Jean Shrimpton

Though Carine Roitfeld rarely admits to style influences, she does admire the style of one icon: "I love the looks of Jean Shrimpton. I love the 70s. That was my period. Jean Shrimpton is everything I want to be." Shrimpton was an English model and actress that represented the transition in fashion of the British Invasion of the 1960s. By age 18, Shrimpton was internationally recognized having made the covers of Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Harper's Bazaar and was considered an icon of Swinging London. She starred in the 1967 film Privilege with Paul Jones. Shrimpton was once engaged to photographer David Bailey but eventually married another photographer, Michael Cox, with whom she has a son born in 1981. NY JS DB 62 captures the beginning of the influential collaboration between Shrimpton and Bailey, energetic yet innocent, a groundbreaking duo in their era.

Photograph of Jean Shrimpton in London of Sloane Street coat © 1964 David Bailey. All Rights Reserved.

Juergen Teller

Carine Roitfeld and Juergen Teller have combined their talents innumerable times over the last few years to create memorable fashion images for Vogue Paris, such as the editorial pictured above, "Strip-Jean." Model Raquel Zimmerman teases us via her denim outifts styled by Carine and shot by Juergen for the May 2009 issue of Vogue Paris.

Widely considered to be one of the most influential fashion photographers shooting today, Teller achieves his raw, overexposed style wielding a Contax G2 camera with onboard flash. Born in 1964 in Erlangen, Germany, Teller studied at the Bayerische Staatslehranstalt für Photograhie in Munich and developed his interest in portraiture. He began snapping photos of celebrities, mostly musical, including then unknown Nirvana. In 1986, he moved to London where he now lives and works. From shooting the rising stars of grunge music Teller went on to help shape grunge fashion via his lens' perspective. His partner and mother of his daughter is art director Venetia Scott. If you are interested in exploring his work further, I definitely recommend Juergen Teller Go-Sees.

For those in the New York area, don't miss Juergen Teller's Fashion Week talk with Cathy Horyn of The New York Times. The free discussion of his work is open to the public at the Visual Arts Theater at 333 W. 23rd Street on September 12 at 7 p.m. Additionally, a new exhibition of Teller's work will be on display beginning September 10 at the Lehmann Maupin Gallery and his photographs will be showcased at the New Museum for the launch of Shoot, along with the work of Nan Goldin and Wolfgang Tillmans.

Raquel Zimmerman in "Strip-Jean" editorial from Vogue Paris May 2009 © 2009 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.
Juergen Teller "ME 1, selfportrait, 2000" image courtesy of Fotomuseum Im Stadtmuseum, Munich.

Styl'up

Carine Roitfeld always looks perfect, in part because she ensures that her clothing fits exactly, underlining that chic, angular edge to her look. She achieves this precise fit by making frequent visits to what Carine refers to as "her retoucher." For alterations, Carine prefers Styl'up on Rue Pasquier in Paris. If you despair of ever finding garments that fit correctly, adopt the Roitfeld philosophy: “Everything I have I take to be altered because nothing is perfect or exactly the right length” says Carine herself who is renowned for always wearing her slim pencil skirts to just the same point on the knee. Emmanuelle Alt also uses this tailor, so chances are there may be a waiting list...

Carine Roitfeld photograph courtesy of rockthetrend.com

Grace Jones

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld recently reported that one of Carine Roitfeld's idols is Grace Jones, "They worked often together when Grace was engaged to Jean-Paul Goude." This Jamaican-born singer, model, and actress is considered an icon of the 1980s. Famous for her severe, androgynous look, Grace was muse to Andy Warhol and her body served as canvas for Keith Haring's tribal patterns on a few occasions. Her number one dance hits include: "I Need A Man," "Slave To The Rhythm," "Love on Top of Love (Killer Kiss)," and "Sexdrive." Carine and Grace also share a love for Alaïa; in fact, Grace once carried the designer on stage in her arms to receive a French fashion award.

Keith Haring painting Grace Jones photograph courtesy of lipsticktracez.com
Grace Jones and Azzedine Alaïa photograph courtesy of nohway.wordpress.com

Schiaparelli

Carine Roitfeld attended the party that Azzedine Alaïa hosted for the opening of Schiaparelli in Paris. Azzedine must have been happy that Carine took the time to lace up his beautiful shoes for this party. J'adore the way that everything is bathed in rose light to match the rose wine flowing freely at the soirée. And the Schiaparelli vintage on hand, c'est magnifique. Carine's favorite piece in the collection is reportedly the jacket on which Schiaparelli and Jean Cocteau collaborated for the fall/winter 1937 collection. Talk about well made, this piece is over 70 years old!

Carine Roitfeld and Schiaparelli collection photographs © 2009 Rosita Kerdlarppol. All Rights Reserved.