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MAGAZINES
VIRGINE
États-Unis, semestriel, 196 p., n o 1, 230 x 300 mm, 15 €
virginemag.com
Oui, Virgine avec un « e » ; c’est-à-dire que sans « e », c’était déjà déposé par une marque
qui multiplie les produits dérivés, dont une publication. Donc un nouveau magazine,
sous le signe de la virginité et plein de bonnes résolutions : mêler les acteurs
reconnus de la profession et les talents émergents (les deux étant interviewés et portraiturés),
avec une pointe de caritatif et même une fenêtre pour quelques blogueurs
des cinq continents – enfin, quatre. Au fait, je précise : « la profession », c’est la photo
de mode, vu que Virgine est édité par un agent de photographes, studio, producteur,
etc. Mais rien d’étonnant jusque-là : le magazine est de bonne facture, un peu
lisse mais parfaitement maîtrisé ; les choix sont justes et le casting intéressant – John
Baldessari, Azzedine Alaïa, entre autres. Ce que Virgine a de nouveau c’est qu’il ne
fait plus semblant : c’est un magazine « B to B ». Pas une page de pub sinon pour une
association caritative qui récolte des fonds après le tremblement de terre japonais. Pas
d’idée de papier, pas d’angle ; juste quelques idées de séries mode, s’effaçant devant un
goût prononcé pour le remake ; une longue série sur Madonna mixant ses différentes
périodes, des portraits mythiques réinterprétés avec de jeunes mannequins… Virgine
fait montre de son savoir-faire, comme un book le ferait. Cela peut-il intéresser au-delà
de la profession ? Probablement pas, mais le titre s’inscrit dans la lignée d’un Industrie
magazine ou Contributors… c’est qu’une tendance se dessine.
EXTRAIT
AZZEDINE ALAÏA’S
Azzedine Alaïa’s showroom/shop/workshop/office feels time less. The flow
is covered in parquet; the rooms are filled with natural daylight from the
large window. The walls and brick towers supporting the ceiling are a dazzling
red. Neither too retro no too futuristic, the creations of the Tunisianborn
designer are set out in harmony with the design of the room.
Holder of two fashion Oscars, Alaïa doesn’t have to worry about his place
as one of the greatest in the history of fashion. But skills come with hardships,
patience, and enduring passion. Since a young age, he was fascinated
by the creations he discovered in the copies of Vogue. At Guy
Laroche, Alaïa launched his first collection of ready-to-wear for Charles
Jourdan in the ‘70s. It was in the ‘80s that Alaïa impressed the fashion
world by focusing on perfectly fitted fabrics that embraced the shape of
bodies and exposed the chic and sensuality of this subjects.The creator is
seen as both a designer and an architect.
He created innovative and amazing outfits and developed a strong clientele:
Grace Jones (with whom he still works closely), Madonna, Naomi
Campbell (who became his muse), and more recently, Michelle Obama.
What struck me first and most about him was his radiant personality
and energetic character; he invited me to join him at the table along with
his team. Azzedine Alaïa loves to laugh. He challenged one of this team
members to eat a dangerously spicy sauce and proved that he could eat
large amounts of it himself. I was having breakfast with a legend of fashion,
yet I witnessed his respectful humanity.
What triggered you to get into fashion?
I was helping Madame Pinot, a midwife that helped in giving birth to
my whole family. I told her that I liked to draw. She gave me books, pamphlets
to art exhibitions, and my first book of Picasso. She registered me at
the School of Fine Arts against my father’s will. I passed the exam and got
accepted. My father was a wheat farmer and lived far from Tunis, where
I lived. My father didn’t give us children money to live, so very soon I
found a job in a very small shop, 5 square meters. The owner was looking
for someone to finish up the dresses.
[…] Eric Waroll p. 134
EDITOR IN CHIEF :
Ryan Yoon
CREATIVE DIRECTOR :
Hissa Igarashi
ART & PHOTO DIRECTOR :
Seiji Fujimori
PUBLISHER:
Artistic cube inc.
MAGAZINE N O 5
18