, mixers, everything. They were really tearing it up and I didn't have anything. I had to borrow a record from one of the DJs. But I went up there and tried to look like I was really killing it. The other guys were saying "You sure can't scratch for shit, but you can dance" and they were laughing, man. (laughs). I was spinning on my back, scratching with my elbow, just dumb stuff. Afterwards I told Jason it was pretty bad, but a month later I got the commercial.

And that lead to the Mountain Dew ad?

After "Scratch" for Pepsi was released they asked me fly out to LA to audition for Mountain Dew. I was a little intimidated — the casting was full of people I recognized from TV shows and I'd never even taken an acting class. But finally they called me in, gave me some direction, and I just did it exactly the way they wanted me to. Basically they just sat me in a chair pretending to drive and I said "Gotta have my Dew" and that was it. A day later they gave me the part and we started shooting. It was crazy.

How many days did it take?

Seven. Just sitting in the car and saying the lines took the first day. The really tough part was being strapped in the car on a flatbed truck and then driving while the car flips upside down, this guy steps under and I grab the can out of his hand.

You were actually moving when you grabbed the can out of the guy's hand?

Yeah. Some shots I'd just pretend I was grabbing it, but then they'd put him under and I had to grab the can as we moved past him, while we're rolling and then I had to pour it down my throat practically upside down. That's why it spills out of my mouth.

That's the sexiest part of the commercial.

(laughs) It's funny — that wasn't planned at all, it just happened.

Did you actually get to drive.

Oh yeah. They taught me how to do 360s and 180s and stuff. They had me do some of the driving where it's fast, and for the stunts where you had to see me swinging around with the car. But the shots where you had to just miss the camera by a couple of inches? No way. They had stunt drivers for all of that. I got to do a lot though. It was really cool.

How long before it was released?

It came out four weeks later. I remember the first time it came on. I wasn't watching TV, I was in a hotel with my girlfriend. But my phone started blowing up. Then her phone blows up. And we don't get that much time alone, so we're wondering what's going on, but finally I pick up for one of my friends and he's practically screaming on the other end of the phone: "Dude! Dude! Dude!" He was just going nuts. And so we turned on the TV and that's the first time I saw it. Then people started recognizing me on the street.

Do they?

Yeah, which was pretty cool. I've had a lots of little girls come up to me especially, it's really sweet. (laughs)

Has it affected other aspects of modeling?

It's probably kicked it up a little bit for me. And Nautica has been really cool. They've helped me with the whole acting thing. The Nautica Jeans campaign is the first campaign I ever did, and that was very, very nice. It started things rolling for me. Then I got Emporio (Armani). Then the commercial happened, so it was a very cool series of events.

Do you consider it part of the job to get out at night and be seen?

That's something I don't really do. If you want to go out and have fun, go out and have fun. I've found that that's where you find the wrong influence. Not to say that everyone that goes out and parties is a scoundrel, but that's where I've found some of the dogs, the scummy people, that don't really have your career in mind — they're working another angle. And no one needs to be bothered with that.

All the people that are really about it in the industry, that have it cornered, that can either help you or can at least give you advice? More than likely you won't find any of them in a club. You'll see them in an office. It just makes sense. Huge people that are really into their jobs are not out there partying. Yes, you do find people from the industry that go out, but you don't get jobs in clubs. You get jobs in offices.

I think that's really important. It relates to what you said earlier about the kind of photographers a good agency can connect you with. At the right level, everything is set up to help you. But the wrong influence at the beginning can hurt your chances.

Very, very easily. And they'll taint you. You'll get jaded. So just be careful. Don't think that any one person is the end of your world. And trust me. For anyone listening out there, once you get here, it's like: "OK, now where do I go from here?" So it's not as if ... modeling saved my life, because I'm not a 9-5 kind of guy; I love being free and doing what I want to do — but there are crappy things about it too. It's not all glamour.

Do you mind if I ask what you think about ModelLaunch?

It would have been really nice if I could have found this when I was starting out. It seems to me that this is the real deal kind of thing. You seem to be very wholesome in what you're trying to do. It's all positive, very clear, and you can learn a lot, even just to see whether or not you want to do it. You hear about the good and the bad and can judge for yourself.

There are a lot of shady people in this business and it's priceless to be able to get in with the right kind of people and sidestep all of the bullshit. You hear a lot about model searches where you have to pay a bunch of money. But to be able to put your picture on something good, to be able to get a real response from very good agents, it's priceless, especially compared with getting the runaround from some Joe Schmoe who just wants to get in a kid's pants. This business can definitely do a head job on you if you let it.

Especially at the entry level?

That's where they scavenge and prey on the unknowing. I can see how some kid coming from Nebraska might not know any better, but I've been around the club scene for a long time. I always had the idea when I went into this field that I wouldn't put out any stupid amount of money for things that wouldn't get me ahead.

Any guidelines?

First of all, I knew the only places I could get good pictures were New York, Miami or LA. Second, I made sure I got into a prestigious agency that I knew wouldn't hook me up with any shitty photographers. I paid whatever I had to within those parameters, but that was it. I didn't have to spend any extravagant amount of money.

What would you say has been the best thing about modeling for you?

It's made my life, and my family's life, a lot easier, because I never knew what I wanted to do and now they don't really have to worry about me anymore. I've been able to explore life, and through exploring it I've found that I love art, I love writing, I love acting, I love all the things that make sense to me. And I've been given the chance to go out and see the world, and to see all the things out there. Not everyone gets that chance.

Omahyra Mota (April, 2001)

2006-06-19T01:23:00.000-07:00

Voted one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by Paper Magazine in 2001, sixteen year-old modeling sensation Omahyra Mota has already graced the pages of Italian, German and Nippon Vogue. She has also appeared in The Face, ID and Numero magazines and been photographed by Ellen Von Unwerth, Helmut Newton, Richard Burbridge, Terry Richardson, Bruce Weber, Liz Collins and Thomas Schenk among others.

Taking the fashion world by storm, Omahyra (prounounced oh-MY-rah) has also walked the walk for an impressive list of designers including Gucci, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, Roberto Cavalli and Moschino (Milan), Alexander McQueen, Julian McDonald and Boyd (London), and Lucca Lucca, Daryl K and Miguel Adrover in New York.

So when David Bosman, President of Boss Models, took the time to introduce us to Omahyra and told us about the amazing splash she's making at the age of sixteen, we immediately wanted to introduce this extraordinary girl to our readers in this special exclusive interview.

Born in Santo Domingo, capital city of the Dominican Republic, Omahyra came to America when she was ten years old with literally nothing but the clothes on her back. Thanks to the extraordinary courage of her mother and her own strength of character, six years later Omahyra is poised to break out from the pack in an extraordinary flash of personality, humor, beauty, strength, grace and fire.

What was life like growing up in the Dominican Republic?

I cannot tell you about what it's like to work there and other things, because I was very young. But I can tell you it was so innocent. It's such a personal feeling. I wish I could go back so bad, it was so much fun. The people around you, the culture, how everyone lives. The way we used to play, the places we used to go, how much excitement there was just to be alive in those times, we had no cares, no responsibilities. The only thing we had to do was go to school and be good girls, which was a piece of cake. We didn't need expensive toys, we had fun with small things. I will never forget what we did together, how much fun we had together, the places we went, going to the park just to play in the grass, to have picnics. I will never forget.

Do you still have relatives there?

Yes, my father lives there, all the relatives on my father's side, all the family from my mother's side, I have cousins, aunts and uncles. I have family everywhere, in the countryside, in the north, the west, the east, in the center.

Have you been back?

I went back recently and it felt so good. It all comes back to you as soon as you come out of the airport, driving to your old neighborhood, you smell the smell of happiness. It was so powerful for me, and it was so good to go back and realize how important my early life there still is for me. There were so many people I hadn't seen in four or five years. I really felt like I was going home, that warm place you used to live, where everything was so easy and you didn't have to worry about anything, you had no responsibility, you could just be there to have fun. There was nothing bad going through your mind, there was nothing bad around you, everything was so innocent and so nice and pretty. That's how it felt.

Yet here you are modeling in New York at the age of sixteen. You have a lot of responsibility, you have to be a lot more disciplined than most kids, and you're growing up so fast.

It's true. When I was younger my mom always took care of everything. We didn't have to worry about getting visas, we didn't have to worry about bills, we didn't have to worry about being at work on time. Everything was so nice. But now I've moved into an apartment by myself and I have all these bills coming to me for the first time. And with this job you have to be so responsible for yourself, take good care of yourself, you have to know a lot, you have to think so much. I never had all of these responsibilities before. It's too new for me, I haven't even had a chance to live as a teenager, and already I have many adult responsibilities. I can handle them, but there's no chance to gradually get used to it, it's all at once.

How do you balance time with friends, family and for yourself?

