peut ĂŞtre Issue 9
Dress by Steven Tai Earrings by Siki de Somalie
CHRIS ARUNDEL
peut-être
-nini peony-
-ninipeony-shop.com-
fall winter 14-15 fall winter 14 15
Photographer: Stefano Pasini Styling : Moth_x Model Love & Irina Tibaeva Make Up : Luca Cianciolo Hair: Pawel Solis -Sabrina Priano Photographer: Stefano Pasini Styling : Moth_x Model Love & Irina Tibaeva Make Up : Luca Cianciolo Hair: Pawel Solis -Sabrina Priano
LUBOS PLNY. Š Collection abcd/Bruno Decharme
art brut collection abcd / Bruno Decharme du 18 octobre 2014 au 18 janvier 2015
la maison rouge 10 bd de la bastille 75012 paris france www.lamaisonrouge.org
Skirt by COS Coat by Yasuyuki Ishii
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CONTENTS
Issue 9
Model Jean Lemersre. Ephemeral Tattoos by Inès Carratié
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR
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KINGYO - Timur Simakov
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YASUYUKI ISHII
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MELISSA DEL BONO - Interview
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I WAS QUIET, BUT I WAS NOT BLIND - Yulia Terenti
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STEVEN TAI – Interview
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THE QUEEN OF ALL COLOURS WAS BLACK – Soekie Gravenhorst
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IT’S IN OUR IDLENESS - Gabrielle Dubois
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OPIUM - Gabrielle Dubois
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DANCE - Jean Lemersre
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THERE ARE DARK SHADOWS ON THE EARTH
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LOST PATH - Portfolio
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BERTRAND SECRET - Interview
On our cover & on the left: Model Jean Lemersre at Bananas. Photography by Nathalie Malric. Make-up by Joséphine Bouchereau. Ephemeral Tattoos by Inès Carratié On our back cover: Model Fuoguli Dtyyft. Photography, styling and hair by Nathalie Malric. Make-up by Joséphine Bouchereau. Jacket by Yohji Yamamoto.
Model Jean Lemersre.Tattoos by Nini Peony.
A WORD FROM THE EDITOR
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As a photographer, what has always fascinated and inspired me is texture. It is the essence of beings, humans, animals, plants and even the most interesting of manufactured objects. This issue celebrates my love for texture through three themes that are dear to me: - Skin: the natural texture of skin has disappeared from almost all published pictures in magazines. It is most often seen excessively airbrushed, so that people resemble plastic, wax or silicone dolls. Collaborating with graceful dancer Jean Lemersre and talented artist Inès Carratié, who drew directly on Jean’s skin, gave new breath to my portraits and love for movement. Peacock feathers and growing branches dance and pulsate on unretouched skin in a beautiful trance. - Ceramics: an inspired soul that trusts one’s vision and hands can give life to ceramic creatures. That is sculptor Bertrand Secret’s gift. Taking pictures of his dark, mysterious and organic characters became a hypnotic process: the more I shot, the more I discovered overwhelming details that slowly unveiled viscous, rough, delicate, sharp, crisp, fluffy, porous and coated textures. It was not only about the ceramics, but also of the oldest, most genuine and natural materials that nature can provide: wood, feathers, and dried flowers. This authenticity is also what defines their creator, and when Bertrand Secret proposed a shoot in a location that would inspire me and suit his characters perfectly, I fully trusted him. As soon as he showed me the chipping paint on the huge walls of old Ateliers SNCF in Arles, in the south of France, I fell in love with the place. The texture was inspiring in so many levels. Sadly the buildings are destined to be destroyed in order to make way for a brand new project. We are glad that melancholic place is now immortalized in the pictures we bring to you in this issue. -Fabric: I was honoured that Yohji Yamamoto’s team trusted me and allowed me to work with them for the second time on my personal project, which is based on the quest for identity through clothing and self-portraits. This series was inspired by my relationship with fabrics, and how to give life to the garments made with those fabrics, endeavouring to do justice to their colours, sheerness, fluidity, contrasts, structure or delicacy. I hope you enjoy as much as I do, the endless richness of textures that the deepest and sometimes most humble things in life can provide us through this very special body of works.
Nathalie Malric
All images copyright © Nathalie Malric unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from the publisher. Copyright Peut-Être magazine 2011-2014
KINGYO Location: Les Suites - Paris Model Timur Simakov at Karin Models Photography & Styling by Nathalie Malric Ephemeral tattoos by Inès Carratié Make-up by Joséphine Bouchereau
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Coat by Yasuyuki Ishii
Coat by Yasuyuki Ishii
Location at Les Suites Model Quentin Lejarre at Elite Photography by Nathalie Malric Clothes by Yasuyuki Ishii Shoes by Doc Martens
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INTERVIEW Courtesy of meli melo
Melissa Del Bono
Fashion Designer
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Melissa Del Bono did not take the conventional route to becoming a designer. Born in the United Kingdom, she grew up on the Italian volcanic island Panarea, only to return to the UK to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Oxford Brookes in 2001. After working within the editorial team at Harpers Bazaar and gaining marketing experience for three years in luxury brands such as Aspreys, Melissa established her own label ‘meli melo’ in 2005. What started out discreetly as a hobby quickly garnered appreciation from the fashion industry, as Melissa’s designs appeared on the coveted pages of magazines such as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and Elle. With a passion for vintage pieces, Melissa looks to history for inspiration, ‘the past is a great source of inspiration for me. Take the wicker basket bags for example, in the past they were used as feeding bowls for horses to eat from while they were on the move’. In doing so, Melissa portrays beauty in the most functional of objects, transforming them through her talent into beautiful fashionable pieces. We chat to Melissa to find out more about her inspiration behind ‘meli melo’: Interview by Nathalie Malric – Text by Clarice Chian
