Interview with Rodolphe MacKeene

June 10

studiohomme: What is your current look?

Rodolphe MacKeene: I don’t like talking too much about “look” as for me it’s more about personality and dressing style. On the Anglo-Norman island I would go for a sailor look; on the beach where I go for my other job as kite-surfer, I would opt for the Gentleman Surfer look. In short, I am like a chameleon that adapts to its surroundings. I think there is a tendency to mix looks, fashion and styles too often.

sh: What are your favourite brands?

RMcK: Personally, I like Kenzo and French Church but on the whole I don’t pay so much attention to brands, but rather to the quality and the originality of the details.

sh: What is the story of your brand?

RMcK: It’s quite simple, the fact of growing up in a family that was scattered around paradise-like islands, made us have some rather surprising encounters. Everything started in Corsica in the restaurant of our aunt. One beautiful summer evening we met Tara who was making luxury bikinis, embroidered in India. She tells us that her clients keep requesting chic bathing costumes for men. From there, with my brother who had just returned from Shanghai, we started imagining them. Now it’s been three years that we live and dream daily about bathing costumes. We even managed to contaminate the whole family.

sh: How do you define the Mac Keene style?

RMcK: Sober, chic and technical.

sh: How do your see your collection evolving?

RMcK: Colours are our most important factor. In any case, at any cost, we want to favour production that is respectful of the environment as well as ethically correct. There will always be detailing and we are planning on working with young artists, in order to diversify our products, while always remaining around the beach theme.

sh: Which people do you find inspiring?

RMcK: I don’t really have a physical person who inspires me; I spent the last 12 years on the ocean pursing my passion; now I find I’m more in touch with the planet on which we live, than inspired by one or more people.

sh: Which are the artists you keep an eye out for at the moment?

RMcK: I’m not really gifted with my hands; hence anyone whom I might meet in my travels who is capable of playing music, painting… always fascinates me.

sh: What will you be picking from studiohomme?

RMcK: A sky blue Chino pants by Acne and a navy Balzac cachemire tie by Flouzen.

Interview with Kenny Moscot

May 2010

studiohomme: Can you describe your outfit today?

Kenny Moscot: I wear a jacket and a shirt by Billy Reid, the CFPA designer of the year, Paul Smith jeans that I have just bought here in Paris, my 8-year-old Red Wing boots, Tsé cashmere sweater by Hussein Chalayan, and my father’s Omega Speed Master that I love.

sh: What are your favorite brands?

KM: Apple for the experience and Hermès for attention to details. I also like Moscot of course!

sh: Who are the people who inspire you?

KM: My son Ethan who is 10 years old, Winston Churchill for his enthusiasm and cleverness, Steve Jobs for his innovative spirit, and entrepreneurs in general.

sh: Which artists are you currently following?

KM: Terry Richardson, Ben Harper as his music follows me everywhere and Stephen Jaklitch who is our architect at Moscot.

sh: What are the origins of your brand?

KM: My family comes from Eastern Europe and has emigrated in the US at the turn of the 20th century. My great grand father sold eyeglasses from a pushcart on the Lower East Side area of New-York City as a means to support his family. My grand father was more entrepreneurial and ended up taking retail space on Rivington street, and from there, moved to Orchard street where we remain today. Then my father presided over the house of Moscot with a loyal staff by his side and laid the ground work for the next generations.

sh: Which celebrities wear which Moscot?

KM: Kieffer Sutherland, Q-Tip, Glene Glose wear Miltzen, Josh Arnett prefers the Yukel, wheras Jod Apatow, Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke are Nebb fans. The Lemtosh is the most popular model with celebrities: Theofilus London, Jason Schwartzmann, Michelle Williams, Jeff Goldblum, Johnny Depp…

sh: At what pace do you release new models?

KM: We release new models twice a year on a ‘fashion’ basis. However, we are very disciplined about maintaining the authenticity of our brand. Lemtosh, Miltzen and Nebb will always be the heart of our collections.

sh: What are your favorite studiohomme items?