I have to dedicate time to my house, my mom and my friends, but I don't have time anymore just to hang out, I never have time to go back home, so I'm calling my mom and my friends all the time just to stay in touch. My friends don't even bother dropping by my house anymore because I'm always working.

I try to give 50% of myself to my family, because I need them to be with me always, and I don't want them to think I've changed, that I don't need them or that I don't care. And I have to dedicate the other half of myself to my job, because it's very important. I have to have every single thing in mind. And I'm constantly checking in with my agent so he can let me know what's going on, what photographers I have to see, appointments, castings, every single thing comes down to me. It's a little bit crazy.

You have to grow up overnight.

Yes, I consider myself an adult. I'm not 21 yet, but I'm working with just as many responsibilities as an adult. There are even some adults who don't have as much responsibility as I do at sixteen. I know it because I've met them. Every model can tell you how crazy this job is, constantly going back and forth, you always have to be thinking.

And I always have to look my best everywhere I go. I can't look worried, I don't want to look as if I'm thinking about something else, I always want to look like I'm just there and I'm happy, you know? You have to look your best to get the job, you've got to be pretty and nice, you've got to look very "up." When I first started I didn't get any sleep. No time to hang out, no time to play, no time to do anything, no time to live the life of a normal sixteen year-old girl, so it's very crazy.

Was the move to America difficult for you?

Yes. We all moved to New York — myself, my mother, grandmother, my sister and two brothers — when I was ten. My mother was determined for us to have a better life and to go to better schools. This is such an amazing country, every school has so many activities and they're all free. When you go to school in my country you don't have music and art and sports like kids do here. Even in the private schools there are very few activities and parents have to pay extra for them. And jobs are so plentiful here, even if you don't have any education. And you can work your way up. In my country it's even hard for people with an education to get a job, but for those without education it's impossible, so for all of these reason we had to come here.

Where did you first stay?

When we arrived in New York we had nowhere to go. We came out of the airport, each of the kids with our clothes in little backpacks and my mom and my grandmother found a payphone. They started calling distant relatives and friends and one of those friends agreed to take us in.

Your mother sounds so brave.

When I think about her I admire her so much. My mom has done so much for us. She was so determined. She decided we were going to move here, she arranged green cards, she borrowed money for airline tickets, she got us all packed, and then she just came.

Once we got here she told us "Ok, we're here now, and to get ahead we're going to do whatever it takes, all of us, we have to fight." I love my mom. I often wonder how she had the courage to risk everything, at her age, with three children. But she always says that she'd do the same thing over again if necessary, and if things didn't work out here, we'd have moved on and tried somewhere else, no matter what. With no money and three kids, all by herself, still she came!

What was it like, your first months in this country?

My mom and my grandmother started working immediately. They didn't speak any English, they didn't know where they were, but they went out and got jobs in a factory and started working day and night, day and night. Now the area we lived in was very bad, you couldn't even go down the stairs by yourself because you'd be stopped and attacked by gangs that were always hanging out in the stairwells.

My mom went to work every day and every night afraid of being attacked just for leaving the building, by robbers, rapists, drug dealers — she was attacked and robbed three times, but she just kept on working. They'd jump you just because you had nice hair, or because they knew you're Spanish, or just that you didn't speak English and couldn't do anything about it.

Even us girls, we were so small, but they're just like "Who cares? I'm mad, I'm pissed off at the world, and if that girl passes by me now I'm just going to punch her in the face," that's how everything used to work. My sister and I were always afraid to go to school because it was the same drama every morning and every afternoon in the stairs.

Did things get better?

Yes, after a few months we were able to move into our own apartment, a little studio, but it seemed so luxurious to us after sharing with another family. We were much better there. My mom kept on working, met my step-father, and after a year we all moved into a house in Astoria. We were so happy there, and then my mom and my step-father were able to buy a house in Corona, Queens.

Did anyone ever tell you should be a model when you were younger?

My mother told me every single day of my life that I was going to become a model, that I was going to be a success. I didn't believe her, but she'd tell me over and over "You're going to go to Hollywood, you're going to be a big star, and everyone's going to take photographs of you everywhere you go, you're going to be so big." As a kid I was just like "OK Mom, whatever ..." (laughs). Even after I turned fifteen, she was still telling me and I was still saying "Yeah, mom, whatever," and thinking to myself "stop thinking so big, you're too unrealistic."

But she kept pushing me to mail out pictures to agencies, and finally, just to make her stop I went online last year with my boyfriend and looked up all the agencies in New York. I copied down all the addresses, sent in all these pictures and then I just waited. I had no hope, but I was able to tell my mom I'd sent the pictures in so she'd leave me alone about it. And I told her: "Now I'm going to show you what you've been saying all this time isn't true. It's okay you're so positive, but stop going over the limit."

What happened?

Then George called me from Boss Models. They were the first agency that called me and the only one. But George was so enthusiastic on the phone, telling me I was so beautiful and that I had to come in right away. I didn't even want to tell my mom and I almost just ignored George's call, because I knew she was going to say "I told you so." But finally I told mom that someone called from an agency and that they wanted to see me. She just said "See, I told you, this is just the beginning."

How did things get started?

I went in to meet George with my mother, and he was so enthusiastic, telling me I was very beautiful, that he loved my style and I'd have a big career. He told me about how the industry works, how things are done. I've got to say I love my life, because George and Ricky (at Boss Models) have brought me to where I am right now. We have gone through so much together, they were really pushing me because they knew something was going to happen. He kept on, he never wanted to give up.

And now that I've got so many jobs, I'm getting to travel, he's so happy, he gets more excited than I do. He goes to all of my fashion shows, he went to Milan with me, last season he went to every single show, telling me "Myra you're waving your hands too much, you're looking too much to the side, keep focused in front of you," always pushing me so I can do better.

It sounds like you've got a great relationship.

Away from work George and I talk about everything. He knows about my whole life, we have a very strong friendship, and we really can talk about anything together. He's not just my agent he's a real friend, which is very good for me. I know I'm lucky to have him because I've heard from so many girls that their agents aren't like that. The other agencies have so many girls they don't have time to talk, it's just "here's your next job, go." When George calls me, we talk, he wants to know if I've eaten, if I'm feeling ok, he'll tell me if this client calls back we're going to celebrate - he is very special for me.

How did you like working in front of a camera for the first time?

The first time I didn't know what to do, it was impossible. It wasn't like "As soon as the first pictures came out I knew I was going to be a model." No, none of that. I was very scared, I didn't know what to do, what expression to have on my face, how to make the clothes look good. I was very shy to pose. I was very self-conscious around all the other professionals on the shoot, the photographer, makeup, lights, stylist, worried they were looking at me thinking "this girl doesn't know what she's doing."

Later I realized they weren't focused on whether or not I was nervous, they were just doing their jobs. They were making sure the lighting was right, that the clothes looked nice, not about, "Oh my God look at that expression on her face." (laughs). Over time, you get used to it, and you realize the hairdresser is looking at your hair, the assistant is worrying about the lights, the stylist is only looking at the clothes, they're not staring at me. Once I realized this I loved getting my pictures taken, and I couldn't wait for them to come out in the magazines.

What makes a good shoot?

Whenever I'm on a shoot, I try to get everyone working together as a team, to have fun. When everybody's working together well you don't feel the hours. You're really happy, you're really on, because everyone working with you is giving you positive energy. If everyone else is down, tired, it's bad for everybody. Every time is different. Sometimes the atmosphere is bad, too serious, everyone gets divided into groups, no one talks to the models, the photographer is back in the corner and only talks to their assistants, like that.

Is it different working with male models than with girls?

Guys aren't like the girls, they're not always talking about work. They're talking about girls, about surfing, some big wave they caught, the clubs they went to, how they went dancing and everybody was wasted, how much fun they had. They're always talking about something other than modeling. They're very sweet. Guys are just not as competitive.

Speaking about the guys, what do you think of ModelLaunch?

It's very cool. All of the other websites are about girls, you never see anything about the guys in magazines, nobody pays attention to them in the shows, it's just girls, girls, girls. So it's cool you have a men's website, so they can get known and they can have these interviews - they need the attention too.

What was it like going to Milan by yourself for the first time?

I missed my family and my boyfriend so much. And I was thinking 'I'm all by myself in this place, and if I don't think smart, I'm not going to have a success, something bad is going to happen,' because Milan is crazy. Everyone there is totally free, they go crazy, everyone wants to try new things, there are all these teenagers alone in hotels by themselves for the first time, they've got money in their pocket, and if they're looking for trouble all they have to do is get out of bed, get dressed and go out. All the models will tell you about the terrible things that can happen in Milan, terrible things, scandals in the paper. So I knew it wasn't safe and that I had to act like an adult.

You became your own parent?

Yes. Even on the plane over I thought about it and set my own rules about what I would or would not do. And once my mind is made up nothing can bend my rules. It's not like "well, I'm here by myself, no one will know, I want to try something, No! It's once "No!" and that's it, my mind was made up.

