Sea of Love
Tag Archives: Love Issue
Musing of a Bellucci
Photography: Ali Mahdavi
Talent: Monica Bellucci @ Karin Models the agent Ruth Malka
Styling: Sascha Lilic
Continue reading Musing of a Bellucci
Hippie Love
The Provocateur
When love is affection, intimacy comes into play. You can never have too much fun, as the saying goes. Pushing this forward, WestEast hot-talks with Agent Provocateur’s Creative Director, Sarah Shotton, about the things, us women, keep so close to our skin…
Agent Provocateur named Sarah Shotton as their rightful creative director in March 2010. Quintessentially an English rose, Shotton grew up in County Durham, in the North East of England, before heading to London to pursue fashion at Central Saint Martins College, London.
It all started in 1999, when Sarah began to work as an apprentice at Agent Provocateur, under founders Joe Corre, and Serena Rees, leading to a decade long love affair with the lingerie house. Sarah wasn’t all boxed up with the mechanics – she’s special for the fact that she knows what the Agent Provocateur woman wants. She found this out whilst working on the shop floor of the lingerie Soho boutique. Not only did she feel out what the Agent Provocateur woman desires, she also built desire by creating many iconic windows, developing individual store concepts, each with its own sweet, spicy, personality.
Agent Provocateur loves Sarah for her fierce ideas, and willingness to shake up the lingerie world, using laces, fabrics in unconventional ways, creating dramatic shapes – all with maximum impact.
How did your time in Central St Martins influence you?
Central St Martins was an inspiring place to be, I was surrounded by creative people who constantly pushed each other to try different things. We were given freedom to do what we wanted to do, and ultimately this helped me be unrestricted in my designs, letting myself be carried away, fully expressing myself.
What principles do you keep in mind when designing a new collection?
It all comes down to making women look and feel as sexy and empowered as they can be. The combination of using the best materials, with the best designs, and fit, means that women wearing Agent Provocateur are always at their sexy best –sometimes, much to their amazement. Our lingerie is the perfect balance between luxury and naughtiness, and that is always the backbone to our designs.
What do you love most about your work?
What excites me the most is having the opportunity to create lingerie that inspires people. Lingerie is more life-changing than most people think. I used to work as a sales assistant at our Broadwick Street store, and I’ve had experiences where I’ve persuaded a customer to try something on that they never would have otherwise, and they came back to the store to thank me for helping them gain the confidence to wear lingerie. Now I get to design the lingerie that will make women feel good, and I’m very grateful for this opportunity. It’s very exciting to see something that I’ve drawn on paper months ago go through all the production stages and finally end up on the shop floor exactly as how I imagined it, it’s such a satisfying feeling.
Can you describe a day in your working life?
I start the day by going through my emails with a cup of coffee, and then I sit down with my team to go over our designs for the new season. In the afternoon, I have fittings sessions with our new designs to make sure that everything fits perfectly. Some days I have lunch appointments at The Ivy or J Sheekey’s, other days I quickly grab some sushi for lunch at my desk while designing on my sketchpad. Later on, I have meetings with our CEO and our directors to plan strategies for our upcoming projects. I end the day with a session of pilates to relax. Every day is non-stop at Agent Provocateur, but I love a challenge and I love what I do.
What, do you think, separates you from the rest of the fashion and lingerie world?
Agent Provocateur is the perfect crossover between the fashion and lingerie world. Although we are mainly a lingerie brand, but we are unique in that we are also a fashion brand at the same time. Agent Provocateur is about confidence, humour, empowerment and sex.
Where do you find inspiration for your collections?
I love watching old movies with strong female protagonists from late 20th Century Hollywood cinema. The characters represent the strength, beauty, and empowerment that ultimately define the Agent Provocateur woman. I also love movies by Russ Meyer and David Lynch, and Kim Basinger in LA Confidential and Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct are always inspirations. Music and people out on the town at night also inspire me.
How do you keep things spicy, but still acceptable, in a conservative society?
You’d be surprised how many customers from conservative societies are actually very spicy behind closed doors! We have our Classics collection which is our range of best-selling designs that include sets such as Francoise and Love that are sexy but not too racy. We also have more covered-up pieces such as slips, pajamas and kimonos. On the other end of the scale, we have playsuits that leave nothing to the imagination – that are popular everywhere. Our more daring designs sell very well in conservative countries.
What does it take to make it in an industry that’s spoilt for choice?
The fashion industry is small but we are all very supportive of each other. It’s 98% hard work and 2% luck. Be focused and don’t take notice of what other people say, and most of all, be confident in yourself.
Do you travel a lot? What’s the most interesting place you’ve been to, and why?
