A "Chat" with CHRISTIAN LACROIX

I am indescribably honored and humbled to have had the one and only Christian Lacroix answer a few questions for me about … well… so many things; some of it pertains to fashion.  He is one of the most emblematic designers of the last 2 decades of the 20^th century and he was the last of a breed to inhabit the world of Haute Couture. Here is a man who has made an indelible mark within the milieu of fashion.

His latest collaboration was with the house of Schiaparelli and he continues to design for the world of the stage whether it is ballet or opera or anything in between.  The man evokes exuberance through his love of color, his humor and his native Arles.  His “like” shall not walk amongst us during this life time and so take a few minutes and learn something about the man known as CHRISTIAN LACROIX!

I need to personally say MERCI BEAUCOUP...  MILLE FOIS... I cannot express my gratitude and respect for this man for giving of his time on this project...let alone for enriching every one of us who has a love of fashion.  Here in his own words ….

1-What is the most treasured possession in your wardrobe?
NONE ??? OR MY FATHER FORTIES WAR BLACK MARKET FABRICS DANDY LOOKS I USED TO WEAR MYSELF ON THE MID SIXTIES ??? OR HUMBLE OLD VINTAGE HOLYDAYS & HOME THINGS CAREFULLY PATCHED, MENDED, OLD FASHIONNED DARNED

2-What is your most sterling trait and what trait do you treasure most in your friendships?
I DO IGNORE ANY STERLING TRAIT OF MINE
WITH FRIENDS I DO TREASURE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, SAME SENSE OF HUMOR
MEANS I HAVE NOT MANY, BUT A HANDFUL IS ENOUGH 

3-What is your bliss?
BEING OFF-DUTY IN A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE

4-What is your guilty secret?
SO MANY ... !!! AND A SECRET IS A SECRET ...

5-Where is your ideal home?
HIGH VIEW ON SEA AND ISLANDS FROM A CONTEMPORARY HOUSE, HILLS AND MOUTAINS SOMEWHERE IN MEDITERRANEAN AREAS FROM A RUSTIC SIMPLE ROMAN ABBEY OR PALAZZO OR ON NY OR PARIS ROOFS FROM A HIGH PENTHOUSE WITH ROOF GARDEN

6-If you could not be a designer/retailer/etc:, what would you be
A MONK, A HERMIT ARTIST  SKETCHING, READING, CREATING COLLAGES, PAINTINGS, CERAMICS

7-What is on your bedside table right now?
WOODEN CHURCH CHANDELIER, BOOKS, DYPTIQUE VETIVER FRAGANCE, SUN GLASSES, SILVER SKULL, AND AN ABSTRACT IRON SCULPTURE

8-What do you wear to bed?
CHARVET OLD STYLE PYJAMAS WHEN ON TRIP, AND HOME: VINTAGE DJELLABAHS IN SUMMER, OLD JOGGINGS IN WINTER, OR NOTHING

9-What if any, book are you reading now or last read?
MY FRIEND PATRICK MAURIÉS "FRAGMENT D'UNE FORÊT", JUST FINISHED CLAUDE ARNAUD "PROUST CONTRE COCTEAU" ANS STILL READING MY IDOL PHILIPPE JULLIAN (1919-1977) DIARY 1940/1950

10-What’s your advice to the “newcomer?”
"CE QUE LE PUBLIC TE REPROCHE CULTIVE-LE, C'EST TOI" (COCTEAU)
"IL Y A PLUS DE LARMES VERSÉES SUR LES PRIÈRES EXAUCÉES QUE SUR CELLES QUI NE LE SONT PAS" (TRUMAN CAPOTE ? OR SAINTE THÉRÈSE D'AVILA ???
AND, FROM ME (!) "BEWARE OF YOUR DEEPEST SOUL & GUTS WISHES, BECAUSE THEY'LL HAPPEN. AND OF COURSE "WORK, WORK, WORK, DON'T WASTE ANY SECOND OR DROP, LIFE IS SHORT AND CHANCE IS ONLY ONCE"

11-Who or what is your inspiration/style icon?
ALL THESE SOCIALITES, MODELS AND ICONS FROM 40/50/60/70’s VOGUE OR BAZAAR. CHIC STOPPED WITH THE 80’s ...