Peut-être: Hi Melissa, it seems bags have always had an important place in your life, even when you were a little girl. I read you had a huge wicker basket you took everywhere to look like the ladies of your village. When did you decide to launch your own brand? Melissa Del Bono: It’s really when was I brave enough to go for it! I had always been a creative at heart and with my background being PR I had the building blocks to start my business, but you have to really believe in yourself! I had one bag made and my friends loved it, so their belief in me secured the confidence that people would love the bags. I had a ticket booked to Argentina, so I sold it and started ‘meli melo’ with the money I had used for my ticket. I come from a very entrepreneurial family, so deep down it’s always been in my blood to start something of my own. I began the business from my home in London, and it all took off from there. VOGUE UK covered the brand launch in 2005, which was an amazing starting block, and a fantastic compliment to be supported by the press. Nowadays when you launch a brand, creativity is not enough; you have to deal with economics and strategy. Having studied business, did that help you develop your brand at every level? At the beginning it was only me! I covered every aspect of the business. The design, sales, press and even shipping at times! I did it all from my home in London. The brand began to grow quickly. I knew that in order for it to expand globally I had to get a team together that would allow me to focus more on design, and all creative areas, whilst the economic side, as you say, could be taken care of in a global sense by the rest of the team. At first, I still got involved in all areas of ‘meli melo’,
however now my main lead is design, which was my first love. It’s the very reason I started ‘meli melo’. I noticed that some designers created their own brand because they were looking for the ideal shoes, bag, jacket they could not find in the stores. They first did it for themselves, and then noticed how successful they were with their friends who were very supportive so they decided to create their own label. Do you think it makes it more personal and authentic than a «marketing» brand? Definitely, when you make something that you want to wear, it makes it much more personal already, as you are promoting something you care for and believe in. When you can really relate to a brand on a personal level as well as a style level in my eyes it makes it more successful. I created a bag that I hoped would change the way women carry their handbags, a bag that is versatile and practical as well as timelessly chic. Your flagship store is based in Portobello in London. Do you visit the Portobello vintage market for your inspiration? I do, all the time. Notting Hill is my home so I am always scouting the market for interior pieces as well as vintage fashion finds. I like to look back to the past for inspiration and then mix it with new, modern materials and designs. It keeps things fresh. How did you get the idea of the Thela inverted straps? The idea came from the baskets that the women carried in my Island (the Aeolian Island, Panarea). When I was just a little girl, I would watch them carrying these baskets everyday. As I grew up I decided that I wanted to re-invent this basket into something sophisticated and chic. Then came the BB Bag
Courtesy of meli melo
and Thela Bag. The wicker baskets would have these handles; so replicating them was a great way of keeping the Italian Heritage core to the brand. Where does the ‘meli melo’ name come from? It’s the nickname my family and friends would call me on the island! What are your favourite models and colours of ‘meli melo’? The Thela Bag is the bag I wear every day! It’s our signature bag, and it’s loved by so many. It’s also named after my husband’s grandmother, so it definitely holds a special place for me. I also love the new mini Thela that we have just launched this season! It can be worn across body, which is perfect for me, as I’m always on the go, or as a mini tote in the evening. Its versatility makes it the perfect day-to-night accessory. I’ll be investing in a classic black mini, and some of the leopard pony skin for next season, the leathers are just beautiful. Your last collection is inspired by Jackson Pollock, where do you get your inspiration for your collection? It was indeed. Inspiration can be picked up anywhere…from when I travel, to just being in the garden at home. The new collection is titled ‘Fashion Feline’ after I decided to focus on my love for beautiful animal prints. I am not often inspired by just one thing, it’s more likely to be a mixture of things that I have seen or experienced that shape the way I envision how the new collection should look and feel.
I read your career inspiration is Bottega Venetta, for their great quality and timeless pieces, which you can keep for a lifetime. Do you think high quality and timeless fashion can get a balance between the need to sell as much as possible each season, and produce pieces that should last beautifully? For me, quality is so important, and quality equals timelessness because it lasts. All of our leathers are Italian, and the bags are made in my native country Italy. Not only is this personal to me, but it’s also the highest quality of craftsmanship. The leather only gets better with age. If I were to buy something that was beautiful but lasted 5 minutes because it was not good quality, I wouldn’t buy it again. If something lasts as well as looks amazing, I will go back for more. The balance is never to compromise on quality, but instead to bring in new designs or change designs, colours and prints, to keep your collections exciting! Things can be timeless and modern. What are your projects and dreams for the future? New stores and new collaborations are big projects for us at the moment! I chose Notting Hill because it’s personal to me, and in the future, the Notting Hill store can act as a landmark of how ‘meli melo’ has grown. My dreams are to continue to be so lucky, to keep designing and to keep growing ‘meli melo’! meli melo 324 Portobello Road London W10 5RU www.melimelo.co.uk
"I was quiet, but I was not blind." Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
Location: Les Suites - Paris Model Yulia Terenti at Oui Management Photography & Styling by Nathalie Malric Make-up & hair by JosĂŠphine Bouchereau Assistant styling by Laurence Nollet
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Beaded coat by Biyan Bag by Rupert Sanderson
Top by Elie Saab Skirt and belt by Yang Li
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In hushed pastel tones fashioned in silhouettes that speak of a quiet elegance, silk satins, organza, laser cut leather and nacar marquetry are understatedly sumptuous, whilst flashes of gold and silver inject opulence through sleek and minimal accessories, maintaining a pure atmosphere.
