When asked to name his idols, Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld listed six: "Personally, my parents and my sister. Professionally, Tom Sachs, John Currin, and Richard Avedon for his photography." Avedon was an American photographer about whom The New York Times exalts, "His fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty, and culture for the last half-century."

He began his career snapping ID photos for the Merchant Marines but somehow managed to capture the attention of Alexey Brodovitch, art director for Harper's Bazaar at that time. Avedon soon established his own studio and began selling photos to magazines such as Life. From the beginning, he refused to conform to the industry standard for fashion photography, instead catching his models in action and full of emotion.

In 1966, Avedon started shooting for Vogue and was responsible for most of the covers from 1973 until late 1988. He became known for his large-format portraits, typically in a minimalist style with the subject posed against a stark white backdrop looking directly into the lens.

None other than the amazing Audrey Hepburn inspired Avedon as his muse during the 1950s and 1960s; as he says, "I am, and forever will be, devastated by the gift of Audrey Hepburn before my camera. I cannot lift her to greater heights. She is already there. I can only record. I cannot interpret her. There is no going further than who she is. She has achieved in herself her ultimate portrait."

Avedon himself inspired the 1957 musical Funny Face, which stars Fred Astaire as the fashion photographer "Dick Avery." Clearly he provided many of the images used in the film as well including the most famous, an overexposed closeup of Hepburn in which we recognize the actress from just the details of her eyes, nose, and mouth. Note that Vladimir is not the only member of the Roitfeld family with fantastic taste in photographers, sister Julia is a fan as well with copies of Avedon's books Portraits and Woman in the Mirror in her library.

Richard Avedon photograph © 2008 The Richard Avedon Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face photograph by Richard Avedon © 2008 Phantom Sound & Vision. All Rights Reserved.

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld considers his style idol to be Serge Gainsbourg, a true French original renowned as a singer, songwriter, and director among other talents. Gainsbourg lived the familiar life of the artist, tumultuous, passionate, impulsive. Notable among his numerous trysts are his third wife Jane Birkin and an ardent affair with Brigitte Bardot, the muse for his song "Initials BB." He has four children, Natacha, Paul, Charlotte, and Lucien.

The Vatican once publicly denounced Gainsbourg as offensive and of course as a result the song in question, "Je t'aime... moi non plus," quickly became a top ten hit in countries throughout Europe. He also pissed off Bob Marley and much of Algeria with a reggae version of "La Marseillaise" at another illustrious point in his career.

If you happen to be in the mood to explore the discography of Gainsbourg, permit me to recommend my favorites: "Requiem pour un con," "Sea, Sex, and Sun," but most of all the iconic "Bonnie and Clyde" which has inspired musicians like French rapper MC Solaar who samples it in the brilliant tune "Nouveau Western" from his album Prose Combat (1994). What are your favorite songs by Gainsbourg?

A film about Serge's life titled Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque) released in France in January. Written and directed by Joann Sfar, the biopic features Eric Elmosnino in the lead role, the late Lucy Gordon as Jane Birkin, Laetitia Casta as Brigitte Bardot, Anna Mouglalis as Juliette Gréco, and Claude Chabrol as Gainsbourg's music producer. If you saw the film, what were your impressions? Do you, like Vladimir, find the style of Serge Gainsbourg inspiring?

Serge Gainsbourg images courtesy of youtube.com and amazon.com

When asked about his favorite pastimes while visiting London, Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld responded with a grin, "I've been working too hard... But I have been to Chelsea matches three times in four weeks. That's my favorite thing to do of all. I like Didier Drogba." Hailing from the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire in West Africa, Drogba currently plays as forward for Chelsea in the Premier League while also serving as captain of the national team for his home country. Despite being sidelined by numerous injuries over the course of his career, Drogba has proven instrumental in several decisive goals for Chelsea and holds many club records.

Drogba is also credited with helping to bring peace to the Ivory Coast including a stint as a Goodwill ambassador for the United Nations, which led Time Magazine to nominate him as one of the world's 100 most influential people. The handsome footballer is married to Diakité Lalla and they have three children. Note that the Chelsea team is owned by Roman Abramovich, beau to Dasha Zhukova (a close family friend of the Roitfelds), so hopefully Vladimir enjoys prime seats at Stamford Bridge.

Didier Drogba photographs courtesy of franmerida.soccerstar.info and © 2010 Famozz.

What are Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld favorite shoes? “My dad’s crocodile John Lobbs,” he replies and assuredly Vlad's dad, Christian Restoin, has superb taste in footwear. The Parisian workshop of John Lobb is internationally renowned for its bespoke service, one of the finest remaining examples of the traditional art of shoemaking.

