Jean-Baptiste Mondino - Textile and Fashion Management

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Jean-Baptiste Mondino:
Fashion is a dying process.
Course: fashion visual communication- module 3
Student: Jiashen Han (X090207)

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Chapter 1 Who is Jean-Baptiste Mondino?
Jean-Baptiste Mondino is a photographyer, music video and advertisement
director.
Jean-Baptiste Mondino’s Bio
Jean-Baptiste Mondino as one of the most
famous fashion photographers in the world was
born in Aubervilliers, France in 1949, and
currently resides in Paris. He started working in
the seventies as the artistic director for the
advertising agency publicis. He also had a career
as a DJ and a composer. In 1983, he released a
single video called “La Danse Des Mots” directed
by himself. In 1985, he was nominated for a
César (best advertising film) for “Maggi:
Jean- Baptiste Mondino portraits
Chinoise”, and in 1987 he received “LE 7 D’or”
award for the best French advertisement. Video
“The Boys of Summer” for Don Henley won 4 categories in the 1985 MTV
Video Music Awards (best video, best direction, best art direction and best
cinematography). In 1989 he founded the French production company
Bandits. Since then he had been working for Gaultier, Madonna, Alain
Bushung…..making record covers, music videos, campaigns and
advertisements.
Signature, style
Jean-Baptiste Mondino is one of the most influential image-makers of our
times. The world of images we live in is largely pervaded by Mondino’s
photographs and video clips [1] . Mondino creates the trends. In his photos
and videos, you can find the real furore world.
His fashion photography is often even more controversial. Sharp-edged
and colour saturated, Mondino's graphically composed images are offbeat,
sexy and subversive. But behind their seductive surface gloss lies another
layer which is variously ironic, funny, or even sinister [2] .
Most of Mondino’s pictures focus on the faces of models (See picture
1).Jean-Baptiste Mondino has talent at fashion models features and
catching interesting faces.
[1]http://www.douban.com/subject/1903925/
[2]http://www.lumiere.com/fashion/96/01/mondino/interview.html

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Picture 1-Pictures by Jean-Baptiste Mondino
Through his photography, models moods and inspirits are expressed. In
addition, Mondino is used to apply a very fashionable and bold technique to
express the meaning of the pictures. Many critics regard him as a genius
who has incredible imagination and creativity to capture every breath in
fashion.
Mondino as a composer, music is no doubt his favorite element to play with
in the fashion images. As a signature of his shooting modes, electric guitar
plays a crucial role. He is not the only one who has guitar in, but he is
definitely the best one who put soul in the musical instrument. Browsing his
images, guitar is everywhere (See picture 2). Even his favorite portrait is
together with guitar (See cover page).
Picture 2 Mondino and his guitars

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Different from other photographers who kept models posted for couple
hours to attain aesthetic aims, Mondino obviously encourage high-tech to
apply on the pictures. As once he accepted fashion magazine Lumière and
said “The idea was simply to counter the notion of supermodels. Honestly,
we see them everywhere, and something has to be done about it. Because
I couldn't do the project I had in mind (the mutilations) I went for the idea
of super models, increasing the girls' thighs, shrinking their heads. The
potential of the new technology is more than to just make people look
better, it also allows you to do the inverse.” [3] Mondino applied digital
adjustment on several super models, Imagine Shalom with a black eye,
Nadja's throat slit, or Amber having lost all her hair. Mondino’s recent
interest is to replicate and clone the bodies in pictures. But he has the
problem with fashion editors who are reluctant to accept these
manipulations.
Shooting modes
Jean-Baptiste Mondino preferred shot inside with very simple scene, like
stairs, crashed rooms. He set up his own studio Tiziana Office in Paris.
Recently he has shifted his focus from video direct to fashion photography.
That’s why he chose Paris to reside and work.
Customer Base
Today, In addition to his photography, Mondino continues to be active with
his film work for commercials and music videos, he has directed music
videos for Björk, Brian Ferry, Sting, David Bowie, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez,
Tom Waits and Prince. Mondino has also photographed the record covers
and album packaging for the Marianne Faithfull albums Before The Poison
(2005) and Easy Come, Easy Go (2008), not to mention numerous AD
campaigns for well known fashion brands.
Mondino applied his innovation on many famed roles, including Brian Ferry,
David Bowie, Boy George, Madonna, Prince, Vanessa Paradis and many
others (see picture 3). Obviously they trust his high level qualification on
image expressing, creativity of aesthetics, inventiveness of fashion
popularity and of course also the dazzling success in his career life.