Clarice Chian
Beaded coat by Biyan Shoes by Elie Saab
Bag by Rupert Sanderson Detail of beaded coat by Biyan
Beaded coat by Biyan
Tiara by Jennifer Behr
Organza coat by Rochas Purse by Serpui Marie
Organza coat by Rochas Marquetry purse by Serpui Marie
Marquetry purse by Serpui Marie
Coat by Rochas Necklace by Uncommon Matters Shoes by Elie Saab
Detail of coat by Rochas Necklace by Uncommon Matters
Bag by Meli Melo Beaded dress by Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Top by Yang Li Pants by Elie Saab
Belt worn as a top by Peachoo & Krejberg Bangles by Territori - Alessandra Bruni Large bangle by Lele Sadoughi
Skirt by Roksanda
Dress by Giambattista Valli Haute Couture
Silk dress by Ulyana Sergeenko Haute Couture
Shoes by Rochas
Natalie Constantinidou www.natalieconstantinidou.com
INTERVIEW Portrait by Kin Chan
Steven Tai
Fashion Designer
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A self-professed bookworm, Canadian-born and London-based designer Steven Tai, graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2011. Following stints at Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Hussein Chalayan, and Damir Doma, it was only after he won the inaugural Chloé award at the 2012 Hyères Festival that he began thinking of starting his eponymous label, which he debuted later that year. With a passion for textiles, Steven Tai likes to focus on craftsmanship, researching technological innovations that can be passed onto everyday wear. The designer views fashion as if it were a science lab, and a showpiece could take two months to create for his runway presentation. He has previously incorporated laser cutting, silk screening, bonding, and aqua suede accents (similar to puff paint) created by hand in his London studio, along with elaborate embroidery and collaborations with artists such as Lola Dupré. Despite his innovative collection, Steven’s unique pieces successfully balance ‘craziness’ with ‘wearability’ by using simple silhouettes. He explains: “At Saint Martins, nothing you can do is crazy enough. I learned from that, but it’s important to have a balance. Technology and textiles are the crazy parts of my collection. It’s all about these insane, complicated procedures, and the silhouette stays simple—otherwise, it gets a bit overwhelming.” The designer chats to us about being a nerd, his life after Hyères, being obsessive compulsive and more: Interview by Nathalie Malric – Text by Clarice Chian
Peut-Être : Hi Steven! How are you? What are you working on at the moment? Steven Tai : Hi Nathalie! I am very well, thank you! I am just working on preparing for the ANDAM Award at the moment. What was your reaction when you found out you were nominated for the ANDAM award? When I saw the email my first thought was to tell myself to prepare for the worst. I actually tried to guess the results by looking at the size of the email before opening it as I assumed a positive letter would be generally a bigger size. In the end I just clicked on it and was thrilled to have been selected. I think ANDAM is a new step in terms of exposure after the Hyères fashion festival. Did Hyères change a lot of things in your career? Definitely! I think it really changed my life. I was thinking about it when I was at Hyères (Festival) again this year. I thought that had it not been for the Chloé Award, or the show sponsored by Mercedes Benz, I wouldn’t have launched my brand, which I guess meant that my life would have been very different. Was it a dream for you to launch your brand? Or was it an opportunity you hadn’t really thought of, but was presented to you by the great exposure you had at Hyères? It seems now that fashion school students are more aware of financial difficulties, and would rather work for a big fashion house than launch their own brand. Yes, I think the struggle for finance is a very real issue for most
young designers. I never really thought about launching a brand before Hyères. It was really after the show in Berlin that I realized that I have been given such a great opportunity. I thought many new designers would dream of a start like this and it would be a shame not to give the brand a try, so here I am two years later! It must have been crazy the past couple years : You received good press, traveled a lot to showcase your collections, met influential people in the fashion industry like Anna Wintour and Franca Sozzani, and model Karolina Kurkova wore one of your dresses to last season’s Fashion Week. Celebrities are very important in brand strategy. Even though I know you’re not into celebrities and strategy, what celebrities would you be happy to be a ‘Steven Tai’ girl? That is such a tough question... I have always loved Elle Fanning. She is so happy and joyful every time I see her in interviews. I think that type of genuine pure excitement is quite rare these days in Hollywood. She’s still young and has maybe learned from her elder sister Dakota, who got into fame at a young age. She would be the perfect muse though. She has the ‘Steven Tai’ fresh touch. Haha, yes! Maybe one day. She is very popular these days. Your videos are always creative and fresh, like the ones with the ski lesson and the jumping rope. There’s always an unconventional concept behind them. How do you come up with them? Hmm, I don’t know exactly. I think it’s always a reflection of
Prototypes and fabric samples from Spring Summer 2014
something in my past. I am always very nostalgic of my youth. It always felt a bit fun and silly, and I think that’s what I seek for when I think of concepts for the brand’s videos.
Ah, yes. We actually used the same bowling alley for our AW14 lookbook! I guess it all goes back to relating to having fun and high school days.
Your videos and collections are also very personal. The collection you presented at Hyères was about you reading books. I remember that when we met back then, you said you were kind of proud of being a nerd. Yes! Still am proud to be a nerd.
I can feel this nostalgia in your work, but there is also a lot of technology and modernity in it. You used silicone, and do a lot of textile research. What is the most exciting part in the fashion process? I think the most exciting part is mixing something from the past and watch its interaction with technology. I think it gives new potential to things we might have once been familiar with.
What is a regular day with Steven Tai? A regular day... I suppose it depends on what part of the season I am. I have learned to be a lot more diligent and keep to a routine now. So the morning is always greeting the interns and setting them off for the morning. Then it’s attending to emails. And by the mid-afternoon it’s time to review samples and designs. I tend to have a difficult time focusing when the interns and employees are around. So I tend to get on with more creative work after everyone has left. Then it’s an evening of sampling, emails and researching. By that time, it would be morning in Asia and I would have brief talks with manufacturers and suppliers there. I like the cool and friendly atmosphere at your studio. I remember you went bowling after work with your interns when one’s internship was coming to an end.