Founded in London in 1849, the firm is one of Britain's oldest shoemakers in existence and every one of the 190 steps in their meticulous production process is still finished by hand; only about 100 pairs of shoes are created each day. Hermès acquired the John Lobb ready-to-wear line in 1976.

Among the clientele that have preferred the timeless footwear crafted by John Lobb are members of the aristocracy as well as the elite in entertainment, business, and politics — even the classic icon of the debonair man, fictional character James Bond wore shoes by John Lobb. Of course this exceptional quality would appeal to a Roitfeld. To see the painstaking craftsmanship behind the scenes at John Lobb, take the guided tour with his great-grandson, John Hunter Lobb, current chairman of the company.

Image of John Lobb crocodile shoes courtesy of johnlobb.com.

According to Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld, an art dealer and curator, he judges art and design by asking if he would want the piece for himself. If art imitates life, Vladimir's choice of the artfully designed Chrome Hearts beanie to cover his luxurious locks is no surprise. Founded in 1988, Chrome Hearts is known primarily for their high-end silver jewelry, leather biker chic clothing, and furniture with a gothic rock vibe; impressively pedigreed Hollywood celebrities who frequent Chateau Marmont and Hyde are fans. Vlad was clearly influenced by his time spent at the University of Southern California and his brief stint in the film industry, being drawn to this edgy label adored by Hollywood A-listers and rock stars.

The Chrome Hearts paradox of the symbol of France, the fleur-de-lys, combined with dagger and floral cross designs makes this label highly desired and sought after by both sexes. The CH sunglasses adorned with crosses, mother of pearl, white gold, white leather, and ebony shield some of the world’s most beautiful eyes. With Chrome Hearts boutiques all over the world including New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, and Los Angeles, loyal followers need not travel far to acquire the perfect leather biker gear or a Rolex watch with a one-of-a-kind Chrome Hearts bracelet. Or perhaps an arty beanie like Vlad's rock chic chapeau...

Chrome Hearts beanie image courtesy of chromehearts.com
Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld photograph © 2009 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

In an interview with the Italian equivalent of Style, Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld quoted Les Valseuses as being his favorite film. Based on his book, Bertrand Blier directed the film which was released in 1974. Les Valseuses is French slang for "the testicles" though the film was renamed Going Places in the English version, keeping controversy at bay. This is one of the most famous films from the Seventies and when I discussed it with a few French people I know, their instantaneous laughter and grins made it clear that the film's popularity has not decreased here in France. In fact, it is considered a classic.

French film legend Gérard Depardieu and Patrick Dewaere star as thoroughly nasty delinquents who spend their time doing what they want, stealing what they want, and basically being as self-consumed as can be, all whilst treating women as mere objects placed on earth, or at least in their towns, for sexual gratification. Two of France's leading ladies, Isabelle Huppert and Miou-Miou, also star in this film. It is worth noting that Les Valseuses is full of sex and maybe, due to the dialogue and violence, not ideal for those easily offended.

Les Valseuses image courtesy of fnac.com

When it comes to men’s jewelry, I subscribe to the K.I.S.S. principle: “Keep It Simple, Stupid!” That’s why I was surprised when I saw the decidedly un-minimalist men’s jewelry designed by Pamela Love as worn by the decidedly cool and stylish Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld. And I loved it.

Leave it to Vladimir to carry off a bold pendant necklace without looking like some cheesy Flavor Flav wannabe. How does he do it? Let’s look past the fact that Vlad is young, hot, and linked with a serious babe, stylist extraordinaire, Ms. Giovanna Battaglia. Vlad, with his curator's eye, knows good jewelry when he sees it. Pamela Love’s crow skull pendants, talon cuffs, and bold cross rings are a departure from the minimalist adornment typically considered de rigueur for men, but the strength and masculinity of her designs cannot be denied.

In case you haven’t already heard, Pamela Love is a talented, cutting edge jewelry designer based in New York. You needn't take my word for it: she recently won the prestigious 2011 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award, an elite distiction given to promising emerging designers. Additionally Love has collaborated with many prestigious names in fashion and her designs have rocked the runways of Yigal Azrouel, Alice & Olivia, Marchesa, and Zac Posen to name a few. Pamela Love’s bold, chunky, organic, and scuptural pieces are coveted by cool girls and boys everywhere. Her signature talon cuffs and serpent rings can’t help but make anyone look a little more edgy.

Oh, and “Love” happens to be her real name. How perfect is that? I love it.

