Stavros Niarchos

One of Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld's closest friends is Stavros Niarchos III, Greek shipping heir and international playboy. He was born in New York City and grew up in Paris. While he certainly has made some questionable choices in the dating game, Stavros looks to be a loyal friend. He and Vladimir attended University of Southern California together, strengthening the bond of friendship while studying and surfing in the sunshine and graduating the film school in May 2007. College was clearly a success, his occupation on his MySpace page reads "pro kite surfer."

Stavros has been on the guest list for every one of the art openings Vladimir has curated and I will wager a guess that he is also on the list of those to whom Vlad deals art. After all, his grandfather Stavros was esteemed as a private collector of fine art, particularly Impressionist and modern, considering it an important investment; he even had his portrait painted by Andy Warhol. Interesting footsteps in which to follow... another bond that he and Vladimir have in common.

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld and Stavros Niarchos photograph courtesy of wwd.com
Carine Roitfeld and Stavros Niarchos photograph © 2009 Getty Images. All Rights Reserved.

Salim Langatta

"The Works of Three Photographers" invitationThe first US show that Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld presented was "The Works of Three Photographers" featuring his three friends PC Valmorbida, David Mushegain, and Salim Langatta. The event took place in February at Collective Hardware on the Lower East Side and was sponsored by Louis Vuitton. When asked about his relationship with Langatta and his work, Vladimir replied, "I have known Salim for almost seven years now. When I first moved to New York in 2002, I didn’t know anyone to hang out with in the city. Basically, someone that I knew thought that it would be great for me to meet Salim. He was living in New York for many years already and was a bit older. So we met and just became really good friends straight away. He is my oldest friend in New York. After my first year here, I went to study in Los Angeles at USC. Salim knew David [Mushegain], who was living in LA, and introduced me to him. Salim is the kind of photographer who spends a million hours in the lab. His sense of color is incredible. He shoots a lot when he travels, and I also feel like he’s got an amazing ability to tell a story in one shot."

Image of "The Works of Three Photographers" Invitation courtesy of The New York Times Company
Salim Langatta photograph courtesy of Interview Magazine

Rose Bar

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld loves to unwind and relax with friends at the Rose Bar in New York City. This original and eclectic public space features furniture specially designed by Julian Schnabel; paintings by Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Richard Prince, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst, and Schnabel; and fanciful cocktails such as the Rose & Lychee Martini (gin, rose syrup, and lychee juice with fresh lemon sour and a dash of angostura bitters), the Bohemian Side Car (cognac and triple sec with fresh lime juice and a wisp of absinthe), and the Ginger Fig (vodka with muddled ginger root, fig jam, and fresh orange juice). Probably the biggest draw is the music: constantly evolving and ever sophisticated, the playlist includes the best of internationally known DJs from Paris, Rome, London, New York, Los Angeles, and Montreal. Located in the Gramercy Park Hotel, 2 Lexington Avenue at 21st Street; reservations are required after 9 p.m.

Photographs of Rose Bar at Gramercy Park Hotel courtesy of gramercyparkhotel.com

David Mushegain

© 2009 David MushegainIn February as part of New York Fashion Week, Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld curated "The Works of Three Photographers," an exhibit of the work of three of his friends: PC Valmorbida, David Mushegain, and Salim Langatta. The exhibit, sponsored by Louis Vuitton, was on display at the gallery Collective Hardware on Manhattan's Lower East Side.

David Mushegain was born in Pasadena, California in 1975. He loves surfing, traveling, and hanging out with family and friends. He has worked for Vogue Paris, Vogue Hommes, Vogue UK, i-D, Muse, and has a column in Vogue Nippon for which he visits models at home and photographs them hanging out. When Vladimir went to study at USC in Los Angeles his friend Salim knew David who was also living in LA and he introduced the two friends.

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld, Salim Langatta, PC Valmorbida, David MushegainWith regard to the exhibit and particularly David, Vladimir said, "I enjoy working with my friends and people of my generation and when I had the idea a few months ago to put on a photography show in New York, these guys just came naturally to me. I’ve been seeing them for many years, they have all a passion in common which is photography, and I really always loved their work. I like that they’re so different. You know, this show, mainly I’m just giving these guys an opportunity to show in New York. My only requirement was no fashion photography. I wanted the show to be more personal than that—moments out of each of their own lives. David is showing a lot of portraits and what I love about his pictures is the way he can really document a person. That’s such a talent. If you know anyone he’s shot, you see his picture and you recognize a true image."

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld, Salim Langatta, PC Valimorbida, and David Mushegain photograph courtesy of fashionologie.com

PC Valmorbida

In February, Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld curated an exhibit titled "The Works of Three Photographers" featuring the works of three of his artistic friends. The exhibit—which ran for a mere four days— was sponsored by Louis Vuitton at the gallery Collective Hardware on Manhattan's Lower East Side and included the photographers PC Valmorbida, David Mushegain, and Salim Langatta. It was the first official show for each of these three artists. The hot guest list for the opening included of course Carine Roitfeld, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Gisele Bündchen, Natalie Vodianova, Lara Stone, Alexander Wang, Erin Wasson, Sarah Lerfel (Colette), Lily Donaldson, Theodora and Alexandra Richards, Devon Aoki, and Stavros Niarchos.

Regarding his friend PC Valmorbida and the exhibit, Vladimir remarked, "PC is younger, and he is still at the point where he is experimenting, but his eye for form is quite impressive. You really see that in his architectural images. I love all of their work, and I trust them as artists and as friends, so I’ve given them a lot of leeway to choose what they show." PC hails from Australia and was formerly linked romantically with Theodora Richards. He also collaborated with Vladimir on last year's exhibit of the work of Marco Perego at Nikki Diana Marquardt Gallery on Place des Vosges.

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld and PC Valmorbida photograph courtesy of fashionspot.com
PC Valmorbida and Theodora Richards photograph courtesy of zimbio.com