What is the next collection about? Did you get time to think about it or are you into production of Fall Winter 2014/15? We are in the middle of AW14’s production. But for ANDAM we have to present SS15’s ideas and sketches as well. So that is what I am currently working on. Can you tell us bit more or is it a secret you have to keep for ANDAM? Haha, it’s not so much a secret, but rather, I am sure by the time this is published I would have changed the concept 10 times already. Currently, I am looking at hip-hop culture, along with research on a love-lost figure called Emma Hauck. Her story is tragic and heartbreaking. Are you attracted
Photography by Kin Chan
Prototypes from Fall Winter 2014
by the sad aspect of her life or the very interesting graphic aspect of her letters? Both. I like obsessions…I grew up with OCD so I think a part of me can really relate. What kind of OCD did you have, if you don’t mind sharing? I was just constantly checking things. I kept thinking I dropped something. So at its worst I was taking 2 steps forward, 3 steps back. A simple 20-minute journey, at its worst, took up to 2 hours! How long did it last? It was quite gradual. I think it took about 2 - 3 years before it got to the point where it was really out of control. How did you get through this? Did something special help you get out of this situation? Yeah, actually at the university where I was studying, they had a special course in OCD support. And that was where most of it was treated. I think that using your obsessive personality in a creative process like fashion, where you can express yourself, allows you to transcend it in a very beautiful way. Haha, perhaps I never got cured of my OCD! I just transferred
my obsession from one thing to another! Well, at least it’s a beautiful and creative obsession! Your last collection is about a girl who just broke up, kept her exboyfriend clothes and ripped them off. Could you do such a thing? As revenge? Hmm no, I don’t think so. But I like the idea of someone being able to let such raw emotions out. Without consideration! You are very busy developing your brand, but what do you like to do when you have some spare time? Sleep! Or play video games. Which designers do you think bring something fresh and new at the moment? I think a lot of London designers are doing very well. As always, looking at graduates of CSM (Central Saint Martins) keeps things interesting. But in terms of specific designers, I think Marques Almeida is fantastic. Yes, I see how you can relate to them. It’s a bit boyish and not into the ‘sexy’ thing, but with beautiful materials. Is it important for your girls not to be obviously sexy? Yes, definitely. For me, it’s not about the display of a certain part of the body that is sexy. I think it is much more about the attitude.
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Chloe named Steven Tai as the winner of its inaugural design prize at the Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography in 2012.
“I never really thought about launching a brand before Hyères. I thought many new designers would dream of a start like this and it would be a shame not to give the brand a try, so here I am two years later !”
I read your mum is kind of a muse. Yes, she is. She is a very strong lady and she worked in Macau for most of her career, China, where it is male dominant. I really appreciate the fact that she stands strong and doesn’t display any kind of sexiness in that environment. Is she supportive of your work ? Oh yes. Completely, she supports me 100%. What was her reaction when you got the Chloe prize at Hyères ? She was really happy. But it was over the telephone, so it was hard to read more into it. You told me that fashion is a way to express yourself, but you could also do something else. Do you think someday you would like to try something else or will it be definitely only fashion ? Oh, definitely other things too, if I ever find the time. I think videos are a good distraction that allows me to try other things. Yes, you certainly can tell stories. In fact, I think you’re very good at telling stories. Yes, I do love story telling. Even as a kid I really liked having my friend’s younger sibling sit around as I translated Chinese comic books to them in English. It’s any form of
Sketches from Fall Winter 2014
communication, I suppose. Perhaps it was in relation to being a single child, a way to connect with others. So now you connect to people by enhancing their personality through their clothing. Hmm, I am not sure. It’s a fairly isolated process to create a collection. But I think being involved in all aspects of the business allows me to connect to a lot of people that way. The clothing, after it leaves my world, is up to the wearer to interpret for himself or herself. Have you ever been surprised by an unexpected way someone was wearing your clothes? No, not yet. I think the first time I saw someone wearing it was actually a guy during Men’s London Fashion Week. So I guess I was surprised that way. Oh, because it was womenswear worn by a guy? Yes. But it was great to see it unexpectedly. Some of your pieces are unisex I think. Hmm I think so too. I wear them sometimes! What are your dreams and expectations for the future? It would be great to have the brand grow and stabilize. And I would really like it if I can get more chances to collaborate
with other disciplines on other projects. What other disciplines would you be excited to collaborate? Well, film, products, magazines, anything visual that tells a story excites me. I’m sure anything you work on will be fun, smart, creative and relevant! That’s too kind! I don’t think so myself! Because you’re humble (laugh). I am in Paris now, and I think the taxi is taking me around for a ride! Paris is beautiful, so I am always happy when I am here.
Photography by Kin Chan
“For me, it’s not about the display of a certain part of the body that is sexy. I think it is much more about the attitude.”