Any advice to new models?

Be very, very smart. Think about every single thing you're doing all the time. Think about everything you're going to do before and after. The only thing you need to know is to be smart. If you want this life, you have to go through a lot of shit, but you're getting there and that's what you want. It's not as easy as it seems on MTV and in the movies. People think "it's so easy, I wish I could be that girl, she just poses for pictures and she gets money for nothing." Nobody knows how hard it is until you're in it. So stay smart, and if you get there don't ever forget where you came from, who your family is, and what they've done for you.

...............................

Lily Cole (2004)

2006-06-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

Lily Cole, model

Spotted on London's Old Compton Street two years ago, Lily has just been named Model of the Year in the British Fashion Awards. Her first job was for Italian Vogue; since then she has been in campaigns for Prada, Hermès, Moschino and Topshop, and on catwalks for Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Christian Lacroix and Alexander McQueen.

The experts say
Lily is not only 'utterly compelling looking', points out Alexandra Shulman, editor of Vogue, but has a 'self-assurance and poise at 16 that will make a big difference to her career prospects'. Added to that, says Sarah Doukas, MD of model agency Storm, is 'a wonderfully creative mind that shows in her work'.

Lily says
'I love modelling, but also see it as a platform for the million other things I want to achieve/create in life.'

Being 16: best thing ...
'It's ageless: I can fluctuate between extremely adult and a regular teenager.'

... and worst thing
'People often make assumptions about you.'

My 16th birthday
'I spent it hanging out with my family, then hit some parties with friends.'

Linda Evangelista (Jul 1997)

2006-06-17T04:11:00.000-07:00

The modelling industry is famous for its vampiric lust for young blood. Linda Evangelista, supermodel uber alle, is 32. When she did the July couture catwalk shows in Paris, Evangelista was walking the body with girls less than half her age. Her famous peers - Naomi, Claudia, Christy, Elle - have all diversified into acting, recording or, most bizarrely, catering. Though she admits that she could happily retire tomorrow, Linda Evangelista has signed a lucrative (rumoured six figure) rolling contract as the new "face" of Yardley cosmetics.

"When I started in the business, I was told I had three good years in me," she says in her soft Canadian lilt. "Every year, I heard that clock ticking and was conscious that it could be my last. I'm not dumb," she says with a glance that hints that this has been suggested once or twice, "it's going to happen one day. But it hasn't yet and I am not going to surrender. I am not immortal, for God's sake," she says with an exasperated grimace.
"Recently, I didn't make the cover of two British magazines. At first it was like, 'Excuse me?' But I know that sometimes the chemistry just isn't there between the model, photographer, hair and make-up. It's nobody's fault and you just have to do better next time. As long as designers want to dress me, photographers want to take my picture and companies think my face will help their products, then I won't go anywhere until they're done with me." Having seen her paraded before tables of beauty editors like plum pudding the day before, it is clear that Evangelista's beauty is more than pan- stick deep. There are those who have suggested that, at 32, she is making hay while the sun sets. She has appeared in less than flattering advertisements for Pizza Hut, and Yardley does have a rather old-ladyish profile in Britain. "Oh please!" she says. "I went with my heart and my gut instinct on Yardley, as I have with every decision in my career. I have turned down so many major advertising bids because I think either the time isn't right or I'm not. I could have been a lot richer for those offers and don't know whether some of those decisions have been smart. But they may have contributed to my, um, longevity." Her 13 years in modelling began when she lost Miss Teen Niagara at the age of 17, but caught the eye of an Elite New York talent scout. Born in St Catharines, Ontario, Evangelista says, "I had no illusions that my career would be any longer than three years tops." She has been with the same agency ever since. When hairdresser Julien D'Ys cut her signature long chestnut hair into a bob in 1987 at the behest of her favourite photographer, Peter Lindberg, the supermodel was born. "I don't like using that word, unless it is in an ironic context," she says. "And let me tell you something. I thought I was finished when they cut my hair. Eighteen out of 20 clients dropped my bookings. I rang (photographer) Steven Meisel in tears. Within two months I made the grand slam: covers of American Vogue, Italian Vogue, British Vogue and French Vogue." From that moment, modelling was deemed the new rock 'n' roll, and Linda its brightest star. John Galliano instantly replies to my question about who is the top: "Linda. Without a doubt. She is a true pro and that's what I call maximum modelling." "I am and will remain a perfectionist," she says "Show me a cover and I will criticise it. I only have four photographs of myself at home and they are by Lindberg, Meisel and Patrick Demarchelier. I'd collapse under the weight of my own ego if there were any more. "When people ask how have I kept on top, I have to say with the help of every photographer, make-up artist and hairdresser I've ever worked with. And Kyle." Kyle is boyfriend Kyle MacLachlan. Divorced from the president of Elite Paris, Gerald Marie, Evangelista now works as well as lives in New York with MacLaghlan. They have recently completed the autumn/winter Donna Karan Collection advertising campaign. But speculations about marriage remain unconfirmed. "After my modelling career, having children is my biggest other goal in life. I haven't done it yet because I know I will never work again once I do. I still want to work, I love to work, and I will not schlep my kids around on planes or hire nannies. When it happens, and it will, I want to be a hands-on mother. I can't commit to that right now." Evangelista has never attempted the crossover from modelling to acting or singing. "I have started a book, but I don't have time to finish it. How do the other girls do it? None of us has any spare time. I haven't released an album because I can't sing." When it is suggested that this didn't stop certain of her colleagues, Evangelista is quick to defend. "Naomi can sing. I've seen her play live and they don't dub her or anything. I'm so proud of her. And of Christy and Amber, who have both gone back to school." Apart from the relentless MTV footage, Evangelista has appeared on screen in fashion documentary Unzipped. Backstage at Isaac Mizrahi's show, she is seen screaming, "Get that camera out of my fucking face, sweetie". Blink and you would miss the glint in her eye as she turns to the camera. "I'm used to cameras every day of my working life. But sometimes you need to let off steam and ham it up for the cameras. You're called a bitch so often in this business anyway." Evangelista does not like to feel she is living on borrowed time or blinding herself to the passage of time. "I don't think beauty is just youth," she says. Then she goes one further, saying, "Beauty has nothing to do with youth. The ageing process is a beautiful thing and I don't think magazines agree with that. Some people are born naturally thin. I don't happen to think magazines should be full of thin people. What I do say," she says, never taking her eyes from mine, "is that we can all work a little harder with what we have. It is possible to achieve a better body shape and heart rate with nutrition and exercise." When a journalist at the Yardley launch asked Evangelista what her favourite book is, she hesitated and then replied, "the Bible". Doubtless if you asked Jonathan Miller which was his favourite frock in the July couture collections, you would get the same kind of hesitation. "I am a practising Catholic," Evangelista says defensively. "Yes, I do read the Bible. What I don't appreciate is people asking me questions beyond my field of work and then laughing at an honest answer." So, as the clock ticks on, is there a gameplan for the future? She will only say, "My secret passion is for cooking. I would love to learn to be a professional chef." And modelling? "I will never surrender." Don't expect a table at Chez Linda this millennium.

Karen Elson (Jan, 2000)

2006-06-17T03:55:00.000-07:00

Like most supermodels, 20-year-old Karen Elson is running late. When the towering, striking fashion sensation does turn up, apologizing profusely (her family is in town), all is forgiven. Kicking back in her local joint, Tribeca's earthy Juniper, the redhead uncoils her scarf, bums an American Spirit Light from the bartender and orders a caesar salad.

"I wasn't the model type," Elson tries to convince me. "At school I got harassed so badly for being too tall, too thin, too pale - too everything that has gotten me where I am now, which is quite ironic." A modeling scout discovered a 16-year-old Elson on the street in her industrial hometown near Manchester, England, and soon she was off to London. "It was completely insane," she remembers, her ocean-blue eyes widening. "But I got off on the fact that I was looking out for myself." After little success in London, a penniless Elson relocated to Paris, where she shacked up in a matchbook-size flat near the red light district. "I didn't even have a mattress and there were cockroaches all over the place. No phone. No TV. I didn't know anyone in Paris. I was totally depressed." Soon she was sent to Tokyo, where she made some money. "I totally let my hair down in Japan. It gave me some soul to continue." Elson then tried Milan before moving to New York just before her 18th birthday. She lived first with Eileen Ford and plugged along until a fateful meeting with photographer Steven Meisel changed everything. After a Meisel spread in Italian Vogue, Elson shaved off her eyebrows and chopped her flame-red hair into a blunt cut. The startling look landed her on the cover of Italian Vogue. "It was a strong image. No one had ever seen it before and it catapulted me into this whole new realm. It was a catalyst," she explains. "That's when this whole crazy madness started. I haven't stopped working." After rooming with her best friends, models Erin O'Connor and Maggie Rizer, Elson moved on her own to a cozy place in Tribeca with a view of the Hudson River.