KM: The grey Achilles sneakers by Common Projects, V-neck blue cotton sweater by Pringle of Scotland, pink suede belt by Kitsuné, navy jacket by Philippe Alvergne, Acne raw denim and Kitsuné blue Oxford shirt.

Interview with Philippe Alvergne

April 2010

studiohomme: Can you describe your outfit today?

Philippe Alvergne: Seeing the weather, I am totally dressed in Philippe Alvergne Fall/Winter 2009 and Sartore boots.

sh: Who do people say you look like the most?

PA: Since you guys put my studiohomme portrait on your Facebook page it’s been Hugh Laurie (Dr. House). Otherwise, I also get Vincent Cassel and Vincent Lindon!

sh: What are your favorite brands?

PA: Bottega Veneta for their fantastic cuts and color palettes each season, Margiela for the entire universe and identity he has created around his brand, Bang & Olufsen for the quality and design of their products, and Rolex for a long time.

sh: Can you give us a brief history of your brand?

PA: After being the right-hand-man for Vanessa Bruno during 8 years, I created the brand Tremblay-Alvergne in 2007 with Aurélien Tremblay. Since 2009, I am alone at the head of the ship now called Philippe Alvergne.

sh: What are your main sources of inspiration?

PA: I repeatedly find myself inspired by chic and decadent English fashion, the roughed-up dandy look. Additionally, I am lucky enough to live in central Paris where we come across people with interesting and unique looks. Finally, Roger Moore in “The Persuaders” has always been my absolute reference of casual elegance.

sh: Who are the artists you are currently following?

PA: I am not following as many artists as I would like to because I am very busy with work, but currently it’s Louise Bourgeois who fascinates me with her sculptures and writings. I am a faithful to the modern art fair ‘Art Paris’ that, unlike the FIAC, doesn’t expose artists for their commercial potential but for their creativity.

sh: What are your favorite studiohomme items?

PA: The hazelnut desert boots from Pierre Hardy, the grey Thierry Colson underpants, the vintage brown classic leather jacket from Barnabé Hardy, and the sailor neck pullover from Melinda Gloss. 

Interview with Adam Kimmel

March 2010

studiohomme: Can you describe your outfit today?

Adam Kimmel: I am wearing a shirt from the latest collection Fall Winter 2010, my fiancée’s pyjamas underneath because I am running out of clean clothes, a vintage 501 Levis, Adam Kimmel boots and Cutler & Gross glasses.

sh: What are your favorite brands?

AK: Labels are not so important to me. I try to wear mostly my clothes. I also wear Levi’s from time to time and I’ve been wearing these Sportiva mountain boots for snowy winters.

sh: What are some of your essential accessories?

AK: Sunglasses of my own brand, my digital Panasonic camera that I always carry with me, my Iphone that I love (Icam is an amazing application), the Dodge Challenger that I am willing to get as I am a huge fan of American cars.

sh: Who are the people who inspire you?

AK: I have a true fascination for Georges Condo the American painter from New York. David Blaime, is also a great spring of inspiration: magician, performer, adventurer… and a good friend of mine.

sh: How did you meet Jim Krantz?

AK: I called him directly! For those pictures of the collection Spring Summer 2010 that you currently carry on studiohomme, I wanted to use the same photographer that Richard Prince has used before me: Jim Krants, the photographer of cult Marlboro’s advertizing campains. The shot took place in Utah, with a local casting except Rocky McDonald who is from New York.

sh: Which artists are you currently following?

AK: I follow the work of painter and sculptor Dan Colen part of New York’s avant-garde, Raymond Petitbon, illustrator, Georges Herems, father of American assemblage and Dennis Hoper as actor and photographer.

sh: What are some of your favorite studiohomme items?

AK: I am going to get a Pringle of Scotland black round neck cotton sweater and at least one Atomic T-shirt by Christopher Kane.

