I Want To Be A Roitfeld

Kellina de Boer
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dara Block
STYLE EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Jessica Eritou
Renee Hernandez
Bernie Rothschild

quoi de neuf
   
Carine Roitfeld

Apartment

Closet

Library

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld

Apartment

Closet

Library

Beauty Products

HOW TO BE A ROITFELD

Beauty Secrets

Style Tips

Recipes

IWTB SHOP

Mademoiselle C

Mademoiselle C (2013)
Directed by Fabien Constant

IWTB Interview:
Fabien Constant

ORDER DVD

VIEW TRAILER

CR FASHION BOOK

Harper's Bazaar

carine roitfeld: irreverent
THE LITTLE BLACK JACKET

I Want To Be An Alt

I Want To Be A Coppola

I Want To Be A Battaglia

IWTB RECOMMENDS

Tom Ford
By Tom Ford

 

Yves Saint Laurent 
By Roxanne Lowit

 

The Big Book of the Hamptons
By Michael Shnayerson

 

A Message for You
By Guy Bourdin

 

Dior: The Legendary Images
By Florence Muller

 

Marella Agnelli: The Last Swan
By Maria Agnelli

 

Fashionable Selby
By Todd Selby

 

O.Z. Diary
By Olivier Zahm 

Entries in Vogue Paris (159)

lundi
août192013

Vogue Paris August 2004: Belle De Nuit

Throughout the month we will flash back to the August 2004 issue of Vogue Paris under Carine Roitfeld and to start us off, I am delighted to introduce today's guest post by Justine Ariel from common era | DISCREET FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY. Justine deftly examines the editorial "Belle de Nuit" as styled by Emmanuelle Alt and photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for the issue. Thank you kindly for sharing your stylish insights with all of us, Justine!

Vogue Paris August 2004: Belle De Nuit
By Justine Ariel

Indeed, Parisian from head to toe: noir, noir, et noir. The Roitfeld/Alt team begins this editorial with a well-known adage about the Parisian woman: chicly eccentric, she doesn't just dress with the sophistication of night, she is the night. Crowned with a black hat by Miu Miu and draped in a black poncho and black python boots by Chloé, the model (Hannelore Knuts) is literally covered from head to toe by the black night sky. And while the night is reserved for dark and mysterious activities — the python boots may be a nod to that story about the snake and the apple, you know the one I mean? — these clothes are not rebellious or earth-shaking.

Take, for instance, the Chanel ensemble on the fifth page. An allusion to the iconic photo of Coco Chanel herself, with her arm pressed defiantly into her side, Alt suggests that when Parisians find a good thing, they stick to it. Night is also a time for ritual and routine and with this comes contemplation and memories. Hannelore Knuts, who manages to channel Madonna and Chloë Sevigny in the same moment, is the perfect choice for a shoot like this. She reflects the look of the clothes because her look is classic, but changeable, maybe a little boring, but then also unexpected.

And we should really examine the variation these clothes present. You have, on the one hand, the classic Chanel look. Then you have a Fendi art deco, Cleopatra-inspired black and gold dress, a long evening gown by Marc Jacobs, a long diaphanous dress from Lagerfeld, a brown leather Miu Miu jacket, a Givenchy tweed coat... Wait. What happened to the night? After a solid introduction by Chloé on the first page, my eye wants to see more black, only black. And there is something about a brown leather jacket and brown velvet that will always scream autumn afternoon to me. Okay, maybe the Roitfeld/Alt team just wants to keep us on our toes, they want to throw in that chic eccentricity, that unexpected thing. You think Parisians are all about black? Well, what if I wore brown? Uh….