She admits to being "a spoiled brat who gets a lot of clothes for free," but she isn't adverse to some hearty shopping sprees. "I go to places where I know I can get a discount, because I'm a real cheap fuck." Tugging at a black-and-white-print Anna Sui shirt, she mentions she's mad for Sui's SoHo shop ("they have a lot of good jewelry"), as well as Helmut Lang, whose jeans are "the best cut in the world." A fan of the vintage treasures at Screaming Mimi's, Elson scavenges the Salvation Army for cheap finds. For "cool jumpers," she fancies Urban Outfitters. And, she gushes, "I loves a good Miu Miu." As for home goodies: "Oh my God! ABC Carpet and Home! If only I could spend all my money in there," she says ecstatically. "I can go to ABC for hours and just dream that my credit card would take everything that I want to buy." For books, Elson is a regular at Tribeca's Sufi Books, which focuses on spiritual literature. "I get these tiny Shambala books. They are little pearls of wisdom and they keep me going on my day."

Elson prefers restaurants "on the down low. I like Tea and Sympathy - hey, I'm an English girl. Every Sunday I go and have my roast and English bread, and the shepherd's pie is amazing." Bingo night on Tuesdays at the Mexican canteen Tortilla Flats is another Elson must-do. She recently got her mother drunk on margaritas there. For Italian food, she digs Da Silvano, even though it is "a little bit trendy." She becomes orgasmic when describing the papardelle ragu served next door at Bar Pitti.

For drinks on the D.L., Elson grooves on the sleazy, skid-row vibe of the Hog Pit or for mellow nights, the serene N. "I've been to your Moombas and Spy Bars," she admits. "I've done that whole circuit. My idea of a good night out is just taking as it comes." A fan of live rock music, Elson regularly checks out CBGBs, Mercury Lounge and Irving Plaza. For boogie nights, she loves Mother. "It's wicked there," she says with a twinkle in her eye. "The music rocks. I love the vampire night. All the freaks hanging out... I'm a freak as well, so I can really let down my hair."

After a late night, Elson's recovery remedy is a trip to the Millefleurs day spa in Tribeca for a manicure, body wrap and massage. For facials, she states simply: "Bliss rocks."

"Being a model ain't a hard life," the beauty admits. "Models get dissed. People are so critical of you. If I'm out at night and someone asks me what I do, sometimes I just don't answer." Elson plans on working the catwalk for a few more years but hasn't decided what she wants to do after modeling. "If I say anything, I'm in such a public place that people will always want to bring me down," she reasons. "More than anything else, I want to prove to myself that I can do something well. I don't really give a damn what anyone else thinks."

Tetyana Brazhnyk (2004)

2006-06-11T22:40:00.000-07:00

In real life, models rarely turn out to be as you'd expect them. Tetyana Brazhnyk is no expeption. Although not yet a household name, this rising star is one to keep your eyes on. Meet the ukraine girl who really knocks us out...

With her smoldering, steely gaze and confident stride, she is the epitome of Russian cool. But meeting Tetyana B is a sweet surprise. She is both ambitious and disciplined, esp. for a 20 year-old. But despite her travels and modelling experience over the last four years, there's something refreshingly honest, even innocent, about her.

Tetyana has caught the Eurostar from Paris early this morning for fabmag's cover shoot and interview and she's radiant despite arising before dawn. Perched in the makeup chair, you notice her cerulean blue eyes, cacading hair, and pouty lips. But when T flashes her beguiling smile, her face and the entire room lights up.

Born in the Ukraine, she is the youngest of three children. It was a middle-class upbringing, T's mother works in a kindergarten, her father is an ex-policeman. She first left home at 16 to embark on a modelling career. Initially, she was not exactly up to the challenge.

-Nobody believed I could go and model. Not even me, she confesses. I didn't believe I was so beautiful. But I tired it. Then a scout from my agency came to my city in the Ukraine, took some pictures, showed them to the agency in Paris, and they chose me, she explains.

-It was hard in the beginning to model because I was on my own at such a young age. I went to Paris and was quite lonely in the beginning because there were not many Russian models at the time. I was also scared to go to Europe for the first time on my own. Now I think it's good that I did it. I am able to help my familiy financially, which is great.

Within a shorth time T's move paid off: she appeared in Vogue,Glamour,W and Marie Claire. Campaigns for Sonia Rykiel, La Perla, Helena Rubenstein and Etro followed. Simultaneously, the winsome Brazhnyk has graced many a catwalk... [ok skipping to name those]

Does she prefer the catwalk or photo shoots?
-The catwalk, she replies without hesitation. Because the catwalk is more interesting to me. It's crazier and more difficult, too. But I think it's better than shooting cause there are more girls at the shows. At photo shoots, you're alone but with the shows, there are always lots of Ukraine girls to talk with. When I first started out, there was no body from that part of the world and I didn't speak good English. So it was hard. But now, I meet so many girls from there and I'm so happy.

-We all travel so much that the only chance we get to see each other is at the shows. Plus the catwalk shows are just so much fun. So many nice people in one place.

T. mentions her familiy several times during our chat, and informs me that she returns home whenever she has time off.

-I try to go home every three months,she says, as the hair stylist places a delicate bauble on the crown of her head.

-When I have a week off, I go right away.Someday, I would like to go back to live there. I would also like to have house in Ukraine, and one in Sweden or Finland because it's beautiful and reminds me of Russia. I just love my country.

How did she meet her Russian husband, Valerie?
-Actually, he found me in Ukraine, she says with a wide grin. He was working for an agency as a scout, We were friends for one year, then became boyfriend and girlfriend. We got married ten months ago in Paris.

It was an intimate, small ceremony with both the bride's and groom's families in attendence. T wore a white trouser suit, her hair a mass of wild curls, She informs me that they plan to have another wedding, one that will be a bit more traditional.

-Im going to do another wedding in a church. because it's very important to me to have it in a church back home. So we're going to do that soon.

On the subject of her husband, T informs me that their free time is spent together, mostly relaxing at home in front of the TV, with Valerie doing the cooking.

-I dont cook myself, only because I left home so early and I never have time now to learn. But my husband cooks for me and he can make Russian food.

T. is a non-smoker and tells me that she maintains her health as best she can.

-I do take care of myself. I never smoke and I don't drink much. I will have red wine once in a while and vodka only when I go back home. I also like to sleep, a lot! And when I'm not working, no high heels and not much makeup either. I try to rest my skin. When I go out, I wear a little mascara, and a little of this and that, but not too much of anything.

On the catwalk and in front of the camera, T is a true chameleon, moving effortlessly from Victorian waif, to punk princess, to femme fatale. She's a big fan of fesigners like Chole, Karl Lagerfeld, Prada and Miu Miu and when she's not working, T tends to experiement with her personal style.

-I like so many different looks she explains. I like being sexy, sometimes I like being like a little girl, sometimes I like being funky. I don't like to wear the same things every day.

During our interview, she assures me that although she enjoys modelling very much, at some point, she hopes to have a baby. The short-term plan, according to her modelling agency, is for T to relocate to N.Y. for most of the year. She admits that she doesn't really prefer be the focus of attention, which is why she feels more comfortable on the catwalk than at photo shoots.

-I'm just a normal girl, nothing special, from the Ukraine, she explains without a trace of false modesty. But I'm so excited to do this today, I'm so happy, she adds earnestly. Then she is spirited away to finish preparing for our shoot, and gets back to the business of being beautiful.

Christopher Bailey (2005)

2006-06-09T01:16:00.000-07:00

He's loved by everyone: The famous US-Magazine "Forbes" called the chef designer of Burberry, Christopher Bailey, 2005 as the "Most inspiring Designer of the Year" and his home country England honoured the 34-year old as "Designer of the Year".

Mr. Bailey, lets say a higher power would forbid the wearing of a trenchcoat - would it be the end of Burberry?

Yes. Definitely. The trench is the soul of Burberry, it is its foundation, its history, its future. everything i am doing here actually goes back to it. its disspearance would be my personal tragedy: Since i was a teenager i've visited these so-called "Jumbo Sales" in Yorkshire - a kind of old-clothing-sale for churchly and charitably purposes. i have owned tons of trenchcoats.

What changes where you allowed to do at the design of the famous burberry trenchcoats?

Just tiny ones. As i came to Burberry I have resized the A-Form a little bit and cut the sleeves a bit tighter. Ee dont change the classic form because of fashionable, but cultural reasons, as i call it. When for example the silhouette gets changed enormenous or the proportion.

That changes in a designerlife around four or five times. doesnt really sound like an exciting job...

I can play with the form in the Prèt-a-Portèr-line "Burberry Prorsum" however I want. I can design a trench of silk chiffon or of brocade. I could even reduce the trench to the epaulettes. The main-thing is that you can walk in the rain with it and you stay dry.

