EAST MEETS WEST For many years my style was quirky, eclectic, poppy - even cartoonish. When I moved to London [from France] in 1997 to become a freelance stylist, I was excited to discover markets such as Portobello Road, where I could buy the most amazing vintage clothes and accessories. London is such a great place to find unusual fashion to create a unique style. I went crazy.
Now I'm 40, my personal style has changed - I can't wear what I did at 25 - it's more classic. I go for quality these days.
I have been working on a concept with [avant-garde Chinese photographer] Chen Man, which is very exciting. It is also the first time I have met Hong Kong celebrities such as Hilary Tsui, Claudia Shaw and Wyman Wong, as well as personalities from the mainland such as Chen Kun and Wan Baobao. There were 10 wonderful people to style and I was quite nervous at first, because it is very difficult to style somebody you don't know; it's important to let their personality shine through. The intention was to combine Eastern style with Parisian chic for the Chanel Paris-Shanghai collection.
In 13 years of styling I have been commissioned by publications in Europe including Italian Vogue, British Elle, The Face and Dazed & Confused, and in Asia I have worked for Chinese Vogue and Japanese Vogue.
A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE My approach to styling is that it needs to be spontaneous, free and perhaps a little bit strange. I think you need to have an open spirit. I am constantly absorbing information; seeking new experiences through travel, exhibitions, books, photography, painting, ceramics ... I need to feed myself culturally to feel inspired. I am also a fashion victim; I know who's who in the industry, who is emerging and what the current trends are. Being a stylist is a way of life rather than a job. You have to love it - fully embrace it - or you couldn't do it. The people are my friends and the 'scene' is my social life. People such as [designer] Marc Jacobs, who has called me his 'favourite French muse', well, he is a good friend: very sweet and really interested in what I have to contribute. He knows what he wants and working with him is fun.
I have had some wonderful and wild experiences, such as the time I worked with [British fashion photographer] Nick Knight on a shoot for Dazed & Confused and [the models were] fat girls dressed as nuns with painted bodies. [Once] I found myself in Albuquerque [in the United States] at 4am as the sky filled with balloons. Lots of shoots are special and memorable.
PAPA DON'T PREACH I grew up in France with very conservative parents who expected me to become a lawyer or something equally boring. My father was a businessman in the financial sector. He gave me a clothes allowance when I was 14, expecting me to buy sensible outfits appropriate for my age. Instead I went to flea markets and vintage shops, where I mixed styles and eras to create an eclectic look. He was furious and he never allowed me to go clothes shopping without him after that. My mum always liked fashion, though, and encouraged me to take an interest from the age of about nine. Even so, I was frustrated and I rebelled as soon as I left home.