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
[3] Mondino’s interview with fashion magazine Lumière
Picture 3 fame roles shot by Mondino
Mondino was in chief of many brands’ collections photograph, such as
Jitrois(2003-2004 season), Jean Paul Gaultier(1999-2007 season). Fashion
AD campaigns directed by Mondino own a high reputation in the fashion
circle, glorious, elegant and brilliant. Campaigns for Jean Paul Gaultier,
Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein Jeans, Dior J'adore for Dior, Opium for Yves
Saint Laurent, L'Air du Temps for Nina Ricci were achieved fabulous. He
also shot for The Face, Vogue and Glamour etc.
Other photographic areas
Jean-Baptiste Mondino also shot a lot for record coverings and magazines
(see picture 4). Most of them are represented by a face or a half length
figure.

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Books and publications
Picture 4 Record covering and magazines
DÉJÀ VU too much Guitar
Eros
Jean- Baptiste Mondino has written three books so far including D ÉJÀ VU,
Too much and Guitar Eros. D EJA V U is Mondino’s best selling book first
published in 1999. This book introduced the 54-year-oldphotographer-
cum-artdirector from Paris to the limelight, where he had previously put
the greatest stars in the rock and pop world [4] .
After his bestselling book Déja vu, Too much is published at equally
fantastic images in 2003. His photographs altered the commercial
strategies of the

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
[4] http://www.mbfala.com/publications/_20/
rock, pop and fashion industry to some degree. Critics gave Too much a
high reputation which was said “Too Much bears striking witness to the
delight he takes in playing with zeitgeist expressions and to his boundless
ingenuity. Technically brilliant, with an equally rich and scin-tillating mix of
black humor, glamour, and bizarre erotic visions”, even M+B presents Too
much as an essential source of inspiration for all those who by profession or
by passion deal with photography, advertising, and life style [5].
Guitar Eros is a masterpiece to have the music element in 2006. As we all
know, Mondino originally started as a composer. No wonder, guitar has
always been presented as a unique signature of Mondino fashion works. In
his new book Mondino presents his guitar photographs created over the
past twenty years as commissioned works or his own projects. They
portray famous rock and pop musicians such as Mick Jagger, Madonna,
Tom Waits, and Keith Richards; models and celebrities with guitars; and
numerous anonymous guitar players [6] . The shinny stars in these pictures
was not the real stars, but the guitar. From this point, Mondino created
stars who or what he wanted to be star.
Most known and success factors
Jean-Bapstite Mondino became to be known for the video “The Boys of
Summer” for Don Henley which swept 4 categories in the 1985 MTV Video
Music Awards in 1985. Cooperation with fame roles made him expensive
and meanwhile as famous as the same. Mondino shot several notable music
videos in black and white in a corporation with Pascal Lebègue , such as
"Russians" for Sting and "Justify My Love" for Madonna. Shooting for big
fashion brands led him to fashion circle. Dior J'adore for Dior, Opium for
Yves Saint Laurent, L'Air du Temps for Nina Ricci are all fabulous
advertisement known for people.
“Fashion and music are the two most influential things for me”, Once
Mondino said, “Especially fashion, because fashion is meant to die every 3
months. This doesn't allow you to dwell on it too long. It's a dying process,
and this forces you to always move on to the next step.” [7] From the
interview, besides high creative and unique photographs, always accepting
new things can be also a factor of success. Fast move and innovation keep
Mondino evergreen.
[5]http://www.mbfala.com/publications/_19/
[6] http://www.mbfala.com/publications/_18/