Is a britain guy needable to design Burberry?

Its definitively helpful when you've grown up in England. you should understand the nuance of our culture. Things easily become a chliche for a foreigner whats englisch: for example the classical suit or punk.

Yeah. We know that...

You see, exactly the pictures that you have in your mind arent right. All of these britan styles can never look perfect, like you thought about it too much. There are so much more multi-layered. Of course Ii know about that because I've been grown up here. On the other side, I am not even 100% britain. My grandma was an italian seamstress. But I dont even look very italian...

But then with 34 years like an under-aged college-student...

Which also isnt always an advantage. When i appear at one of these analysts meetings of Burberry then I recognized how some may ask themselves: Who is this ludicrous bloke there in the front-row?

You mean, they dont know who's Christopher Bailey?

Yes, exactly. Burberry isnt the designer or the chief executive officer. Burberry is Burberry. At the entrance of the store it doesnt says "Bailey", it says "Burberry".

Do you may belong to the new designergeneration "of the second-row" like Frida Giannini at Gucci or Phoebe Philo at Chloé?

Yeah, I count myself in them. And often we even arent in the second-row, we even feel comfortable in the Background. I love it to work in a team.

You're a little scared on the runway. Just a short protuberance, a little wave and bye bye! After two seconds youre dissapeared.

Its foreign and a bit embarrassing for me to stand in front of the audience after the show. I can understand that every fashion label needs a face, it gives the product the soul. The people are curious and the purchaser wants to know whos the guy behind the coats they wear.

Isnt there any space to be an egonomical creative in the fashion business?

I think, we're the first generation that understood that designers can get famous very fast, but also crash down that fast. We know that the so-called gorgeous fashionworld - nightlife, glamour, sex and what ever it says - isnt even sparkling half that great inside than it seems on the outside. Our business is not a very attractive world when you consider it realistic.

How creative can you be in a fashion group?

Most of the people believe that you cant be at all. But thats not right, the opposite is the truth. Because not just, because there is the money to try new things, but also because big fashion houses always have to be very innovative to expand. The sales figures have to be right, the turn overs have to be big, thats extremely important.

Its not long ago where it said "Bars ban Burberry" in London. Who worn caps with the pattern didnt got in because many hooligans wanted to get under cover with them.

That was just a media story, but it shows a lot about us. Burberry is a democratic label, that dresses the man on the street, even the hooligan and at the same time the royals. And the trench is the most democratic clothing ever, it has nothing to do with lifestyle, power, class and age. The queen wears one, as same as the punk. The word "exclusive" isnt allowed for us.

The keyword of the luxuryindustry isnt allowed?

Exactly. Exclusive means that you dont wanna have some people. Thats chesty. Nobody wants a hooligan, but every britan needs a trench. we own an ideal: a basical respect for all people.

Terry Richardson (Oct 2004)

2006-06-04T03:04:00.000-07:00

I am standing in an overcrowded art gallery in downtown Manhattan, feeling slightly queasy. In front of me, taking up most of the wall, is a huge photograph of a naked girl engaged in the kind of sexual act that defies description here. Let's just say that her hair is in a mess. There are many questions going through my head at this moment, not least why an image of this kind has ended up in an art gallery.

It's then that I notice the familiar-looking young woman standing beside me. She is wearing a dress that redefines the terms skimpy and diaphanous, and she is giggling uncontrollably. At herself. She is the same young woman who is up there on the wall. Her companion is staring open-mouthed at the photograph, his face registering what can only be described as a mixture of shock and awe. He turns to her in disbelief. 'You didn't!' he shrieks. 'You didn't!'

But, as several other images on the walls attest, she did. Over and over. The gallery is bedecked with similar photographs: naked and glistening young girls, their legs akimbo, backsides thrust in the air, lipsticked mouths open in anticipation. Sometimes there is just one girl, snapped from above in an act of oral devotion, or in a post-coital daze; sometimes there are two, occasionally three. Sometimes, on closer inspection, the girls turn out to be boys, or boy-girls, their petite penises dangling helplessly between their long feminine legs.

The only penis that does not dangle belongs to the photographer whose name graces the show, and whose naked frame and goofy, bespectacled face features throughout. His name is Terry Richardson, and the whole show consists of self-made images of Terry thrusting, rucking, prodding, pumping and, sometimes, grinning at the camera like a nerd let loose in porno heaven.

Most people here tonight seem to find the show inexplicably funny, and there is a queue to buy the Terryworld T-shirts and condoms. Others, though, do a swift about-turn as soon as they have made it through the bottleneck at the door. It's all too much. Too crude. Too in-your-face. Too numbingly, thrashily hard-core. Here, for instance, is Terry being serviced by two babes who could be, may well be, fashion models. Here he is receiving a blow job from a girl who, for some reason, is trussed up in a suitcase, just her head - and open mouth - protruding. And here he is being fellated by another girl crammed into a dustbin.

In this context, the work of the late Helmut Newton seems positively tame, quaint even. The Terryworld show would have a London gallery closed down within hours. And yet here it is in the heart of Manhattan's art world, in a reputable SoHo space, the Deitch Gallery, drawing the biggest crowd of the year. The street outside is thronged with the thin and the cool: fashionistas, agents, artists, countless hangers-on. There are even one or two celebrities, including art-rocker Kim Gordon, film director Wes Anderson, and actor/director Vincent Gallo, whom, one suspects, is grateful to be invited anywhere since his recent public espousal of ultra-conservative Republicanism.

'Terry is one of the more charismatic figures in downtown culture,' the gallery owner, Jeffrey Deitch, will later tell the New York Observer, and tonight's impromptu block party certainly attests to that. One whole stretch of Wooster Street has been cordoned off by the NYPD, such is the crowd milling about. There is a Red Cross emergency worker stationed inside the airless and overcrowded space. Terryworld is a strange and contradictory place where art and fashion and pornography converge, and where, for the time being at least, pornography is the dominant aesthetic.

'Do you really think it's porn?' Terry Richardson asks me a few days later, as we sit on the rather dilapidated patio of his first-floor studio-cum-apartment overlooking the Bowery. Terry is dressed in a black T-shirt and work pants, white socks and trainers. He is smaller than his photographs suggest, and has a less cartoonish face: short-cropped hair, receding at the temples, a handlebar moustache and big, tinted, Seventies specs that exaggerate his geekiness. His muscular arms are covered in tattoos: old-fashioned sailor-type images of busty girls, strange hieroglyphics, an elaborate inky black spider's web that spreads around one elbow.

Terry's pad is typical Lower East Side boho - open-plan, with a kitchen at one end and a den at the other, a double bed built into a niche in one wall. There are various black-and-white photographs of girls, street dudes and punk groups arranged here and there on the wall, but not, as far as I can see, any of his own work. Interestingly, he lives on the same street as CBGB's, the legendary punk dive, and close to a street recently renamed Joey Ramone Place. This is Terry's 'hood', and, as befits a guy who borrowed the DIY ethic of punk and applied it to photography, he feels emotionally at home here. He belongs.

Me, I feel oddly guilty, because Terry is affable and open, obviously more sensitive than his more extreme work suggests, and I seem to have offended him by suggesting that the recent photographs he has taken of himself having sex with various young girls might be pornographic.

'The thing is, I don't personally like porn,' he says, shaking his head, and sucking on the first of several cigarettes he will get through over the next few hours, his voice sounding even deeper than usual due to all the talking he has done since the show's opening. 'Porn kind of bums me out because there is so much sadness and pain in that world. So little joy or even pleasure. I don't use porn or even go to strip clubs, like a lot of my friends. I don't like to exploit anybody. That's not my bag. Everyone has fun on my shoots.'

This would indeed seem to be the case. The girls who now come knocking on the door of Terry Richardson's studio to take part in what he calls his 'spontaneous sex acts' may be young or impressionable, exhibitionist or insecure, or all of the above, but they are all too eager and willing to perform for his camera. It's as if all the hoary old cliches about the camera as phallus, the photographer as power-hungry sexual predator á la David Hemmings in Blow-Up, have come true with a vengeance in his work, except that he does not have to cajole or pressurise his subjects. They're queuing up.

'My rule is that I'd never ask anyone to do anything I wouldn't do myself,' he says, 'that's how it's got to go this far. At first, I'd just want to do a few nude shots, so I'd take off my clothes, too. I'd even give the camera to the model and get her to shoot me for a while. It's about creating a vibe, getting people relaxed and excited. When that happens,' he adds, grinning his goofy, adolescent grin, 'you can do anything.'

For the uninitiated among you, it's important to understand how much in demand and influential Richardson is as a fashion photographer in order to even begin to understand how he gets away with all the other stuff he does. Fashion, in case you needed reminding, is a kind of parallel universe, where the normal rules of behaviour - social, moral, ethical - do not apply. Fashion designers, art directors and magazine editors have flirted with heroin chic, anorexic chic and even terrorist chic, but porn chic has proved the most enduring aesthetic.

