In the mood of Gosia Baczynska: "I would be honored for Rihanna to wear one of my designs"
Relaxnews: Which famous person – living or dead, historical or contemporary – could represent this new collection?
Gosia Baczynska : Without hesitation, Greta Garbo.
R: Where were you when you found the inspiration for this collection? What was the light-bulb moment?
GB: I was in my workshop, flipping through a news magazine and I saw a photo from the 1940s, just after the war. I ripped out the page and put it on my wall. That was a year and a half ago. Since then the photo has taken on more and more importance and power, the idea took shape and finally moved forward.
R: If you had to sum up your collection in just one piece, which would you choose?
GB: It’s difficult to answer because my collections have multiple themes. I have an overly exuberant imagination, so I have a hard time summing myself up. I tell a story with multiple characters. But who knows, maybe the one piece in question will come to light in the future?
R: Rihanna is becoming a real style icon. Could she be a muse or a spokesmodel for your label, and if so, what outfit would you dress her in?
GB: Rihanna is without a doubt a style icon and I would be honored for her to wear one of my designs. I even have a look for her! A gold minidress worn with a gold military jacket…
That said, Rihanna couldn’t be my only muse. I need several…
R: Which designers have inspired you in the past, and who inspires you today?
GB: I admire several designers. When Alber Elbaz — the fashion genius — joined Lanvin, I bought a pair of velvet pumps from his collection in Paris. The same day, as I was walking down the Rue Bonaparte near the Beaux-Arts, I saw myself in a mirror in an antique shop’s window. For a split second, I saw this image that would go on to influence the spirit of my collections: this old mirror with its patina and these velvet pumps. I experienced a certain nostalgia and childhood memories surfaced, including one very specific one: when I put on velvet shoes for family celebrations and looked at myself for a long time in an old mirror before going to join the guests.
I remember this walk along the Rue Bonaparte. Passing by the École des Beaux-Arts, I looked for a long time at the great courtyard. I would never have imagined that several years later, on February 27, 2014, I would present my collection at the Beaux-Arts just after the Lanvin runway show that would also take place there! For me, this is simply magical.
R: What do you dislike about the world of fashion?
GB: The fact that fashion is becoming almost exclusively an industry.