Whether or not consistency is an issue, the crowning and subversive achievement of this editorial is definitely the Ann Demeulemeester ensemble. Leather pants and a chainmail top. While we've grown used to this kind of styling by Emmanuelle Alt (definitely a "classic Alt"), in this editorial it represents the new, the truly different choice. This is one of the only ensembles that isn't styled with a Miu Miu hat which, I should say, is somewhere in between sophisticated 1920s flapper and the bucket hat your grandma wears when she gardens (points for grandma?). And the rock-chic standard of this outfit is so refreshing when, on the previous pages, you have a Marc Jacobs evening gown pinned with a butterfly. Don't get me wrong — I love butterflies, but I love them as beautiful things that sit on flowers, not necessarily popping out of my evening wear.

This is the success of the editorial: the contradiction between classic drapes and modern ideas. The Chanel jacket and pearls versus the Ann Demeulemeester leather and chainmail outfit. Society against rebel. You can see Emmanuelle Alt's preference in the Demeulemeester ensemble: the need to create a new kind of night, not wrapped in Marc Jacobs evening gowns or Louis Vuitton lace, but rough. Metal and leather stripping away old ideas and making way for an era sans chapeau. Just a little bit subversive, but not too much.

These are the tensions of night: to stay safe, cloaked in black, moving mysteriously from one identity to the next, or to be bold and show your "chic eccentricities" like you're ready for battle.

connect with iwtbar  bloglovin  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  tumblr  |  twitter

Vogue Paris editorial images © 2004 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

jeudi
mai092013

Vogue Paris April 2001: Pose Combat

Vogue Paris April 2001: Pose Combat
By Renee Hernandez

If there is one style that has wielded incredible influence, I would have to say it is the combat chic look. Its claim to fashion fame came from the babes of the 1960s like Loretta Swit as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in M*A*S*H and Jane Fonda photographed in US army surplus clothing. Then in the 80s Michael Jackson took it over-the-top with his custom made, bedecked military jackets. From utilitarian to glam, it’s a style that is constantly evolving.

Somewhere in the midst of that spectrum is the editorial "Pose Combat" from April 2001 Vogue Paris. It is everything combat chic. Stylist Anastasia Barbieri gives us all the classics: camouflage colors, cargo and parachute pants, aviator glasses, and all-in-one flying suits. Her styling shows how to feminize the combat look by using sleek sexy pumps, snug-fitting tanks, gold military dog tags, and leather corsets. Models Erin Wasson and Eleonora Bosé rock short, slicked back hair with nothing more than smudged black eyeliner for a pure sexy-cool look. I don’t really want to imagine photographer Terry Richardson behind the scenes directing this photo shoot but I do love the simple yet aggressive quality to these images.

More from Vogue Paris April 2001

Vogue Paris April 2001: Bande A Part
By Jessica Eritou

Vogue Paris April 2001: Berlin
By Dara Block

Vogue Paris April 2001: Tentation Rebelle
By Kellina de Boer

Vogue Paris April 2001 Translation: Initiales B.C.
By Kellina de Boer

connect with iwtbar  bloglovin | facebook | pinterest | tumblr | twitter

Vogue Paris editorial images © 2001 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

mardi
avr.302013

Vogue Paris April 2001: Bande A Part

Vogue Paris April 2001: Bande A Part
By Jessica Eritou

Shot by Patrick Ibanez and modeled by Tasha Tilberg, “Bande A Part” explores what it means to balance an alternative aesthetic with an androgynous twist. Styled by Antje Winter, each shot is in simplified black-and-white which produces even more of a hard edge to the editorial. We are shown simple cuts and fabrics, but it enforces the edge of the materials and textures on Tilberg.

Despite this editorial being more than 12 years old, the looks presented are similar to those seen in department stores today. It seems as though this work is foreshadowing Emmanuelle Alt's succession as editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris after the departure of Carine Rotfield. The silhouettes and effortlessness very much resemble Alt's own style and appeal.

The first image conveys a strong introduction to the editorial since it shows Tilberg from a long shot. The skinny legged denim paired with a cropped leather piece and a pair of heels could be worn in today's time while at the same time there is still a retro edge to the work. Perhaps due to the vintage car as prop, or Tilberg's hair, this shot works brilliantly, as though she is a 1950s greaser.