A cursory glance at recent back issues of style magazines such as Dazed & Confused and Pop, as well as occasional issues of high-end titles like Vogue, indicates the dominance of faux-porn imagery as the abiding style attitude. Terry is the undisputed king of porn chic.

'He's the ultimate manifestation of the myth of the promiscuous photographer,' says Charlotte Cotton, a curator at the Photographer's Gallery in London, 'and his fashion work to date has played around with that myth and, in the process, had a real pertinence in an industry that tends to be conservative and anodyne. But photography is also about context, and you have to be careful when you move into the very different context of an art gallery. Just presenting sexual images, some would say pornographic images, in terms of their content alone, is not enough. Nor is parading your psychosexuality. You have to find a way to be more clever than that.'

Terry Richardson, though, has no truck with cleverness for art's sake, has no real issues with whether his work is deemed art or porn. Richardson is just doing his thing. This month, art publisher Taschen will put out Terryworld, a retrospective that shares the same name as his Deitch show, but mixes the sleazier stuff with fashion photographs, celebrity portraits and even the odd landscape. What is arresting about the book is not the hardcore sex, but the intimacy of some of the portraits: a blissfully grinning child who has just been feeding at his mother's breast; Dennis Hopper, his face wreathed in cigarette smoke. Ironically, Richardson has a gift for tenderness that is not always evident in his pathological pursuit of the sexually shocking.

Confusingly, there is also an even more sumptuous book called Kibosh, published by Damiani, which features the harder stuff from the Deitch show, and retails at around £300. 'That's the strange thing in all this,' elaborates Stephen Male, an art director who once worked with Richardson on an early Levi's campaign. 'We suddenly have a few prominent photographers who are dealing with their sexual neuroses, and for some reason we're all expected to watch. Even stranger is that many of us do just that.'

Richardson first came to prominence in the mid-Nineties, shooting fashion editorials and ads that were starkly lit, brutally cropped and shot on snapshot cameras with little or no lighting. His primitive-cool aesthetic was the direct antithesis of the glossy, big-production work of other fashion photographers such as Nick Knight or Stephen Meisel, and had a more obvious sexual edge than other purveyors of the snapshot aesthetic such as Juergen Teller and Corinne Day.

In recent years, Richardson's signature advertising campaigns for labels like Katharine Hamnett, where the models' pubic hair was visible beneath their short skirts, and Sisley, where, memorably, the model Josie Moran squeezed milk from a cow's udder into her mouth, established him as a photographer prepared to push the boundaries about as far as many assumed they could go. And, in a way, this has been the case. Richardson's fashion work still tends to be edgy - he has made Kate Moss, minus her knickers, look like a world-weary call girl in the latest issue of Pop - but he has shown an increasing tendency to adapt to meet the more mainstream demands of the client. His current campaign for Miu Miu, featuring the young actor Maggie Gyllenhaal, is opulent and romantic, a world away from open crotches and post-coital poses.

But over the past few years, Richardson's non-fashion photography, which he considers his most important work, has gone the other way, his images becoming ever more hardcore in their depiction of Terry's own sex life. Everyone in fashion had heard about the 'spontaneous sexscapades' that occurred from time to time when Terry and a model hit it off. When word got out about them, though, he found that certain girls would turn up with exactly that in mind. Soon, the shoots got wilder, and often Terry's assistants, Seth and Keiji, had to be on hand to take the actual pictures. 'I always say I make pictures rather than take pictures,' explains Terry. It turns out that Alex, a blonde waif who works in his office, is a posh art student who originally assisted Terry on a Miu Miu campaign. Now, she is up there on the wall with the rest of them, captured for posterity fellating her boss from inside the office rubbish bin.

Soon, Terry had shot hundreds of similar images, all featuring himself in flagrante with a female volunteer. His psychosexual archive, he tells me, 'is the most satisfying and exciting work I have ever done'. Leaving aside for a moment the obvious question about whether a pornographic image can ever possess artistic merit, many of these photographs seem grounded in, at one extreme, adolescent fantasy gone mad, and, at the other, some darker personal demons - narcissism, obsession, compulsion, even addiction.

'Oh, I have lots of stuff I am working out through my work,' he freely admits, though one suspects he tends to view his neuroses the way the rest of us might view our hobbies. 'I mean, I don't think I'm a sex addict, if that's what you're asking, but I do have issues, tons of them. Like, this current show could be about my midlife crisis. Or it could be something to do with the fact that since I gave up drinking and taking drugs, I have to get high on sex and being an exhibitionist. Or maybe it's the psychological thing that I was a shy kid, and now I'm this powerful guy with his boner, dominating all these girls. In a way, that's the very stuff I'm trying to work out in the work.'

I ask if it has ever crossed his mind that his 'stuff' might be better worked out in private? 'Why?' he replies, in all seriousness. 'I mean, I'm a photographer. I record stuff. Why not record myself? I'm only doing what everybody else does behind closed doors. They take Polaroids of their girlfriends, then they hide them in a drawer, or post them on the internet with her face blacked out. That seems a whole lot less healthy to me. That's about shame and fear. I just do it all, and put it all out there. That's what's incredibly liberating.'

So, it's photography as therapy? The nerd's revenge, maybe? He gives this some thought. 'Partly, but not only. Look, I'm just a regular guy who's trying to deal with things, and figure stuff out as I go along. If people want to call it porn, that's cool with me. If people are shocked or offended by it, that's even better. A guy came up to me on the street yesterday, and started shouting, "I hate your show. I hate all your fucking pictures."' What did you do? 'I thanked him.'

By all reports, Terry Richardson was once a neurotically shy young man. And, before that, a sad and angry child. Until punk provided a vehicle for his self-destructive urges, he used to smash things up, furniture mainly, but sometimes himself. His anger first surfaced when he was four and his father Bob, a briefly successful fashion photographer, left his mother for the then 17-year-old actress Anjelica Houston. Terry's mother, in turn, took up with Jimi Hendrix and Keith Richards, and Terry once walked in on her making out with Kris Kristofferson. When he was nine, his mother was on her way to collect him from his child psychiatrist when a Pacific Bell telephone truck smashed into the back of her stationary Volkswagen. She was left with permanent brain damage, and in the charge of her already emotionally disturbed son.

'It was shell shock, basically,' he says, quietly. 'One minute, I was flying around in jets, I had a colour TV in my bedroom; the next my mother and me were on welfare, living on food stamps. She was in diapers and barely able to move or communicate. It was a real tough time. I retreated into getting high on weed, and when I wasn't high, I was this angry, sad kid. There is not one photograph of me looking happy as a child. I was kind of lost for a long while.'

Today, Terry has a tattoo of himself as a sad little kid on his upper torso, but, one suspects, the real scars run much deeper. He has made up with his wayward father, who, having been homeless for a long time, now lives on social security in California and, with Terry's help, plans to publish a book of his Seventies work. They briefly tried to work together, but it ended in tears.

'We're close now, but it took a while. It's a beautiful and amazing thing to be able to hug him and tell him I love him, seeing as I tried to strangle him a few times, threw him across the apartment. All the classic father/son Greek mythology stuff.'

After a stint in various Southern California punk bands, including SSA (Signal Street Alcoholics), Baby Fist and Middle Finger, and a brief early flirtation with heroin, Richardson started taking photographs in earnest in the early Nineties. He shot whatever caught his eye on the street, and made a fitful living assisting 'other guys who weren't half as original'. His inspirations were Nan Goldin and Larry Clarke, documentarians of their own broken lives, as well as William Eggleston, whom he calls 'a true American visionary'. Richardson's own breakthrough came when he was commissioned to do a street fashion story for Vibe magazine in 1991, and he responded by shadowing a gang of teenagers for a night, snapping them as they hung out. The influential British art director Phil Bicker saw the result, and promptly hired Richardson for a campaign he was doing for Katharine Hamnett. The rest, as they say, is fashion history.

'Terry always did his own thing,' says Stephen Male, recalling those early days. 'I remember when the contact sheets came in for the Levi's shoot we did, every single one would feature a photograph of the model with her top off. I remember thinking, "How did he do that?" I mean, it wasn't really what was required for the shoot. Then it became Terry's thing. It seems almost quaint and old-fashioned now that we'd find it questionable. But that's fashion for you. Once somebody pushes the envelope, it doesn't take long for taboo images to become acceptable. Plus, fashion needs people like Terry; it needs to feel it has an edge all the time.' Terry, unsurprisingly, concurs. 'Hell, somebody's gotta come up once in a while and say bollocks to all that mainstream, glamour stuff.'