Interview with Julie Flouzen

Archive February 2010

studiohomme: How would you describe your ties?

Julie Flouzen:  They are combination of the classical and the modern, made by hand but without any stitching. We rely heavily on the interactive concept related to our product: each person makes their own interpretation of this great classic in their own manner.

sh: How will the Flouzen collection evolve in the future?

Julie Flouzen: We are going to continue creating accessories but we will be developing new products such as scarves (80x80), handkerchiefs, and cell phone covers… We will also further develop various concepts related to the cashmere. For example, we are trying to conceptualize the experience of touching cashmere into a scent.

sh: What type of man do you design for?

JF: A man who loves shirts and wears them a lot. A classic man with a touch of nonchalance and a natural elegance that is a little rough around the edges. A man who dresses his neck and wears skinny-ties.

sh: Which artists are you currently following?

JF: I don’t follow any artists in particular, I function quite impulsively. For now, I like Michel Gondry for his haphazard-filled universe, Koudlam, the new sensation in French electro, and Tim Burton, the great genius of American Cinema.

sh: What are your favorite brands?

JF: Burberry for classic pieces, Hermès for accessories, YSL for having revolutionized fashion codes and creating the women’s suit, the casual classic look of APC, l’Artisan Parfumeur for their ‘Mure et Musc’ and their strong tradition, Brooks Brothers…

sh: What are your favorite accessories?

JF: I definitely have a favorite material for my accessories, cashmere. Otherwise I am very attached to my collection of pebbles, especially a small stone from Patagonia that never leaves me.

Interview with Alexandre Maïsetti of Commune de Paris

Archive January 2010

studiohomme: Can you describe your outfit?

Alexandre Maïsetti: Today I am wearing Clarks Desert Boots, black wool pants from APC, a cotton shirt and lamb’s wool sweater from Commune de Paris, and a wool cloth jacket from my old brand Shai.

sh: Who are the members of your group and what are the responsibilities of each member?

AM: Our group consists of 3 members: Sebastian Lyky, illustrator and art director of the brand, Edouard Launay who is responsible for creating partnerships with the various artists we would like to work with and editing the products that result from these collaborations, and myself, Alexandre Maïsetti, in charge of design, production, and marketing.

sh: Why did you choose the name Commune de Paris?

AM: Firstly, we found Commune de Paris aesthetically pleasing. However, we also chose this name because of its historical connotation. This period in French history is not only rich in symbolism and imagery, but also inspiring. The rebellion carried out by the Paris Commune marks the end of a revolutionary century that had seen an alternation of monarchies, empires, and republics. The will of the people and their call for independence, freedom, and universalism, which were violently suppressed at the time, remain very relevant topics today. To compose a creative theme is a kind of homage. All of these aspects also serve to create a framework for us, a line of conduct.

sh: How would you define the style of Commune de Paris?

AM: Our style, or rather our performance of style, is guided by our strong name. We revisit clothing that is classical and time-honored, adding our personal touch: creating combinations of colors and materials, making historical references, and of course, assessing quality and detail. We create clothing for people who love beautiful things, and who have a simple, yet conscious, sense of style.

sh: How will your collections evolve in the future?

AM: Despite its white hairs, our brand is relatively young. Concerning clothing, we will be concentrating ourselves on improving our basics such as shirts and sweaters in order to remain a creative brand. Perhaps in the future we will begin designing other products, but that is not our priority for the moment. However, we are expanding our Edition line, bringing on Adeline Cacheux to design jewelry and we will be developing our collaborations with new artists… Surprise!

sh: Who are the people who inspire you?

AM: The Parisi, Henri IV, Arthur Rimbaud, the Communards, the Apaches of Paris, Missak Manouchian

sh: Which artists are you currently following?

AM: Sandrine Pelletier for her romanticized trash, Aurel Schmidt for her faun-like interpretation on anatomy, Raphaël Boccanfuso because his political work fascinates me, Benedetta Mori Ubaldini’s sculptures made of chicken wire and balloons, the street installations by Bransky and Mark Jenkins, and Mario Huge for his lifetime collection of work.

sh: What are some of your favorite studiohomme items?