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
[7] Mondino’s interview with fashion magazine Lumière
Chapter 2 Chosen customer: Jean Paul Gaultier
In this chapter, how Jean- Bapstite Mondino as a fashion photographer
interpreted his signature style to the brand image was analyzed and related
campaigns were chosen to apply a critical view on how they worked out.
Jean Paul Gaultier is a French fashion brand named after talent French
designer Gaultier himself. At his seventeen years old, Gaultier started to
step in tailor. After working for Pierre Cardin and Jean Patou, Jean Paul
Gaultier created his own fashion label. Gaultier always break free from the
convention, the last thing he can bear is normal. His design is just like
himself, aesthetic, unique, original. He created a lot of first, first time guys
wear transparent skirts, first time underwear wore outside, also like
Madonna’s infamous cone-shaped bra for the 1990 which gave him “enfant
terrible” reputation. You always can feel a sense of fun from Gaultier’s
design, like Gaultier was a bad boy who played with fashion. In addition to
the garment, Gaultier did successfully to create a fragrance line which is
well known for the signature torso-shaped bottles.
Jean- Bapstite Mondino as a fashion photographer highly required
aestheticism, uniqueness and originality in his pictures. I guess this creates
a perfect connection for them to cooperate with each other. They influence
each other. Mondino are good at capturing mood of figures in the pictures.
He ensouls products with abundant figures around. Apparently,
environment and atmosphere are equally important to achieve the desired
effect.
Jean-Baptiste Mondino was in chief of Gaultier’ collections photography
from year 1999 to 2007. He also made a lot of campaigns for the fragrance
line. The first campaign introduced below was Jean Paul Gaultier SS2003.

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Picture 5 Jean Paul Gaultier SS2003
Models: MariaCarla Boscono, Charlie Weaving.
In this season, Gaultier offered a powerful collection that was remarkable
for the lightness and sensuality. Gaultier broke the free to express his
unique style, like fluey big shaped hat, shinny coated handbag and matador
tights with Y-slipper. Which were really impressed. Mondino used the
ancient wall and vintage flower pattern carpet as the background which
served the ready-to-wear garment perfect. MariaCarla and Charlie as the
shooting models have the classical blood. I supposed Mondino had used
digital technology to make the entire campaign look like painted. Together
with the multicolored light, Mondino brought you into a vintage luxurious
dream. From this picture, one of his signatures - colour saturated was well
expressed.

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Picture 6 Jean Paul Gaultier SS2004
Model: Madeleine Bloomberg, Ivan De Pineda.
Picture 6 shows the collection of SS2004. Mondino kept the aesthetic style
in his pictures. The body replication in the pictures which is regarded as one
of his signature is well applied.

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Picture 7 Gaultier fragrance
Picture 7 is the fragrance advisement of Gaultier’s signature torso-shaped
bottles. This is a really glorious campaign. The real bottle does not look as
it is in the picture. Mondino made some adjustments on the bottles’ shape.
That is Madonna’s infamous cone-shaped bra which is significant feature of
Gaultier. It made the entire picture interesting. The model’s shoulder
through the transparent bottle can be observed. That made people think
how pure the fragrance is. The background behind the young elegant lady
looks like wind. Together with model’s pose, it makes people start to
imagine the pleasant smelling of the perfume. This advertisement is very
attractive. It enhanced the value of the brand, both inspirit and money. It
has strengthened the brand image and forced people to keep the classic
Gaultier signature in mind. In addition, torso-shaped bottle became a
classic icon of Gaultier, no wonder also the best sellers.

FASHION VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Chapter 3 Discussion and conclusions
Doubtless, Jean-Bapstite Mondino is one of the most reputable
photographers in the worldwide. Mondino’s pictures are not only images.
He tries to express the thoughts and stories behind. He explores emotions
buried in the heard of the shooting models, elegant, insolent, lonely, sexy,
aggressive, depressive, serious, pride etc.
His successful video director experience makes Mondino better understand
fashion and brings him a lot fresh air into the photos. Mondino always
thought out of the box and has courage to do what other people scare to do.
He was the first person to shoot black model. It was quite controversial in
his time.
I browsed all campaigns he made for big brands. Still take Gaultier as an
example, the previous ones look not so attractive. Backgrounds were
simple and models’ poses were boring. What’s worse, I can’t read
confidence in models’ faces when they wore these garments in the photos.
In the start of 2003, his photos for Gaultier became fabulous. They always
looked aesthetic and abundant. But I personally thought he achieved more
success on advertisements for fragrance, whatever for Gaultier or Dior.
When I saw the photos, I always wanted to buy the perfumes and imagined
the feeling I own it.
People who think the photographers should make very pure realistic image
might not accept Mondino’s masterpieces. He is a digital technology
advocator. His pictures might not natural, but they are superrealism, funny,
and aesthetic after the high tech application. Hope Jean-Bapstite create
more masterpiece in his way to pursuit constant innovation and high
sensivity for zeitgeist in future.