Photography by Kin Chan
“I’ve been 40 years discovering that the queen of all colors was black”
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Location : abcd art brut Clothes by Coinonia Accessories by Territori - Alessandra Bruni Model : Soekie Gravenhorst Photography & Styling by Nathalie Malric Hair & Make-up by Joséphine Bouchereau
Detail of dress by Coinonia
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Bangle + bracelets by Territori - Alessandra Bruni
Top and skirt by Coinonia
Shoulder straps by Territori - Alessandra Bruni
Dress by Coinonia
Jacket and dress by Coinonia
Shoulder straps by Territori - Alessandra Bruni
Bracelets by Territori - Alessandra Bruni Jacket by Coinonia
Shoulder straps by Territori - Alessandra Bruni
« It is in our idleness,in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top.» Virginia Woolf
Location : Les Suites - Paris Model : Gabrielle Dubois at Oui Management Photography & Styling by Nathalie Malric Make-up & hair by Joséphine Bouchereau Assistant styling by Laurence Nollet
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Dress by Manish Arora Sunglasses by Anna-Karin Karlsson Headband by Nini Peony
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Dream of a place where pineapples are found on your fingers, spotted leopards lounge languidly on your brow, and exotic birds are perched daintily on your blouse; a place where feathered headpieces and opulent turbans are worn nonchalantly with your ‘Sunday best’ whilst barefoot on a leisurely weekday. Because what are dreams but a place where we can be frivolous, have fun and feel free? Clarice Chian
Insect ring, leather bangles & necklace by Territori - Alessandra Bruni Hair pins by Nini Peony Vintage Hermès jacket by Tiger in the Rain. Detail of fully sequined dress by Manish Arora
Necklace by Territori - Alessandra Bruni Detail of chain dress by Manish Arora Fushia flower hairpiece by Gigi Burris Flower hair pins by Nini Peony
Dress by Manish Arora Sunglasses by Anna-Karin Karlsson Headband by Nini Peony
Dress by Manish Arora Sunglasses by Anna-Karin Karlsson Headband by Nini Peony
Bracelet by Hélène Zubeldia Fuschia turban by Donia Allegue
Silk dress by Nina Ricci Rings by Manish Arora Floral crown by Nini Peony Shoes by Minna Parikka
Silk dress by Nina Ricci Earrings by Hélène Zubeldia
Jumpsuit by Natalie Constantinidou Feathered turban by Donia Allegue
Shirt and skirt by Natalie Constantinidou Turban by Donia Allegue Brooch by Siki de Somalie
Organza dress and coat by Avtandil Turban by Donia Allegue
Organza dress and coat by Avtandil Turban by Donia Allegue
Turban by Donia Allegue Earrings by Siki de Somalie Dress and lace jumpsuit by Natalie Constantinidou
Vintage Chanel tweed jacket by Tiger in the Rain. Earrings by Territori - Alessandra Bruni Sequined dress by Elie Saab
Turban by Donia Allegue Dress by Natalie Constantinidou Ring by Manish Arora
Top and skirt by Giambatista Valli Sunglasses by Anna-Karin Karlsson
Coat by Biyan Earrings by Hélène Zubeldia
Dress by Natalie Constantinidou Gloves by Tsumori Chisato Earrings by Moye & Da
Feathered bangle by Moye & Da Necklace and feather headpiece by Territori - Alessandra Bruni Beaded jacket by Sorapol
Opium Location : Les Suites - Paris Model Gabrielle Dubois at Oui Management Photography & Styling by Nathalie Malric Ephemeral Tattoos by Inès Carratié Make-up by Joséphine Bouchereau
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Dance «Dance, when you’re broken open. Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you’re perfectly free.» Rumi 13th-century Persian poet
Location: Les Suites - Paris Model Jean Lemersre at Bananas Photography by Nathalie Malric Ephemeral Tattoos by Inès Carratié Make-up by Joséphine Bouchereau
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LOST PATH Characters by sculptor Bertrand Secret Photography by Nathalie Malric
Wild Child
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Wild Child
Wild Child
Guardian II
Guardian II
Guardian II
Guardian II
Sous les paupières
Guardian III
Le sang qui rive
Le sang qui rive
Le sang qui rive
Guardian I
Guardian I
Yokai
Yokai
Yokai
Yokai
Oiseau de nuit
Oiseau de nuit
Oiseau de nuit
Oiseau de nuit
Oiseau de nuit
Oiseau de nuit
INTERVIEW
Bertrand Secret Sculptor
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When I first saw Nathalie Malric’s photographs of Bertrand Secret’s creatures in the old Ateliers SNCF, which previously hosted the Rencontres d’Arles, it was a moment out of time because I was transported into the simple matter of beauty and sense, and I could almost feel the richness of textures and lights carried by his work. Bertrand is a dear friend of mine, his practice is like magic to me, and as an artist myself, I wanted to know more about some of the questions I often have about the mysterious path of inner images, and the world that leads us to create tirelessly. Cendrine Rovini - Editing by Clarice Chian
Cendrine Rovini : I sometimes imagine what could be the destiny of my artworks in one century or a thousand years, something rather distant in time but conceivable from a human point of view. When I think about it, it is like giving an additional autonomy to the images, and I enjoy this idea. Do you imagine the future of your creatures? If so, how do you see them evolving, and in which kind of world? Bertrand Secret : Yes, I too imagine what could be the destiny of my creatures in a future where I won’t have existed in a long time, and many stories come to my mind relating to this. First, I think about my children, about my children’s children. I wonder which interaction, which peculiar dialogue they will have with my characters of clay, if the memory of blood, of earth and water will deliver them a more intimate message. But I also imagine those creatures into more distant times, without the effects of years passing on them, because they are at the same time young and old: when they come to light into my hands, they seem immemorial. Maybe they will be regarded, loved and later forgotten, put away, buried into the obscurity of a vegetal soil. They will be there, thriving into oblivion, and they will keep radiating patiently and waiting to perhaps be found again. Their time is not ours, they hardly see us while we are permanently stirring, like tiny confused and fragile butterflies. I live nearby Arles. One summer, a team of archaeologists explored the river of Rhône and recovered a torso of Julius Caesar, the only sculpture carved during his lifetime (they discovered this fact later). This sculpture is so powerful, it is
so moving! It was waiting there in the silt, amongst the rusty carcasses or cars and washing machines, in the silent waters of the river. Maybe some of my creatures will have a similar destiny: a rest at the bottom of a lake or a river, and some others, perhaps most of them, will end broken and scattered into brilliant shards along paths. Do you have any ‘rituals’ or peculiar habits while you are working or about to start on a piece? I do not have any peculiar ritual ; I am just in a mental and physical state of effervescence, excitement and joyous feverishness when I am at work. I also experience this when I open my kiln, mixed with anxiety and respect for the fire to which I entrust a creature. Did you notice any influence of the seasons onto your creativity? I personally noticed that summer is for me a time less suitable, not only because of a lesser presence in the studio, but mostly because this season is for me less inspiring, and so it is an occasion to let something working internally by itself, without my awareness. I am a spring child, and it is always the season when my blood, my ideas, run faster. I think that we are linked with the season when we are born in. But, like you, I have fallow times when images macerate and move along subterraneously. It must be our “plant-being” which enforces us into those vegetative periods. The return in the studio is only better after that!