Next is a close-up shot focusing on Tilberg's patent top while covered in metal chains. This is the only shot that stands out from the others, since it does not accompany the rest of the editorial. There is almost a futuristic vibe rather than that of an androgynous rebel.

The third shot focuses on the male-female contrast with a menswear inspired tuxedo jacket paired with an ultra-feminine blouse and the denim we saw far too much of in the late 90s. What makes this shot stand out are the popular trends shown, the aesthetic is still very raw and effortless.

Winter then poses Tilberg on an automotive backseat again, in skinny legged denim and another feminine ruffled blouse. The hard-edged lines of the backseat contrast with Tilberg's soft delicate features. What makes this shot great is the integration of all of the elements you would see typically with a male. This is seen in Tilberg's pose and her knife tied to the side of her leg with a handkerchief. Her flats are feminine with retro polka dots.

The next shot is something you would expect to see straight off the runway of Balenciaga. The look is very simple with a blouse and trousers, but it is the execution that makes this look unique. Pairing an off-white blouse underneath a black turtleneck is unexpected yet it works in a complementary manner. The delicately banded trousers are leather, which match the gender neutral bag strapped across Tilberg's chest. Is this an ode to another androgynous message? Did Winter have her wear it specifically in that manner instead of carrying it the typical way on her shoulder? This “Bande A Part” is shown here to illustrate how easily a piece can be turned into something more with just a simple placement.

Winter then creates an athletic-inspired shot, mixing a zipped sweater with leather piping, rich in texture, with a gathered jersey skirt. This shot is more playful than the rest.

Lastly we see Tilberg in a printed dress with a motorcycle jacket much like the current coveted Balmain ones we see in 2013. She's sitting on another automotive seat, but this time she is not facing the camera, posing in a slouchy, rude way. Winter incorporates more feminine details with the use of jewelry and belt details at the waist.

Overall, this editorial is timeless, or perhaps we are just used to the trends seen today in 2013. It could also be more relatable in today's time since it is shot in black-and-white so we cannot see the color palettes used, which could date the work. “Bande A Part” demonstrates the use of masculine and feminine in such a way it makes every piece just right.

More from Vogue Paris April 2001

Vogue Paris April 2001: Berlin
By Dara Block

Vogue Paris April 2001: Tentation Rebelle
By Kellina de Boer

Vogue Paris April 2001 Translation: Initiales B.C.
By Kellina de Boer

connect with iwtbar bloglovin | facebook | pinterest | tumblr | twitter

Vogue Paris editorial images © 2001 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

mercredi
avr.242013

Vogue Paris April 2001: Berlin

Vogue Paris April 2001: Berlin
By Dara Block

It's always exciting to look back at Carine Roitfeld's early years at Vogue Paris and since it is April 2013, I thought it would be appropriate to reminisce back on the April 2001 issue entitled "Tentation Rebelle," particularly the brilliant editorial entitled "Berlin." The layout was photographed by Mario Testino and was styled by Carine Roitfeld. These two always work so well together and this editorial clearly illustrates that. I think the opening image of model Marcelle Bittar in that shiny black leather Balenciaga trench coat just says it all... it's so sexy-chic, what Carine Roitfeld does best! I also love that she chose Berlin, Germany, as the backdrop. Berlin is certainly a city that is young, modern, vivacious, and even a little punk. All those qualities are definitely depicted here. So, with all that said, let's take a closer look at some of the images from this cutting-edge editorial.

I so appreciate that this layout features both men and women. We get to see both sexes looking edgy and seductive in that Vogue Paris way we all know and love. I think this photo is a perfect example of that. Model Marcelle Bittar totally oozes sex appeal in her beautifully draped Versace dress. This was one of Donatella Versace's best seasons for the label and I love the way Marcelle Bittar looks in that dress. Yes, it is a bit revealing, but the dress certainly covers up in all the right areas. I can't help but also notice that alluring look she is giving to the camera. She appears innocent but you know that she probably has some secret wild side. I also appreciate that added punk element of that young man standing next to her in his suit... I think his hair says it all. I like how this photo looks a bit 80s, but also very contemporary. Carine Roitfeld did an excellent job at blending a retro punk vibe with a sexy and modern sensibility.