12-What is the best advice you ever received?
"PUT SOME ICE IN YOUR STOMACH" AND "FASHION IS JUST AN ASS/SEX AFFAIR" BOTH FROM THE LATE HEBE DORSEY (A DRAGON AND GODDESS JOURNALIST IN THE HERALD TRIBUNE FROM 60/80, THE  SUZY MENKES OF THE TIMES),

13-In 3 words or less, describe the current state of fashion.
SCHIZOPHRENC : ONE ON RUNWAYS ONLY FOR  MAGAZINES. AND THE UNKNOWN LABEL REALLY WORN

14-If you were a retailer, would you wear your own designs or shop in your own store ? or where would you shop?
OF COURSE, AS A RETAILER

15-If you won a $200,000,000 power ball (lottery), what is the first thing you would buy or do?
SEE ABOVE, BUILDING A CONTEMPORARY HOUSE, BUYING A PALAZZO OR ABBEY HIGH ON THE SEA AND A PENTHOUSE WITH A ROOF GARDEN, IF THE "TIME MACHINE" STILL DOESN'T EXIST YET. OPENING A FOUNDATION OR MUSEUM HELPING ARTISTS AND RESEARCH PEOPLE

16-If you could invite up to 4 people for dinner, who would they be…dead or alive?
FOR THE MOMENT PROUST, COCTEAU AND PHILIPPE JULLIAN , BECAUSE OF THE BOOK I'M READING OR JUST READ…. OR DEAR CLOSE FRIENDS OF MINE WHO HAS PASSED AWAY TOO YOUNG IN THE PAST TWENTY/THIRTY YEARS

 

17-What is your favorite movie /or movie star?
DEPENDS ON THE MOMENT
RIGHT NOW VANESSA REDGRAVE IN "BLOW-UP" OR KAY KENDALL IN "THE RELUCTANT DEBUTANTE", ELINA LABOURDETTE IN "LES DAMES DU BOIS DE BOULOGNE", ITALIAN MOVIES FROM 50/60, ANOUK AIMÉE IN "8 1/2", RAMPLING IN "THE DAMNED", "MANGANO" IN "THEOREMA"

18-What is the one thing you would change about yourself?
EVERYTHING

19-Whose opinion do you value most?
MY WIFE AND MY FRIEND OLIVIER SAILLARD

20-What store or which designer do you most like to shop in or wear ?
RALPH LAUREN, MARGIELA, COMME DES GARCONS

21-What’s your take on magazines, books versus the internet?
PREFER PAPER FOR SENSUALITY BUT FIND MORE & MORE WONDERFUL DOCUMENTS ON INTERNET

22-Do you have a dream collaborator?
I DON'T THINK SO

23-What is your crowning achievement thus far in your career?
I LIKE MY NEW LIFE IN BETWEEN STAGE COSTUMES DESIGNING, HOTELS DECORATING, EXHIBITION CURATING AND SCENOGRAPHIES AFTER YEARS OF FASHION AND ALSO TRAIN/TRAMWAY DESIGNING

24-What’s your music library like?
NONE, ONLY CLASSIC RADIO

25-What and where is your favorite meal?
ANYTHING WITH GARLIC, OLIVE AND OLIVE OIL, CHEESE, GOOD WINE
AND OF COURSE LOBSTER, CAVIAR, FOIE GRAS
LOVE "JULES CESAR" RESTAURANT IN ARLES (I'LL RUSH THERE IN TWO MINUTES AS SOON AS THIS ANSWERING WILL BE OVER !!!) IN PARIS I'M VERY FOND OF "MEURICE" AND "BRISTOL" BAR AND RESTAURANTS, LE "VOLTAIRE" AND "PETRELLE" TOO