AM: The Teddy from Tremblay Alvergne, the Kitsuné Desert Boots, and the black Belvedere Helmet by Ruby, if only I had a scooter…

Interview with Lucien Pellat-Finet

Archive November 2009

studiohomme: Can you describe your outfit today?

Lucien Pellat-Finet: Today, I wear a Western shirt in striped cotton poplin, a pair of jeans in black cotton, a scarf in light cashmere, a crocodile belt with gold and white diamonds leaf buckle, a steel and diamonds key chain, all by Lucien Pellat-Finet, a tailored jacket in grey cashmere and custom made John Lobb derbies in blue crocodile.

sh: Which are your favourite brands?

LPF: I have a passion for custom made John Lobb shoes that I order in London. For the rest, I wear tailored suits made by my tailor in Hong Kong and pieces from my own collections.

sh: Do you have fetish accessories?

LPF: I never separate myself neither from my rosary of the Formentera Black Madonna nor from my BlackBerry.

sh: How would you define your style?

LPF: Classic twisted. I like to surprise and amaze but without disguising myself.

sh: Which men inspire you?

LPF: James Dean and Marlon Brando. Perfect mix of nonchalance and sensuality. I admit I have a soft spot for rebels!

sh: Which artists are you into right now?

LPF: Takashi Murakami, Mr and artists who are part of the Japanese pop movement of this XXI century. I am also interested in the revival of certain Californian artists of the 60’s such as Paul McCarthy.

Interview with Melinda Gloss

Archive October 2009

studiohomme: How do you dress these days?

Remi de Laquintane: I love combining designer wear with more established brands including a wool and cashmere trench coat from Melinda Gloss or a Roberto Collina jacket, a black Melinda Gloss knitwear polo neck worn with nothing underneath, a pair of Tremblay-Alvergne jeans, Lanvin shoes and a Hermès belt. For my accessories, I head for M058 in rue des Saint-Père, Paris.

Mathieu de Menonville: I’m not a shopaholic. I like good-quality clothes with a decent finish and a style which suits me well. Today I’m wearing a pair of Kitsune jeans (with nothing underneath), a greyish-blue Melinda Gloss cashmere pullover next to my skin, and a Jaeger Lecoultre 1948 watch. I’m a big fan of Peggy Huyn Kinh accessories, which I recently discovered at studiohomme.

sh: Which are your favorite brands?

RdeL: Lanvin, Yves Saint-Laurent and Haversack for their “deconstructed Japanese” style and Dries Van Noten for the colours.

MdeM: Tom Ford, Dior Homme, Kitsuné, knitwear from Balenciaga and Margiela, accessories from Hermès, and naturally Melinda Gloss…

sh: Where does the name Melinda Gloss come from?

MG: Melinda Gloss is a muse, a sexual combination of art and philosophy and maybe the hidden feminine side of every man! For me personally, this is a woman’s name synonymous with style, and a source of inspiration season after season.

sh: How would you define your style?

MG: Simple yet elaborately worked, poetic and erotic, conservative, close fitting, sensual, masculine and casual.

sh: Which men inspire you?

RdeL: Nietzsche, Wim Wenders for his concept of woman, Dali for his flair for provocation, Rimbaud for Verlaine, Friedrich Hölderlin and his Oeuvre poétique complète, Pie X, Dionysos, Beethoven and Allen Ginsberg for Howl.

MdeM: Nietzsche, Sacha Baron Cohen, Bukowski for his self-destruction, Larry Flint for his view of woman and Vladimir Putin.

sh: Which artists are you into right now?

MG: The visual artist Aurèle and his ‘Lost Dog’ at the Nathalie Gaillard Gallery, Alexandre and Joséphine de la Baume from the group ‘Sing Tank’ not to mention Julien Doré… all wear Melinda Gloss. As does the sculptor Marino di Teana, the composer Pierre Boulez and the porn film maker Marc Dorcel.