In the next image, we see Marcelle Bittar once again looking very vulnerable and sensual in a risqué black lingerie dress with a Dior hat and veil. I love the way Mario Testino worked with mirrors in this photograph. I especially love the reflection of her double red lips. Her image is multiplied in a really interesting and provocative way.

Mirrors certainly add a mysterious-chic quality and I love that Mario Testino included a couple more similar shots. This mirror image in particular was my favorite. I think Carine Roitfeld did an excellent job at styling this look. I know critics hated this Tom Ford for Gucci Spring 2001 collection, but I thought it was one of his best. Carine Roitfeld definitely added a total punk rock aesthetic and a little goth glam with this Gucci black mesh dress, making it look so standout. I also like how Marcelle Bittar even looks a bit like Carine Roitfeld in this pic... the hair and the expression on her face is so CR. I assume she used herself as inspiration.

Yet again, we see another mirror photo image and this time Marcelle Bittar's blonde punk rock boy-toy joins in on the fun. I love the expression of these two together and the way they blend together through that mirror and their black ensembles. Also, their accessories play such a key role in this pic... I love his bullet necklace and her Chopard butterfly brooch. It is such a clever blend of punk rock chic and high glamour. Only Carine Roitfeld could style this look together so effortlessly.

These two also appear again but this time in different looks... and in a hotel room. Marcelle Bittar looks ultra glam in her red transparent coat and glass of champagne. Plus, love the matching red nails. She looks as though she has something naughty on her mind... not sure if her punk rock boy-toy has the same intention!

What I find so interesting about this editorial is that Mario Testino not only photographs models but he manages to capture the beauty and charm of Berlin. We get to see the city at night with all the colors and the gorgeous architecture. Berlin, itself, plays an important role in this layout.

I also appreciate how Mario Testino and Carine Roitfeld styled and photographed their models with real life citizens from Berlin. All the people featured in this editorial are artists, students, musicians, of some sort living in this creative city. I love the range of people and how they all somehow blend together. Whether in sporty-chic Adidas or a sexy leather coat... Berlin is certainly a unique city full of personal style... these two pics show all that!

The editorial ends on a high note, with two amazing leather coats. First, we see a male model walking in what seems like a German mall in a black leather trench coat. The cut of this jacket is quite impeccable. It's sleek, sophisticated, and such a perfect look for wandering around a darkly-glam city, like Berlin. We also see Marcelle Bittar again, roaming around in that same mall, still with her glass of champagne, also dressed in a beautiful leather coat. I so appreciate the way in which Carine Roitfeld shows the reader how to work a coat... I love that she displays this look not just for women, but for men, too. It's clear that a form-fitting coat is a must have for both sexes.

As we can see, Carine Roitfeld's "Berlin" is not so much about the clothes but more about personal style. Perhaps it's all about having a punk rock attitude and not caring what other people think... especially when it comes to putting a look together. I like that this editorial does not scream fashion, but rather individuality. Berlin definitely seems to be such a forward thinking city in terms of architecture, fashion, and overall style. I love the way Mario Testino and Carine Roitfeld captured all that so intelligently. Yet another amazing collaboration from this dynamic duo... always inspiring to watch these two work their magic!

More from Vogue Paris April 2001

Vogue Paris April 2001: Bande A Part
By Jessica Eritou

Vogue Paris April 2001: Tentation Rebelle
By Kellina de Boer

Vogue Paris April 2001 Translation: Initiales B.C.
By Kellina de Boer

connect with iwtbar bloglovin | facebook | pinterest | tumblr | twitter

Vogue Paris editorial images © 2001 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

dimanche
avr.212013

Vogue Paris Translation: Betty Catroux Interview April 2001

A delightful piece titled "Initiales B.C." graced the pages of the April 2001 issue of Vogue Paris and I have translated it from French to English. Olivier Lalanne conducted an engaging interview with true original Betty Catroux, and also spoke with the man she inspired, Yves Saint Laurent. Among their reflections, Betty and Yves both mused on the evening they met in a Parisian club. Accompanying the interviews are photographs made of Betty in the 1960s by Helmut Newton, Jeanloup Sieff, and Jean-Jacques Bugat.