One feels, though, that fashion photography is no longer enough for Terry Richardson, that the rush he got from recording, then displaying, his own X-rated reality show will be both a catalyst for his already hyperactive creative imagination, and a hard(core) act to follow. There are signs, too, that he may already be tiring of the sexual infamy that he has worked so hard to sustain. He has been commissioned to write and direct a feature film, Son of a Bitch, about a father who returns out of the past to derail his son's life. It will, he insists, be entirely free of sex scenes.

'I love sex,' he says, 'and, above all, I love the first time I have sex with someone. That's the real buzz. Often girls have said to me: "Terry, it was all downhill after the first fuck," and that's kind of true, I guess. Sometimes, lately, I find myself thinking I'd really love to settle down, get married, have kids, have a regular relationship.'

Given his reputation, that may well remain wishful thinking, at least until he works through his compulsion to record his every casual sexual encounter on camera. His first marriage, to model Nikki Uberti, was short-lived and volatile, fuelled by copious amounts of Class A drugs. Richardson says any hopes of reconciliation were complicated by his efforts to stay off heroin, with which he had a long and fitful dependency.

He has been drug-free for three years now, after a group of friends staged an intervention when they found him comatose in his apartment on Christmas Day 2001.

'I was at the bottom, man. I'd just broken up with a girlfriend three days before, and I'd gone on a binge over Christmas. I'd done $100 worth of smack, taken a bunch of Valiums and drunk a bottle of vodka. I put on a suit and tie for Christmas, then it hit me that I was all alone. I went to sleep hoping that I wouldn't wake up. That's when the guys found me, and sent me off to rehab.'

These days, clean if not altogether serene, Terry Richardson's personal life seems a lot less messy than it was before. He has just split up, though, with his model girlfriend, Susan Eldridge, but seems remarkably chilled about his current situation, despite the often tragic events that have dogged what he calls, with Disney innocence, 'his incredible journey'.

'I felt I had to open up my soul and let all this stuff out,' he says, 'and then I could move on. I guess some people are more scared of me now than they were before, because they think I'm a crazy, exhibitionist nut. But the people who know me probably just think, "Oh, that's Terry doing his thing." Whatever, I'm cool with it. In my head, I've already moved on. I might do a kids' book next. Or just people's faces. Or I might do my out-of-the-closet book next.' He pauses, grinning. 'That's a joke, right?' If you say so, Terry, if you say so.

Mariacarla Boscono (May 2003)

2006-06-04T02:40:00.000-07:00

Mariacarla was born in Rome on September the 20th of 1980, under the sign of Virgo. Today she’s the only Italian model who has an international success. With her thin body she looks like a blade of grass grown up too fast, delicate as a cloud but she has a character of steel. At the age of 23 she’s travelled around the world a lot of times, she’s walked on the smartest catwalks of the planet and for the “Donna sotto le stelle” show in Piazza di Spagna in Rome, she took a tumble that made her gaining the audience sympathy. Yes, because she, very professional, laughed and started again her regal descent from the Roman staircase.
It is said that under the sign of Virgo born the beautiful ones.
“No, I only knew that they are scabby, not beautiful.”
Is money important for you?
“I’ve got money in a young age and I still don’t really know what they are. I’m not a spendthrift but not even a tight-fisted.”
How did you become a model?
“A Roman friend of my mother went for dinner. He had seen me as a little baby and then he met me again when I was 17. At that time I’d like to be a ballerina, a woman writer, a polo player, not a model. But he told my mother: “Your daughter is very nice, may I shot some photos?” He sent them to Milan and they got to Piero Pazzi’s hands (who still takes care of me today) who soon said that I should model.”
Polo player? How did it cross your mind?
“My brother Francesco, who lives in the States, is a professional player and has his own ranch, and horses.”
How many brothers do you have?
“Two. Carlo lives in Biella (Italy) and is a great glider pilot, he flies with paraglider and twin-engined plane.”
You are beautiful, very beautiful. But you’ve got small breasts... is it a problem?
“I didn’t really watch myself in the mirror ever. I don’t tell myself “oh God, I’ve got small breasts or I’ve got a big bottom... I take myself as I am”
And can you be like this and be a model?
“In my opinion it’s the key not to be swept away by it when it ends. Beauty is ephemeral. If the beauty pattern changes, you cannot do a course to adjust yourself. And you can’t either make your own beauty pattern. There are a lot of things beyond beauty.”
For example?
“I’m a person that’s pleasant to be with, and this counts. Because when you have to shot photos from 9 in the morning till 10 in the evening, people you work with should have nice time with you. In short, you must have something to say: a personality.”
What is shame for you?
“Shame could be lots of thing, also an expression you don’t want to say. Shame as you mean now, that is nudity, doesn’t concern me. Because I think not to have been vulgar ever. I don’t interpret maliciously a naked bosom.”
How many languages do you speak?
“English, French and Spanish.”
First kiss: could you tell me about it?
“First kiss?! It wasn’t really a kiss. I was in London, at a friend’s house to learn English. He was 15, I was 14 and I didn’t speak a word of English, but I understood that he was kidding me and saying I wasn’t either able to kiss. In short, it wasn’t really love, but only a sort of challenge. And so there was this lips-touch...”
How was that boy?
“He had red hair. I wonder why, in my life, especially when I was younger, I’ve always have red-hair boys close to me. My childhood best friend, Erik, has red hair. And do you know when you feel that sorrow, and you don’t know what is it about, and then you understand you’ve fallen in love? Well, my first feeling like that was for a red hair boy. My first boyfriend had red hair, too.”
And your first time?
“I was 17.”
And was it love?
“Mostly we were fond of each other. We had been together for long time, more than 2 years. My first boyfriend, my first everything, and he was such a good person. It was kind. I’ve always had sex in a very confidential way, it has never been a dirty thing. I told it to my mom at once.”
And what did she say?
“She already knew it. They already know everything, don’t they?”
Do you like the beautiful ones?
“I’ve never looked for beautiful people. Although my current boyfriend is very pretty.”
Why?
“Every so often I think that beautiful ones are a little bit superficial.”
Have you ever been left by someone?
“Oooohhhh yeeeeesss. My second love. I’ve discovered passion with him, the raging love, but after one year he simply told me “bye bye”. I couldn’t believe it! What! I’d been so bad for months. But then life went back and now I say: thanks heaven!”
And does passion scare you?
“I think that nobody could make me suffer again. Let’s say I’ve almost made a barrier. With my current boyfriend there was big passion at the beginning, and then, obviously, passion changed into another thing. It is now three year since we stay together and he is, first of all, my friend, my lover, my confidant. He’s the person I love to spend time with, to talk with, make things with. But know I know I could be left, and I stand at attention.”
Does he have a red hair?
“No. He’s dark-haired, he’s from Valtellina, more than a photographer, I would say he’s a digital artist.”
What do you read?
“Elsa Morante, Isabel Allende, Coelho, Camilleri...”
Sports?
“When I have some time I go horseriding. And I practise yoga.”
How is New York?
“It is a big experience, but not easy. American culture is difficult to live, here everything works by credits, that practically are your story in the U.S.A. Do you rent a video from Blockbuster? If you don’t return it back on time, it goes to your credits, and if you are always punctual, you gain credits. When you credits are allright, you can live your life, but until they aren’t, you can almost rent home or get a car.”
Do you go dancing?
“I’ve done it, but with the work I do, you can’t. But I’ve never been a disco-girl.”
Future?
“I think about it more and more. I have a lot of ideas and none. I’m a little bit confused. I would like to have a travel mag that could instil feelings.”
Cinema?
“I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it, yet. It could be, but I would never make a movie without making an acting-course. Because, unless you have a great talent, you are not born as an actor. Moreover, an actress-model, they are so racist!”
I know you have a dachsund...
“Yes, she’s Kaja, she comes from a Bob Marley album, since I love him, his culture, and what he sings...”
Do you support soft drugs or not?
“I’ve smoked, but I don’t do it anymore because it gives me a great paranoia. And I don’t like doing what most today’s young people are doing, come home at night and their only thought is to smoke a hashish cigarette. I relax more with a plate of pasta, writing my letters, go for a walk.”
Favourite colours?
“I love colours, but I wear in black, my colour is white, but I love red, green, lightblue.”
Your fears?
“I’m afraid of the plane, I’m afraid of the death, I’m afraid that this life will escape from me and I haven’t had enough time to breathe it and appreciate it.”
I know you’ve made a wonderful journey to Mongolia...
“With the Trans-siberian. It was great, the best experience of my life, last place on earth still not global. There, it is not even ancient, it is prehistoric. There’s nothing. There isn’t a bath, warm water, food, there’s only a lot of cordiality, infinite landscapes, lunar, an inner peace. Marvelous. And besides, the freedom to be myself, Mariacarla, without New York, the taxi, tha car, the make-up, the money and all the silly things of today’s world. Being there with my sleeping bag and my boyfriend.”
Regrets?
“Only the fact that my life seems to be escaping me too fast. I would like to be bored, sometimes.”
Do you dream?
“Yes, a lot, in colour. Great stories, great movies. It’s me travelling, going, talking. In fact, when I get up, I’m almost more tired than I was when I went to bed, and I remember them very well. And if I liked a scene, I draw it.”
Are you good in painting?
“Definitely not. But since my boyfriend makes these very surrealistic photos, I like giving him ideas through the landscapes I dream.”
Are you superstitious?
“Before going on the plane I have to do my rite. I have to take with me my amulets, things I cannot tell anything about.”
Something you never separate from?
“An earring, my mother has the other one.”
Maybe you are a child tied to her mother's apron strings?
“Uhmm, maybe still a little bit. I cannot get along without hearing her, but I call her once a day, not more.”
Will you have children?
“I will have a lot. I have my theory, more or less, after all we’ve been created to do that.”
Plans?
“Now I have a non stop month of travels, fittings, shows, seeing people, never stopping, sleeping a little. It will be very tiring.”
How do you recover?
“I sleep for a whole week the moment it finishes, also if it is 1 p.m., I close in a hotel and sleep. Usually I get sick.”
Friends?
“Very few. Not because of the life I do, but because I live in New York, where people is pretty cold. I would not say they are false, but scared. They give you their cell phone number, you call them and even if they have the phone in their hands, they do not answer but make the answering service answer, then they listen to the message and call you back. They have no contacts, they do not talk, they’re very scared, and I don’t know why. My friends are the same I’ve grown up with, those of Rome.”
Do you know what is sorrow?
“Unfortunately I’m not lucky in this sense, although I’m young I’ve lost some friends of mine in a tragical and stupid way. I haven't understood the meaning of death, yet. I’m not religious, but when I’m afraid of something I talk to someone higher that I can’t name with God, Allah or Buddha. But it scares me thinking about this life that, someday, will finish.”