“Fire gives, fire takes”. You like saying those words ; I feel they have for you a peculiar importance, maybe it is related with the mishaps, which often are sources of surprise and beauty within the work in progress. Would you like to tell us more about it? Is fire the only source of surprise in your practice or do you have other spontaneous collaborators amongst the elements? I have a huge respect for the fire. Many ceramists agree that the practice of clay and fire is a path of patience and humility. I quickly realized that none of my pieces came out from the kiln as I imagined them. I understood that those cracks, those spillings and deformations are the force of my pieces: those accidents are the share of the fire, which is a cruel and generous god, and devours some of my children of clay and blesses some others by offering them the unexpected. I welcome this as I can: sometimes I feel sad, disappointed and angry; sometimes I am perplexed or enchanted. When I open the kiln and discover in the dark the transformed creature, I take it out delicately and put it into the light, I look at it, turn it around, and get reacquainted. The cracks in the glaze or the slits will appear as unbearable defects for some people for whom control or a certain idea of perfection is important. For me, they are moving confirmations that during a moment those figures were molten earth. Pottery is a mere collaboration with all the elements, and if you add to it the infinite possibilities of glaze, you are really close to an alchemical practice.
Music seems to have a huge importance for you and your artistic practice. Does it happen to you to listen on repeat only one track while working because it leads you to a realm where magic arises? Who are your favorite artists for music? Yes, me too I am the one who will be able to listen on repeat the same track until it dries in some way! I create along with music. It is for me a true catalyst of images, it swarms around and infuses into me with subtlety and sensitivity; it colors my visions and makes my hands more fertile upon the clay. I imagine that in some way the notes and words fossilize and agglomerate to the clay I am kneading. Amongst the artists who accompany me into the studio, there is PJ Harvey, Patrick Watson, or more recently Hundred Waters. Now a question related with the previous one (music is sometimes a mean to dive into trance): how do you relate with ‘letting go’? Do you sometimes sense that only your hands are working in tune with the clay and that your rational mind stays still and in the background? I think that clay is one of the most primitive mediums for expressing yourself. In this practice, notions like rhythm and commitment to the body can lead you into a trance. Hands run onto clay and, like thousands of years before, idols, creatures and visions arise from an intuitive place. Of course, the reason and the rationality always try to keep the control and fight against this ‘letting go’, but the dialog with the matter is so
hypnotic that they are plunged into a lethargy that allows the intuition to express itself. The clay has its own will, and there are moments during our collaboration when I don’t know very well if my hands are the ones who decide, or if I am but the intermediary between fleeting visions and matter wishing to be incarnate. You seem to be very nurtured from your readings. Besides the fact that a literary work we especially like is a real longterm food for our artistic practice, does it happen that some words you read generates a sort of impetus in you, a sudden need to create from it? Writing is a path that fascinates me; there is something sacred, vertiginous about it. It is one of my practices, I write stories and it immerses me into states close to astral travel ! Reading too has this power of allowing somebody leave their body and travel into other dimensions. It happens to me to have the sort of impetus you describe : a sentence or a text settles in me like a retinal persistence and it lasts beyond, it asks to find its incarnation into the clay. Sometimes the influence of my readings is more subterranean, but maybe it nurtures my visions or a peculiar state of mind that facilitates creation. I have books that are very important to me, like oasis of pure imagination from which I enjoy resourcing myself. Amongst those numerous books, the mere evocation of the titles takes me far away, like Lord of the flies, by William Golding,
“I think that clay is one of the most primitive mediums for expressing yourself.”
The Man who knew the language of the snakes, by Andrus Kivirähk, La horde du contrevent, by Alain Damasio. Also, the books as objects are important to me, their presence is reassuring and I am fascinated by the power of those artifacts of ink and paper. You draw a lot, I would like to know more about the role of your sketches: are they means to define an idea you saw from within, or is it more of a way to improvise creatures and spaces amongst which you will chose from new artworks later?
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At the beginning, there are visions, images drifting at the edge of the gaze, like bodies floating into a vitreous fluid. Those images don’t really like to be seen, so they flee from our gaze when we notice them and wish to look at them more closely. When we are focused and patient we can better see those creatures evolving their way, those masks, landscapes and artifacts as well. They engender themselves and are nurtured from our readings, from what we see, from our walks and our dreams. Some call this ‘ideas’ or ‘inspiration’, or ‘archetypes’; each person will have their own vocabulary for it. When those images come by, I take my sketchbooks and I try to catch them. For me, those sketchbooks are really precious; they are the crucible of my work. What I am scribbling, what happens to it has to do with the Air, with fluidity, with letting go, with the autonomy of my hand and the state that it provides to me. It is like a place where to capture ethereal elements within the layout of my pencil, the ink is the thread that links and gives their first matter to these visions that otherwise would stay invisible and would flow away. Those little drawings harbor into their core an essence, a waiting for the incarnation, and most of the time, it will be through the earth. The clay becomes flesh and will be the receptacle for this initial vision. The Fire will take or give its share to this process. Every step is for the initial vision a mutation more or less important through the drawing, the modeling and the firing.