I travel a lot for work, but I don’t travel as much as I’d like to for pleasure. The most interesting place I’ve ever been to is Hawaii; it’s amazingly beautiful, it smells good, it’s sexy and carefree. I go to China for work, it’s always fascinating and inspiring. I also go to Morocco a lot for work; I love the souks there. I would love to visit Russia one day.
What do you think about Asia?
I love Asia; it has such a richness of history and culture. I would love to spend more time travelling there. I am a big fan of Asian food, particularly Thai and Japanese. Nobu is my favourite restaurant.
What do you hate? I don’t really hate many things, but I don’t like ignorance.
What do you fear? Heights, but ironically I’m now dating an ex-mountaineer, so I’m ready to strap on my harness and go climbing with him to fight my fear of heights.
Can you describe the Agent Provocateur woman?
The Agent Provocateur woman is confident, sensual and irreverent. She lives life to the fullest while not taking it too seriously.
What’s beautiful?
Freedom – when you’re free, you feel alive. The English countryside is also the definition of beauty for me.
What’s ugly?
Bitterness and jealousy
Can you explain sexy?
Sexy is about being confident in your own skin and who you are as an individual; everything will follow from there. Sexy is about being carefree.
How can a woman be classy and sexy at the same time?
I love it when a woman dresses up in the most amazing gown, but leaves something undone, such as having messy hair, or a little bit of smudged makeup, or having a bra strap peeping out. It’s imperfect perfection to me, and very classy yet sexy.
Best Valentines Day present?
A vintage record player because I love vinyls.
How would you define love?
Love is a drug; when you’re in a love, you don’t care about anything else.
Interview: Priscilla Lee
Published in Issue 36 LOVE, 2012
Christophe’s Love for Asia
Celebrated French designer Christophe Lemaire speaks to Philippe Pourhashemi about Japanese culture, China, Hong Kong, and Love.
Even though he may come across as quintessentially French, Christophe Lemaire’s aesthetics and inspiration have never been Eurocentric. In his creative approach and sartorial research as a designer, he has been looking for timelessness, value and simplicity. He does not seem to court fashion, but fashion has been catching up with him lately. Refusing ostentation and style gimmicks, he has crafted his own distinctive voice within the industry, working around the concept of the ultimate wardrobe, perfecting his own classics over time. His pieces are discreet, essential and slightly androgynous. They refer to years of history and cultural heritage, without ever being literal or obvious. Don’t expect radical changes in his work from one season to the next. Lemaire has a vision and he sticks to his guns. Inspired by uniforms and traditional shapes, he has always been interested in exoticism and difference. In fact, Asia has been one his passions since he discovered Japan in 1995, describing the trip as a « revelation ». Lemaire’s minimal and functional chic stands for purity and quality. For his own collections, he favors simple lines and avoids any fuss. Defending core values throughout his career -such as elegance, refinement and education- he was a logical choice for Hermès, who recently appointed him as their womenswear designer. Lemaire has natural charisma and rarely disappoints during a discussion. He’s critical, honest and does not take himself too seriously. In this exclusive interview, he talks about his last holiday in China, his design references and the love of his life.
Where does your fascination with Japanese culture come from?
I guess I’ve always been sensitive to Japanese art and culture, but going there for the first time in the mid-90s felt like a complete shock. Charlotte Perriand, who was a French architect and designer, has always been a key source of inspiration for me. She traveled to Japan in 1940 and advised craftsmen on how to design products for Europe. She realized people were trying to become too Western in their approach and told them it was a mistake. I’ve always admired her work and dedication. She was a pioneer and true visionary.
Were there specific things that moved you during that first trip?
Yes, of course. I found people’s levels of politeness and attention to others quite touching. It’s hard to put it into words, but there’s something I fell in love with. Chinese history and traditions have always interested me, too.
Have you been to China already?
Yes, I have, on several occasions. Last summer, Sarah-Linh and I decided to do this amazing trip, taking the Trans-Siberian from Moscow to Mongolia. We stayed in Mongolia for 2 weeks, before heading to Beijing and Suzhou, which is a beautiful town. We have several friends who live in China and try to visit them whenever we can.
China has changed so much over the past 20 years. What do you think of its evolution as a nation?
I find it fascinating. Let’s not forget that China suffered for a whole century and it’s only fair that things are looking up now. We are witnessing the awakening of an ancient civilization with a new-found sense of prosperity and purpose. What struck me and Sarah-Linh the most during our trip was the country’s modernity and its rise to sophistication. The speed with which China reached that stage is amazing. In terms of culture and taste, I also think the country will keep on changing. There’s this stereotype in the Western world that there are only Chinese nouveaux riches now and that the local culture is reduced to materialism. However, it’d be foolish to think you could erase thousands years of history within a decade. I think people’s attitude toward consumption is already evolving. For instance, long tea ceremonies have become quite popular in China and wasting one’s time is seen as a new form of snobbery.