Rouland Mouret (2006)

2006-06-04T02:28:00.000-07:00

Sales and red carpet sightings have surged for Roland Mouret since he decamped from the London runway to New York four seasons ago. The French-born, London-based designer’s sensual technique has seduced many a top tier A-list lady, including Scarlett, Nicole, Sienna, Demi, and Mischa, who regularly don his dresses at events and premieres.

What it is about wearing a Roland Mouret dress that pleases and empowers women so much?

I truly love women, all women. By the time a woman puts on one of my dresses we’re already into the second part of our relationship—I’ve been thinking about her while I’ve been designing, and I know how I want her to look and feel. I think women are intuitive and can feel that.

What’s your relationship like with Sharai Meyers, the woman you spend the most time with, your creative director, and the co-owner of the label?

It was like love at first sight when we met. We just clicked. Then her husband encouraged her to work with me. And we’re like husband and wife, and the company is our baby. Sometimes we think alike, other times we fight like cats and dogs. We have two distinctly different backgrounds—she’s Scottish, and quiet, and I’m French, fiery, and, well, a guy.

Tell us a little about spring 2006.

Cole Porter’s music, George Cukor’s The Women, and Norman Parkinson’s photography were all important influences. Also key was thinking about Jean Cocteau’s journey into surrealism through his relationships, and Tarantino’s idea of a heroine. For print and color in particular we got inspired by looking at objects through water—distorted sizes and shapes—and by Chihuly’s water form sculptures. So it’s really about contradiction, about mirroring and opposing images. Shape wise, it’s micro versus macro, which means you can expect lots of colors. You’ll find grays and blacks in the collection, as well as canary yellow, raspberry, and green.

What are your favorite things to do in New York?

A great day in New York for me is to go to eat at Mexican Mama, go shopping at Jeffrey and Bergdorf, and finish off with a Broadway show. This time it’s going to be Spamalot. I am crazy about Monty Python, and my friends told me they thought of me when they saw it.

What do you think of New York women?

I love their laidback elegance. A really important part of my work is blending a New York woman’s style with French eccentricity and the quirkiness of English women. I like to combine those different looks, so the clothing has that gypsy, traveled, cultured feel.

What do you usually do post-show?

I love private bedroom parties—I’m a typical Frenchman, you might say. But I love them because they’re new, and intimate. Typically it’s just my close friends and me in my room; we lie around and have cocktails and burgers. It’s great—we kick our shoes off, loosen our clothes, and relax. This season, though, Motorola is throwing me a proper party at the 60 Thompson hotel. But I still plan on sneaking some people to my room.

Gareth Pugh (aug 05)

2006-06-03T02:42:00.000-07:00

Designer Gareth Pugh is the non-cloying Harry Potter of the fashion world. Not only does the recent graduate of London's fabled Central Saint Martins bear an uncannily boyish resemblance to the wand-wielding do-gooder, but he also achieves a kind of magical theatricality with his experiments in proportion, scale and, most of all, irony. For his fall '05 debut collection in the Fashion East group show, London's breeding ground for cutting-edge new talent, he presented a black-on-black spectacle that caused a hullabaloo nearly as big as his massive balloon outfit that appeared on the cover of Dazed & Confused around the same time. Here, over a cutting table in his cluttered but sunlit South London studio, funded by designer Rick Owens and his partner Michelle Lamy, ERICA CROMPTON becomes the latest to fall under Pugh's spell.

There's a lot more happening in your line than getting the right skirt shape of the season. What's the concept?

It's about the struggle between lightness and darkness, like Nancy Kerrigan versus Tonya Harding. I find it amazing how ice-skating is this incredibly elegant art form and then there's this one pikey, trailer-trash skater who's a real bitch and has her opponent kneecapped. Also people like Gary Glitter, this old glam rock singer who turns out to be a pedophile.

Is that also the premise of your Pied Piper-inspired fall collection?

Yes. Pied Piper is this twee story in the beginning, but then he ends up kidnapping all the children of the town. I'm also inspired by split-personality mothers who are aggressively sexual people and go out on the night, like Grace Jones but worse. One outfit I'm working on [for spring 06] is going to be bright plastic, but also very dark, like a woman who's really nasty but very polished.

The Dazed cover with the balloons hit stands before you even staged your first runway show. Tell us about those infamous inflatables.

They were the best piece from my graduation show at Central Saint Martins. I showed them again [alongside Hussein Chalayan and Stella McCartney] at a Dazed exhibit a little later. Then it got picked up by Nicola [Formichetti, Senior Fashion Editor of Dazed & Confused], who put it on the cover.

Explain the sequence of events after that.

I was selling stuff at Kokon To Zai in Paris, then they flew me there to dress their windows. Then I went to Rome to do that horrible reality TV program, The Fashion House, simply because my only other option was the dole. I was offered a daily allowance and two months free rent. I thought it was going to be really good, like the new Clothes Show [the now-defunct, cultish BBC show], and I was going to be another Caryn Franklin [the show's presenter and i-D's fashion editor during the Eighties]. But no! It just turned into a big charade. Later, Revillon [the French furrier recently revived by Rick Owens] called me for work. So I went to Paris Couture Week to style the models at some salon shows.

What has been your career high to date?

Dazed's cover! Also, last week I went to a shoot that was for the cover of Japanese Dazed. I was photographed with other designers like Kim Jones and Ann-Sofie Back. Showing at Fashion East was amazing, too.

Does growing up in Sunderland in Britain's northeast inspire you?

Yes. My collections are autobiographical. I don't need to go to the library and look in a book to see the boot I want to make. And I can't really see myself going off to some place like India and doing a collection based on the local garb. I think that'd be a bit contrived because it's not somewhere I know about. Whereas I've lived in Sunderland for a long time and I know it intimately, so to tap into it as a source of inspiration is, I think, quite honest.

You made your fall collection in a squat. What's the story there?

It was a huge converted warehouse the size of Harvey Nichols. I stayed there for a month. The building was split up into various levels. It had an art gallery, a nightclub, a theater with stupidly high ceilings and a fully equipped gym with a sunbed and saunas. There was also a gospel church with loads of side rooms which we used as bedrooms. On the top level was the roof, which made bonfire nights a lot of fun. We watched a 360-degree firework show all over London one night. My studio was the gym, and off the gym was a completely mirrored dance studio like Flashdance. I often used the sunbed as a bed. It was warm, and it was February, so elsewhere in the building was quite cold. And it meant that although I didn't sleep for a month, I still retained a healthy glow.

What happened to it?

We were kicked out to property developers with a court order. They're ripping the whole thing down to build luxury flats. It's such a shame! I was halfway into doing the Kylie thing at the time.

Tell us more about the Kylie [Minogue] thing.

I designed pieces for her Greatest Hits tour. That was fun. I used the first dress I ever made, a black leather S&M harness with metal rings and straps, in a suit fabric made to look like gingham, like a biker version of Bo Peep. It opened at the front and had loads of circles so when she spun around it kicked out. We made that but they also wanted it to be a bit Kylie-fied, so it was my dress with their fabrics. I also made ten or eleven male backing outfits.

And the balloons?

I got my balloons in there, too.