What do you think of the current world of art in France? There are several worlds of art and the most visible is not the most interesting, nor the most fertile. Some elements like to blossom apart from the floodlight or from the dazzling glints of the money power. I won’t talk about the situation of art in France because it could be long, sad and boring (so I’ll pass on this). Is there any question you were never asked and to which you would like to answer? Usually my son, who is four years old, is the one who asks these sort of questions, and it is not always easy to answer! Bertrand Secret Entre chien et loup Du 1er octobre au 10 novembre 2014 Talents Opéra 1 bis rue scribe 75009 Paris
“There are several worlds of art and the most visible is not the most interesting, nor the most fertile. Some elements like to blossom apart from the floodlight or from the dazzling glints of the money power.�
Interview Bertrand Secret Par Cendrine Rovini
Cendrine Rovini : Lorsque j’ai terminé une pièce, qu’elle soit sur papier, bois ou tissu, je me prends parfois à songer à leur devenir dans un futur assez lointain mais demeurant quand même imaginable d’un point de vue humain : un siècle, mille ans plus tard... Lorsque je pense à ceci, c’est comme si je donnais une autonomie additionnelle à mes images, comme si elles parcouraient l’espace et le temps de façon plus personnelle. T’arrive-t-il d’essayer d’imaginer le destin des créatures à qui tu donnes vie ? Si oui, comment les vois-tu évoluer, et dans quelle sorte d’univers ? Bertrand Secret : Oui, ça m’arrive parfois aussi d’imaginer quel pourrait être le destin de mes créatures dans un futur où je ne serais plus depuis longtemps ; je me raconte pas mal d’histoires à ce sujet. D’abord je pense à mes enfants, aux enfants de mes enfants, je me demande quelle relation, quel dialogue particulier ils entretiendront avec ces personnages de terre. Si la mémoire du sang, celle de la terre et de l’eau, leur délivreront un message plus intime. Mais j’imagine aussi ces créatures dans des temps plus lointains, sans que le temps ne les affecte ; elles sont, à la fois jeunes et vieilles, déjà quand elles naissent sous mes mains elles semblent immémoriales. Elles seront sans doute regardées, aimées puis oubliées, elle seront rangées, ensevelies dans l’obscurité d’une terre végétale, elles seront là, elles s’épanouiront dans l’oubli et continueront d’irradier patientes en attendant peut-être d’être à nouveau retrouvées. Leurs temps n’est pas le nôtre, elles nous voient à peine ; nous qui nous agitons beaucoup, tel de petits papillons désorientés et fragiles. J’habite près d’Arles ; un été une équipe d’archéologues a plongé dans le Rhône et a remonté un buste de Jules César, il s’est avéré que c’était le seul buste qu’il nous reste sculpté de son vivant. Cette sculpture de marbre est tellement forte, c’est vraiment émouvant, elle attendait là dans le limon parmi les carcasses rouillées de voitures ou de machines à laver, dans le silence des eaux du Rhône. Peut-être que certaines de mes créatures connaîtront un destin similaire, le repos au fond d’un lac ou d’un fleuve. D’autres, la plupart sans doute, finiront brisées et dispersées en tessons brillants sur les chemins.
As-tu des rituels ou des habitudes récurrentes lorsque tu es au travail ou sur le point de le commencer ? Je n’ai pas de rituel particulier, mais simplement un état intérieur à la fois physique et mental d’ébullition, d’excitation et d’heureuse fébrilité quand je travaille ; il y a une récurrence de ces états intérieurs aussi quand j’ouvre mon four, teinté d’anxiété et aussi de respect envers le feu à qui j’ai confié une créature. As-tu remarqué une quelconque influence des saisons sur ta créativité ? Je remarque à titre personnel que l’été est pour moi un temps moins propice, pas seulement à cause de l’activité dans l’atelier lui-même qui tend à se faire plus rare, mais surtout parce que cette saison est pour moi moins inspirante, sans doute parce qu’elle est l’occasion pour moi de laisser quelque chose « travailler » à l’intérieur sans que je le sente consciemment. Je suis un enfant du printemps et c’est la saison où depuis toujours mon sang, mes idées courent plus vite. Je pense qu’il y a quelque chose qui fait que nous avons une relation particulière avec la saison où nous naissons. Mais comme toi j’ai des périodes de jachères, de friche, où les images macèrent et circulent de façon souterraine. Cela doit être notre « être » plante qui nous impose ces périodes végétatives. Le retour à l’atelier n’en est que plus joyeux ! « Le feu donne, le feu prend ». Tu aimes dire ces mots, je les sens revêtir pour toi une importance toute particulière, sans doute liée aux accidents de parcours qui sont souvent vecteurs de surprise et de beauté au sein d’une œuvre en cours. Veuxtu nous en dire plus ? Le feu est-il dans ta pratique le seul vecteur de surprises fertiles, ou as-tu d’autres collaborateurs spontanés parmi les éléments ? J’ai un grand respect pour le feu, beaucoup de céramistes s’accordent pour dire que la pratique de la terre et du feu, est une voie de patience et d’humilité. Je me suis rapidement aperçu qu’aucune de mes pièces ne sortait du four comme je l’imaginais ; j’ai compris que ces fissures, ces coulures, ces déformations étaient la force de mes
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pièces ; ces accidents c’est la part du feu, c’est un dieu cruel et généreux, il dévore certains de mes enfants de terre, et il en bénit d’autres en leur faisant cadeau de l’inattendu. J’accueille ça comme je peux ; parfois je suis triste, déçu et en colère, parfois perplexe ou ravi. Quand j’ouvre mon four et que je découvre dans l’obscurité la créature transformée, je la sors délicatement et la mets à la lumière, je la regarde, je tourne autour, je refais connaissance. Les craquellements de l’émail ou les fissures seront des défauts insupportables pour certains pour qui le contrôle ou une certaine idée de la perfection est important. Pour moi ce sont des traces émouvantes qu’à un moment ces personnages ont été de la terre en fusion. La céramique n’est que collaboration avec tous les éléments ; si on y rajoute l’espace infini de recherche de glaçure et d’émail, on est très proche d’une pratique alchimique. La musique semble avoir pour toi une grande importance au sein même de ta pratique. T’arrive-t-il à toi aussi de n’écouter qu’un seul morceau en boucle pendant le travail car il te transporte dans les contrées où naît la magie ? Quels sont tes artistes musicaux favoris ? Oui je suis moi aussi le genre de personne capable d’écouter en boucle un morceau et ce jusqu’à l’épuiser ! Je crée en musique. C’est vraiment un catalyseur d’image, elle essaime et me contamine de façon subtile et sensible elle colore mes visions et rend plus fertiles mes mains sur la terre. J’imagine que d’une certaine façon les notes et les mots se fossilisent et s’agglomèrent à la terre que je malaxe. Parmi les artistes qui m’accompagnent dans l’atelier, il y a entre autres PJ Harvey, Patrick Watson ou Hundred Waters plus récemment. Une question en rapport avec la précédente (la musique pouvant nous propulser dans des états de transe) : quel rapport as-tu avec le « lâcher prise » ? Sens-tu parfois que seules tes mains travaillent en toute intelligence avec la matière, l’esprit rationnel restant calme et au second plan ? Si oui, pourquoi selon toi ? Je pense que travailler avec la terre est un des medium les plus primitifs de s’exprimer. Dans cette pratique, les notions de rythmes, d’engagement
du corps peuvent aller jusqu’à la transe. Les mains courent sur l’argile et comme il y a des milliers d’années, des idoles, des créatures, des visions s’érigent, prennent forme de façon intuitive. Bien sûr la raison et la rationalité essaient toujours de garder le contrôle et luttent contre ce lâcher prise, mais le dialogue qui s’engage avec la matière est tellement hypnotique qu’elles sont plongées dans une léthargie qui laisse toute la place à l’intuition. Et puis la terre aussi a sa volonté, et il y a des moments dans notre collaboration où je ne sais plus très bien si c’est mes mains qui décident, ou si je ne suis que le médiateur entre des visions fugitives et la volonté de la matière de s’incarner.