Vogue Paris April 2001: Initiales B.C.

Betty Catroux est au cœur d'Yves Saint Laurent. D'hier et d'aujourd'hui. Sa grâce féline, son androgynie comme Bowie, ses figures libres en matière de style et sa rock attitude enflamment toujours l'imagination de la maison. Femme discrète cachée derrière des verres fumes, Betty Catroux est un modèle de modernité.

«Vous savez pourquoi j'adore le vin blanc de Gewurtz ?, demande Betty Catroux. Parce qu'il monte à la tête dix fois plus vite que les autres.» Assise en tailleur sur un fauteuil camel, dans le décor feutré de son appartement du septième arrondissement, cette déesse dans la mythologie de la mode transcende la notion d'allure, presque malgré elle. Le chic est dans ses gènes, comme l'azur de ses yeux ou sa taille extraordinaire, un mètre quatre-vingt-trois à la toise. Pas un arbitre des élégances ne s'y tromperait. Tom Ford, créateur du prêt-à-porter d'Yves Saint Laurent, lui a dédié sa première collection. «J'ai cru que j'allais avoir une attaque, dit-elle, lorsque j'ai vu mes cinquante clones sortir sur le podium. J'étais à la fois grisée et angoissée, moi qui passe ma vie à me cacher. Je m'étonne toujours quand on prétend s'inspirer de moi, parce que rien ne m'intéresse moins que a mode. Je n'aime que le jean, bleu denim ou cuir noir, les T-shirts et les grosses.» Les campagnes de publicité réalisées par le photographe Steven Meisel reproduisent le délié de sa silhouette sous smoking de satin noir, sa longue frange blonde affûtée, refuge de ses yeux, filtre salutaire sur la réalité d'un monde longtemps esquivée.

«La première fois que j'ai vu Betty, se souvient Yves Saint Laurent, c'était au New Jimmy'z, le club de Régine. 1967, je crois. Elle portait une jupe en plastique Prisunic. Ce qui m'a impressionné, c'est le style, l'androgynie, le corps, le visage et les cheveux. Je l'ai draguée.» Yves Saint Laurent, en prise avec les mouvements de son époque, venait de lancer Rive Gauche, sa ligne prêt-a-porter, et glissait dans ses vêtements les acquis d'une génération, la fusion des genres, l'audace du corps et la liberté sexuelle. Betty Catroux devient son égérie, la Betty's touch un statement sulfureux. Betty adore les cheveux sales, au bord de trouver ça chic. Elle se fait siffler à l'Opéra parce qu'elle ose dévoiler son buste de jeune garçon sous un voile de mousseline. Elle choisit les pantalons de jersey, les cols roulés pour le jour ; cède parfois aux robes du soir, «des modèles un peu macho avec des manches longues noires». Elle ne jure que par la «loucherie», déteste le «square» (l'académisme), invente l'expression «pourri de chic» à propos de Gstaad dans les années 70. «C'est en pensant à elle que j'ai imaginé le tailleur pantalon, puis le cuir, ajoute le couturier. Tous les codes masculins que j'ai interjetés au féminin. Si Paloma Picasso et Loulou de la Falaise m'inspirent la fantaisie, Betty, elle, m'inspire a rigueur du corps.»

«Je me souviens très bien de cette nuit, dit Betty Catroux. Yves était blond platine, cuir noir total look. On se ressemblait. Il est tellement timide qu'il a envoyé quelqu'un m'accoster à ma table. Il m'a ensuite demandé de passer sa collection, je lui ai dit non. Je faisais quelques photos de mode à l'époque, mais c'était pas mon truc. C'était de l'argent vite gagné pour sortir, boire et déconner.»