Interview with Barnabé Hardy

Archive September 2009

studiohomme: How would you define your leather jackets?

Barnabé Hardy: They’ve been designed and planned as a protective shell, a genuine second skin. They’re produced from dipped lambskin, a kind of leather that changes over time.

Each model features subtle finishes and details which are not immediately noticeable, but which make it unique and recognizable.

My jackets mean to men what bags mean to women. They’re based on the key notions of functionality, comfort, contemporary volume and aspect, and a commitment to combining top quality skins with traditional craftsmen-made production methods.

In short, the perfect companion for the man of today.

sh: How are your collections likely to change over the coming seasons?

BH: With my future collections, I’ll be adding to my product range by introducing a new leather-related product, while at the same time continuing to place the emphasis on quality rather than quantity.

Over the long term, I’m looking to develop the perfect wardrobe for men.

sh: How would you describe your look right now?

BH: A holiday look that I would like to keep as long as possible in Paris to make summer last. Today, I’m wearing a Madras Ralph Lauren shirt, APC beige cotton gabardine Bermuda shorts, K-Jacques footwear and an old cashmere and silk black Balenciaga V-neck sweater, perfect for those windy evenings…

sh: Which are your favourite brands?

BH: Raf Simons, Adam Kimmel, Prada, Brooks Brothers, Comme des Garçons, Church, Jean Grisoni…

sh: Do you have any fetish accessories?

BH: A small gourmette chain and a Goyard card holder.

sh: Which men inspire you?

BH: David Bowie, Jacques Dutronc and Serge Gainsbourg in their 70’s Dandy period, Rudolf Nureyev, Helmut Berger, my fiancé, and, as clichéd as it may appear, a number of complete strangers in the street…

sh: Which artists are you into at the moment?

BH: Jacin Giordano (a visual artist represented by the Sultana Baumet gallery) and Roberto Bolle (a dancer)…

sh: What are you going to pick up with studiohomme.com?

BH: A Ruby Belvedere helmet, a pair of white jeans and a slim belt by Kitsuné, a Thomsen check shirt and a Natalia Brilli computer bag.

Interview with Peggy Huyn Kinh

Archive August 2009

studiohomme: What are you wearing these days?

Peggy Huyn Kinh: It’s always the same thing with me, I’m very vintage. I like to mix and match items from the great designers with others I’ve designed myself.

sh: What are you wearing today?

PHK: An Yves Saint-Laurent Rive Gauche classic blouse with necktie, a Chanel skirt from four or five years ago, Céline lizard skin pumps which I designed in 1994 and the matching clutch.

sh: Which are your origins?

PHK: Half French on my mother’s side, and a quarter Chinese and quarter Vietnamese on my father’s side.

sh: How does this triple culture influence your designs?

PHK: It has no influence at all as I am very Parisian. Perhaps I lack a certain degree of objectivity…

sh: Do you have any fetish accessories?

PHK: My lucky charm is a spiral black-and-white medallion made from silver and enamel which I designed back in 1996. My favourite Hermès bag is the ‘sac sceau Mangeoir’ in black Box with Palladium eyelets.

sh: Which men inspire you?

PHK: General de Gaulle, Alain Delon back in his prime, Steve Mac Queen, Barack Obama, Keanu Reeves, David Hemmings and Mehdy Belhaj Kasem.

sh: Which artists are you into right now?

PHK: Among today’s artists I would say Agam, James Turell, Hugues Decointet, Matthew Barney and Jean-Marie Massaud. Among those no longer with us I guess that would be John Lautner, Henning Coppel, Verner Panton and Joe Colombo.

sh: If you were buying a gift for a man, what would you choose from studiohomme?

PHK: No hesitation there… A Ruby helmet. The black Belvédère.

sh: And how about if you were buying something for yourself?

PHK: The same, but in a smaller size.