Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent By Buero New York

Alex Wiederin, art director for Buero New York and creative director of Vogue Hommes International, took a few minutes from his busy schedule to give us an exclusive interview about his thoughts on working with Carine Roitfeld to design her forthcoming biography Irreverent. Very special thanks to Alex Wiederin and Ronit Avneri at Buero New York for facilitating this interview.

How did your collaboration with Carine Roitfeld begin?

Carine and I know each other from Vogue Hommes International where we worked together for quite some time. At one point she asked me if I would like to design her book. Of course I said yes.

Can you share the process of working with Carine on this book? How involved was she in the direction?

On a project like this that is so personal, you really need the person to be involved. The way I work is always very collaborative.

What was it like to collaborate with Carine and Terry Richardson to create the images for the David Webb campaign?

They are both amazing. I have known Terry for almost 20 years, and Carine and I became good friends after working on the book together. To work with people you like and respect is always fun. And the David Webb campaign was definitely fun.

Buero designs books for many in the fashion and art world. What elements about this book's design were you intent on incorporating to make it unique to Carine?

We try to make everything we do unique. One special thing that Buero New York really believes in is creating custom typefaces. For Irreverent, we created a typeface called 'Carine' that exists only in this book. In my opinion, the way we structured the book is also very unique for this type of project.

What will we learn about our favorite stylist from Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent?

We learn that style and personality are two things that inevitably come together. And that offering a good portion of your personal life with a certain distance (and a shot of vodka) can create a lot of amazing ideas. Ultimately, humor is the best recipe.

What are Carine's concerns regarding the book?

I guess the concerns people have regarding books about their own work are always the same. If you look back on things you did a long time ago, you might begin to question whether they are still relevant.

What is the initial press run for Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent?

The last number we heard was 10,000, and I believe it's been sold out.

Can you tell us more about other projects currently underway at Buero New York?

We are working on a couple of exciting projects. Buero New York is small and we prefer to take on only projects that really interest us. For instance, we just finished the Pirelli Calendar 2012 with Mario Sorrenti. We are always working on publications — right now Vogue Hommes International, Italian Elle, Dossier, and the online and quarterly Ilikemystyle. There are also ad campaigns, books... and a new project I love where we will design a range of sustainable products from a farm in the Spanish countryside, starting with olive oil and wine bottles.

What advice would you give to an aspiring book designer?

Try to tell stories with your design. Use design as a communication tool rather than just an aesthetic.

Carine Roitfeld and Alex Wiederin photographs courtesy of terrysdiary.com, purple.fr, colette.fr

Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent Bal Des Vampires

The fashion world fulfilled their vampiric fantasies last night in Paris as they gathered for Le Bal des Vampires to celebrate Carine Roitfeld's forthcoming biography Irreverent. The clever costume party with a vampire theme found its ideal setting in Raspoutine, a subterranean Russian cabaret and caviar club illuminated by red Byzantine lamps and lined with fur and blood red velvet. Carine dressed as the perfect vampiress in black velvet Givenchy and full makeup. The illustrious guest list included Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld, Robert Konjic, Giovanna Battaglia, Haider Ackermann, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Ciara, Anna Dello Russo, Peter Dundas, Alber Elbaz, Miranda Kerr, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Karlie Kloss, Karolina Kurkova, Karl Lagerfeld, Pier Paolo Piccioli, Terry Richardson, Anja Rubik, Martine Sitbon, Dirk Standen, Mario Testino, Olivier Theyskens, Uma Thurman, Riccardo Tisci, Natalia Vodianova, Diane von Furstenberg, Alexander Wang, and Kanye West. Visit the photo gallery for more scarily sexy shots of Le Bal des Vampires.

Carine Roitfeld et al photographs © 2011 Condé Nast and courtesy of fotos.mujer.es, self service magazine, and purple.fr. All Rights Reserved.

Carine Roitfeld Signs Irreverent At Colette

Carine Roitfeld photographs © 2011 Colette. All Rights Reserved.

Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent At Colette

Only 483 hours remaining until the long awaited release of Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent and here is the subject of my favorite book posed with a display in her honor at Colette in Paris. Carine will be signing advance copies of her forthcoming biography at Colette for one hour this Saturday, 1 October from 15:00 to 16:00; please let me know if you are among the blessed, I live for the vicarious thrill.

I don't know about you, but I began awaiting Carine's biography in March 2010 when it was first announced as Album of A Woman of Fashion. I will be very interested to see if any of our questions made the pages of Irreverent. In case you missed it the first time, here are the questions I sent to Purple in hopes of being answered by Carine herself.

1. Can you give us an example of the foods and beverages that you consume regularly, particularly those that you consider staples?
2. Do you practice Pilates at home or with a group? How regularly and for what duration do you practice?
3. What advice would you give to an aspiring writer? Stylist? Editor-in-chief?
4. What beauty products do you use faithfully?
5. What questions do you have for your readers?
6. What do you want for your birthday?
7. Describe for us a moment that you remember in a breathtaking natural setting: how did it feel, look, smell? What were you wearing?
8. What are your ten (or so) favorite albums? Films? Books?
9. If you were to change your name, what would it become?
10. Do you know how much your fans love you? Keep up your brilliant work!!

Carine Roitfeld photograph courtesy of twitter.com/coletteparis

Inside Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent

As shots surface of the interior of the forthcoming book Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent, I simply cannot help but add them to the photo gallery to be browsed at once. Look at this photograph of Carine with a perm as proof of the goodness to come... Please, sir, I want some more...

Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent images © 2011 Rizzoli. All Rights Reserved.