Betty Catroux est discrète, entend préserver le mystère qui nimbe sa beauté anguleuse, modèle en «I». Naissance à Rio, Brésil, d'une mère italienne et d'un père irlandais, diplomate. Prénom Elisabeth. Paris à l'âge de 4 ans, puis l'école en Angleterre. 1968, la rencontre avec son mari, le décorateur François Catroux, deux enfants, un garçon, une fille, une intimité serrée au poing.

«Je suis légère, charmante, mais je ne suis proche de personne. Je suis une marginale qui a le sentiment de n'appartenir à un aucun groupe, aucun sexe. François, mon mari, c'est ma moitié. Yves, c'est l'ami. Nous avons une sensibilité commune lui et moi, le même état entre dépression et excitation. Un naturel forcé d'une petite technique. On en rajoute parce que l'air abattu, ça fait fondre les gens.» Betty, présentée comme «le copain, l'amie intime, le double» de Saint Laurent, est aussi la compagne de dérive, celle qui partage la même soif sauvage de sensations violentes, les mirages alcool et autres substances pour assassiner doucement le temps, se dérober à l'optimisme soigné, ce gras et prospère élevage du tiède, du médiocre, de l'ordinaire.

«A l'époque, j'étais dans un état second dit Betty Catroux. J'étais mal dans ma peau et je faisais beaucoup d'excès. J'ai à peine apprécié ce que j'ai vécu. Je ne me suis jamais sentie aussi bien que maintenant. Je suis faite pour notre époque.»

«On s'est beaucoup amusé, ajoute Yves Saint Laurent. On était toute une bande avec Paul et Thalita Ghetty [sic], Andy Warhol, Noureev, Helmut Berger... Quand on a vécu tout ça, il faut beaucoup d'imagination pour vivre aujourd'hui.»

Betty Catroux n'a pas le goût de la nostalgie. Celle qui se définit comme la «passivité incarnée» danse tous les jours depuis quinze ans. Un cours de modern jazz, porte de La Chapelle où elle se rend en métro. «Il n'y a que des jeunes à tomber, de toutes les couleurs, qui veulent devenir professionnels.» Chaque matin, son copain Yves lui téléphone. Une fois par semaine, tous deux se retrouvent au Relais Plaza, au Costes ou au Mathy's bar. «On parle de tout , sauf de mode, insiste t-elle. On se dit des bêtises, on a des fous rires de mômes, on échange nos états d'âme.»

«Elle me rend heureux, dit Yves Saint Laurent. Elle démode toutes les femmes. Dans sa façon d'être, de bouger, de s'habiller, je crois que Betty a inventé la modernité.»

Vogue Paris April 2001: Initiales B.C.
Translation from French to English by Kellina de Boer

Betty Catroux is at the heart of Yves Saint Laurent. Yesterday and today. Her feline grace, her androgyny like Bowie, her free figure in terms of style, and her rock attitude always ignite the imagination of the house. Discreet woman hidden behind smoked glasses, Betty Catroux is a model of modernity.

"You know why I love Gewurtz white wine?" asks Betty Catroux. "Because it goes to the head ten times faster than the others." Sitting cross-legged on a camel chair in the cozy setting of her apartment in the seventh arrondissement, this goddess in the mythology of fashion transcends the notion of allure, almost in spite of herself. Chic is in her genes, such as the azure of her eyes or her extraordinary height, eighty-three meters to fathom. An arbiter of elegance not to be deceived. Tom Ford, ready-to-wear designer for Yves Saint Laurent, dedicated his first collection to her. "I thought I was gonna have a heart attack," she said, "when I saw my fifty clones out on the podium. I was both gray and anxious, that I spend my life hiding. I am always amazed when one claims to be inspired by me, because nothing interests me less than fashion. I love the jeans, blue denim or black leather, t-shirts and large." Advertising campaigns shot by photographer Steven Meisel reproduce the hairline of her silhouette in le smoking in black satin, her long blond fringe sharp, the safe haven of her eyes, a wholesome filter to the reality of a world long evaded.