Does that mean the Chinese aspire to a better quality of life?
They definitely do. They aspire to owning objects that are refined and have intrinsic value. It’s interesting for Hermès, because a new clientele has surfaced recently. Customers are much younger and affluent. They understand what the house stands for and we don’t have to explain it to them. In fact, my first collections for Hermès have been doing really well in Hong Kong.
And how do you feel about Hong Kong as a place?
I read recently that Hong Kong has a major concentration of some of the world’s highest IQs, which -in fact- does not surprise me at all. Whenever I’m there, I always notice how alert and quick people are. Everyone seems to think and react fast, from taxi drivers to airport staff. The Chinese seem highly flexible, which distinguishes them from other nations in Asia.
What about your own brand? What kind of presence does it have in China?
We sell at Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong, but the visibility of the brand is still quite confidential. That’s fine with me, as the positioning for my label is much more niche. People who buy my clothes tend to be demanding and discerning customers. They are not interested in status symbols. As far as China is concerned, it’s only a matter of time before there is demand for clothes like the ones I design. I don’t think it will take more than 5 years, to be honest.
That sounds quite similar to the way the Russian market evolved.
Yes, it does. One thing we did during our stay in Suzhou was to go to local department stores to see what products were sold there. I always find that really interesting, as it gives you an insight into a broader mode of consumption. We were actually amazed by the quality of products we saw, from household appliances to kitchen utensils. One thing I love doing when I’m in a foreign country is hit the supermarkets and see what’s on display. It helps you understand a lot of things about people’s standards, mentality and behavior.
I recently went to Malaysia for Fashion Week and was amazed by how happy people looked at the shows. They were enjoying themselves and having a good time. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone smile during a Paris show since 1989.
(He laughs) You’re right. People are not tired or jaded there. I guess European countries are old and there’s a sense of fatigue taking over. I think Europeans committed enough crimes throughout their history. We’ve had two atrocious wars and colonized so many nations. You could say that Europe is depressed at the moment.
It seems that there’s a festive vibe in Asia we have more or less lost in Europe.
I agree with you. The thing about China is that it fully embraces change. There’s no fear. The Chinese can easily adapt to new circumstances and that is one of their main strengths. People in Europe don’t really have this sort of mindset.
I wasn’t aware that Sarah-Linh -your partner in real life- was also part of your team. How do you manage to combine private and professional spheres?
I guess it has never been an issue for us. Sarah-Linh is my partner, my muse and my lover. We live together and work together. Everything happened organically and we never really had to sit down and analyze things. It felt quite natural from the start and there’s also a deep understanding between us. We both love the same things and have many passions in common. We share similar values and tastes.
Do you think that working with your partner can be dangerous?
That’s what a lot of people say, but there are no set rules in the end. It’s true that you have to be careful sometimes, but we are both passionate about what we do and like sharing it with others. That’s working for us and it’s great.
It’s quite rare to be able to achieve this kind of balance. Not many people actually get to that stage.
One thing you definitely need is a good sense of humor. I don’t know if others find us that funny, but I guess we can laugh at the same things.
What are the newest projects you’ve been focusing on?
Besides my own brand and collections for Hermès, I’m also working on a menswear capsule collection -along with British designer Kim Jones- for Korean label Bean Pole. It will be distributed across Korea and China, with a few points of sale in the UK and the US. The line will launch in February.
Sounds like you’ve got quite a lot on your plate already.
(He laughs) Well, let’s say I don’t really have time to get bored.
Interview: Philippe Pourhashemi
Published in Issue 36 LOVE, 2012
Hippie Love
Photography: Kah Poon @ Rep by Wonderful Machine
Styling: Martin Waitt
Model: JP @ IMG
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Imagine
Photography: Hiro Kimura
Styling: Shohei
Hair: Takeshi Katoh using Bumble and bumble
Make-up: Ken Nakano using M.A.C
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Love American Style
Photography: Udo Spreitzenbarth
Styling & Art Direction: Ty-Ron Mayes
Models: Sessilee Lopez @ Supreme Management, Wendell Lissimore @ Red Models
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Feel Love…
Photography: Takahiro Ogawa
Styling: Takayuki Sekiya
Model: Daisuke Ueda @ New York Models, Wang Xiao @ Wilhelmina Models
Continue reading Feel Love…
I Spy with my Little Eye
WestEast Magazine 