“Il y a des mondes de l’art et le plus visible n’est pas le plus intéressant, ni le plus fertile. Il y a des choses qui aiment s’épanouir à l’ombre des projecteurs, ou des reflets éblouis des puissances d’argent.”
Tu sembles aussi très nourri par tes lectures. Outre le fait qu’un ouvrage littéraire qui nous passionne ou nous ravit par sa beauté est une nourriture au long terme pour notre pratique, t’arrive-t-il parfois, en lisant une phrase, d’avoir comme une fulgurance, un élan, une envie de mettre en image ou en terre quelque chose comme une sensation, une couleur ou une texture qui se dégage du livre ? L’écriture est une voie qui me fascine, il y a du sacré, quelque chose de vertigineux. C’est une de mes pratiques, j’écris des histoires et cela me plonge dans des états proches du voyage astral ! La lecture aussi a ce pouvoir de nous faire sortir de notre propre corps et de voyager dans d’autres dimensions. Il m’arrive d’avoir des fulgurances comme tu les décris ; une phrase ou un texte s’imprime en moi, comme une persistance rétinienne qui perdure au-delà de la lecture et qui demande à prendre chair dans la terre. Parfois l’influence de la lecture est plus souterraine, mais alimente sans doute mes visions ou un état d’âme particulier qui facilite la création. Il y a des livres cultes pour moi, des oasis de pure imagination dans lesquels j’aime me ressourcer. Parmi ces nombreux livres, la seule évocation des titres m’emporte très loin, Sa majesté des mouches, L’homme qui savait la langue des serpents, La horde du contrevent… Et l’objet livre est aussi quelque chose d’important pour moi, leur présence me rassure, je suis fasciné par la puissance et le pouvoir de ces artefacts d’encre et de papier.
de ce qu’on lit, de ce qu’on voit, de promenade, de nos rêves. Certains appellent ça des « idées » ou « l’inspiration », ou « archétypes » ; à chacun son vocabulaire pour ce phénomène. Quand ces images passent, je prends mes carnets et je tente de les attraper. Pour moi ces carnets sont très précieux, c’est le creuset de mon travail. Ce que je griffonne, ce qu’il se passe dedans a quelque chose à voir avec l’Air, dans la fluidité, le lâcher prise, l’autonomie de la main, l’état que ça me procure. C’est comme un lieu de capture d’éléments éthérés, le tracé du crayon, l’encre étant le filet qui attache et en même temps donne leur première consistance à ces visions qui sinon resteraient dans l’invisible et passeraient. Ces petits dessins contiennent en eux une essence, une attente d’incarnation, le plus souvent ça passera par la Terre. L’argile donnera chair et sera le réceptacle de cette vision initiale. Le Feu prendra ou donnera sa part à ce processus. Toutes ces étapes font subir à la vision première, plus ou moins de mutations par le dessin, le modelage et la cuisson.
Tu dessines beaucoup, je voudrais en savoir plus sur le rôle de tes croquis : est-ce que ce sont des façons de préciser une idée que tu as vue intérieurement ou est-ce qu’il t’arrive de crayonner en improvisant créatures et espaces parmi lesquels tu puiseras de nouvelles œuvres ? Au début il y a des visions, des images qui dérivent à la périphérie du regard, comme des corps flottant dans le liquide vitré. Ces images n’aiment pas trop être vues, et elles fuient le regard dès qu’on les aperçoit et qu’on veut les regarder de plus près. Quand on est concentré et patient on peut mieux voir ces visions de créatures en mutation, de masques, des paysages ou d’artefacts aussi. Elles s’auto-engendrent et se nourrissent
Y-a-t-il une question que l’on ne t’a jamais posée et à laquelle tu aimerais répondre ? C’est généralement mon fils de 4 ans qui se charge de me poser ces questions, et il n’est pas toujours facile d’y répondre !
Que penses-tu du monde de l’art en France actuellement ? Il y a des mondes de l’art et le plus visible n’est pas le plus intéressant, ni le plus fertile. Il y a des choses qui aiment s’épanouir à l’ombre des projecteurs, ou des reflets éblouis des puissances d’argent. Je ne parlerai pas de la situation de l’art en France, ça risquerait d’être long, triste et ennuyeux. (où je passe mon tour )
Bertrand Secret Entre chien et loup Du 1er octobre au 10 novembre 2014 Talents Opéra 1 bis rue scribe 75009 Paris
Blind Petite SĹ“ur
Detail of Oiseau de nuit by artist Bertrand Secret
CONTRIBUTORS
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FOUNDER CREATIVE DIRECTOR PHOTOGRAPHER Nathalie Malric FASHION AND LIFESTYLE WRITER EDITOR Clarice Chian GRAPHIC DESIGNER Inès Carratié www.peutetremagazine.com contact@peutetremagazine.com
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