"The first time I saw Betty," remembers Yves Saint Laurent, "it was at New Jimmy'z, the club of Régine. 1967, I think. She wore a Prisunic plastic skirt. What impressed me was the style, the androgyny, the body, the face, and the hair. I hit on her." Yves Saint Laurent, engaged in the movements of his time, had just launched Rive Gauche, his ready-to-wear line, and slipped into his garments the achievements of a generation, a fusion of styles, the audacity of the body and sexual freedom. Betty Catroux became his muse, Betty's touch a sulphurous statement. Betty loves dirty hair, besides finding it chic. She is hissed at the Opera because she dares to reveal the bust of a young boy in a muslin veil. She chooses jersey pants, turtlenecks for the day; at times yielding to evening gowns, "models a little macho with long sleeves black." She swears by the "squint," hates the "square" (the academy), coined the phrase "rotten chic" about Gstaad in the 70s. "I was thinking of her when I imagined the pantsuit, then the leather," adds the designer. "All the male codes that I have appeal to the female. If Paloma Picasso and Loulou de la Falaise inspire my fantasy, Betty, she inspires my rigorous body."

"I remember very well that night," said Betty Catroux. "Yves was platinum blonde, black leather total look. We looked alike. He is so shy that he sent someone to accost me at my table. He then asked me to his collection, I told him no. I made some pictures of fashion at the time, but it was not my style. It was easy money to go out drinking and messing around."

Betty Catroux is discrete, aiming to preserve the mystery which haloes her angular beauty, the model of "I." Born in Rio, Brazil, to an Italian mother and an Irish father, a diplomat. First name Elizabeth. Paris at the age of 4 years, then school in England. 1968, the encounter with her ​​husband, decorator François Catroux, two children, a boy, a girl, a tight-fisted intimacy.

"I am light, charming, but I'm not close to anyone. I am a marginal who feels that they belong to no group, no sex. François, my husband, is my half. Yves is my friend. We have a common sensitivity him and me, the same state between depression and excitement. A natural force of a small art. We add in that dejected air because it melts people." Betty, presented as "the buddy, the close friend, the double" of Saint Laurent, is also the drifting companion, which shares the same wild thirst for violent sensations, the illusions of alcohol and other substances to gently kill time, shirking the neat optimism, this fat and prosperous breeding of warmth, of the mediocre, of the ordinary.

"At the time, I was in a daze," said Betty Catroux. "I was wrong in my skin and I did a lot of excess. I just enjoyed what I experienced. I've never felt better than now. I'm made for our times."

"It was great fun," adds Yves Saint Laurent. "It was a whole bunch with Paul and Talitha Getty, Andy Warhol, Nureyev, Helmut Berger... When you have been through it, it takes a lot of imagination to live today."

Betty Catroux does not have a taste for nostalgia. She who is defined as "passivity incarnate" has danced every day for fifteen years. A course in modern jazz, the door of La Chapelle where she goes via public transportation. "There are nothing but young people to die for, in all colors, who want to become professionals." Every morning, her pal Yves telephones her. Once a week, the two find themselves at the Relais Plaza, the Costes, or Mathy's bar. "We talk about everything except fashion," she insists. "We speak nonsense, we giggle like kids, we exchange our moods."

"She makes me happy," said Yves Saint Laurent. "Her style eclipses that of all other women. In her way of being, of moving, of dressing, I think Betty invented modernity."

More from Vogue Paris April 2001

Vogue Paris April 2001: Bande A Part
By Jessica Eritou

Vogue Paris April 2001: Berlin
By Dara Block

Vogue Paris April 2001: Tentation Rebelle
By Kellina de Boer

connect with iwtbar bloglovin  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  tumblr  |  twitter

Vogue Paris editorial images © 2001 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.