P.S. Vladimir isn't the only Roitfeld with a fondness for Love, she is also a favorite of Julia, her close friend.

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld photograph courtesy of nowness.com
Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and Pamela Love photograph courtesy of models.com

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld's career began in the film industry but he quickly realized that he wanted to work with art and artists more directly. He envisioned himself as a pop-up art curator and formed the successful private art dealership Feedback Ltd. in 2008 — he finds the artist, creates a unique space for the event, and typically sells out the show to a packed crowd of glamorous people. What a concept! Feedback Ltd. takes its name from a French radio program and makes its offices in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, successfully representing burgeoning and desirable artists while shunning the classic business model of a permanent exhibit space.

In Vladimir's own words, here is how he arrived at this brilliant theory:

After I graduated, I got a job assisting a producer at Paramount. It didn’t take long for me to realize the business in Hollywood wasn’t for me. I worked at Paramount for six months, and I was restless the whole time. I wanted to start my own project and find a way to work with new talent, people of my own generation. I kept thinking about New York, where I had so many friends who were doing things like taking pictures or painting. I love New York. When you’re young and studying a business, it’s a city that inspires you to do a lot... So a year ago I moved here, and a little while after I moved, I met Marco Perego, an Italian painter and sculptor who lives in the city, and we decided, why not do a show? We opened in Paris in June. PC Valmorbida, one of the Collective Hardware photographers, he helped with the Perego show, and he was also taking really nice pictures. And my friends David and Salim make very nice pictures, too, so it seemed like the natural next thing to do a photo show.

I was going to different exhibitions and it always had this feeling of a closed circle, and it was something very hard to enter for many, so I thought if I just did it in a different way, I could capture the interest of a different crowd of people. I just decided to rent very large spaces and invite a huge crowd of people and present art that I believe to be amazing and just make it more fun and open-minded. My goal was never to follow any conventions or establishments, but to follow my vision and create new, alternative and innovative ways to promote and exhibit artists in the art world today. This model offers me pure freedom and flexibility, which in return allows me to be 110 percent dedicated to each one of my artists. I also believe that with the globalisation of the art world market and the growing interest for art around the world, you need to find ways for your artists and your businesses to be visible and exist in as many cities and countries as possible. It is a model of its time... In my vision, it is the best way to promote and exhibit artists today. I think this is the modern way of representing artists and dealing art. It’s not very interesting for an artist to be shown once a year by the same guy in one city. I wanted to find ways to best represent the work of the artist I work with, and give each of them a separate environment and a separate way to present their work.

You have to come up with ideas, look around your environment. I don’t think, especially when you start in the business, you need 20 artists, but two to three people you really believe in [where you can] have a relationship that will last for a little bit... [Opening my own gallery is] not something I would jump into, because I still have a lot to learn and a lot to prove... I wouldn’t want to be in one place, as the art market is becoming so global and nobody lives this way. I was in Buenos Aires last week and I am going to Miami for two weeks, then I’ll be in London. People want to be mobile all the time. I try to accept the fact that there are always going to be a few cynics who say, Oh, he’s only able to do such-and-such because of who he is, because of his mother’s connections, etc. I don’t dwell on it. I am who I am. At the end of day, like anyone else who’s trying to work creatively, I have to be confident enough to know what I love and do what I like.

Vladimir's art dealership, Feedback Ltd., works to promote emerging artistic talent and to present unique and memorable exhibits. Many of his events are produced in collaboration with his friend Andy Valmorbida and various sponsors including Giorgio Armani and Louis Vuitton. The artists that Vladimir has represented are Marco Perego, David Mushegain, PC Valmorbida, Salim Langatta, Richard Hambleton, Nicholas Pol, and RETNA, see the exhibition list below for more details and links to photos of several of the shows. I look forward to many more fine displays of talent by Vladimir and Feedback Ltd.

EXHIBITION HISTORY

Richard Hambleton

"Richard Hambleton’s brush stroke as an artist is genius and is in a league of its own. Most significantly, he is the most important and influential living street artist in the world today, with a story and career that is unparalleled."

“Richard Hambleton: A Retrospective,” Phillips de Pury, September 2011
“The Godfather of Street Art,” London, November 2010
"Richard Hambleton—New York," Moscow Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, September 2010
"Richard Hambleton—New York," AmfAR, Cannes, France, May 2010
"Richard Hambleton—New York," Milan, March 2010
"Richard Hambleton—New York," New York City, September 2009

David Mushegain, PC Valmorbida, and Salim Langatta

"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. I think David was part of a group thing here a while ago, but they’re all pretty underexposed. 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. 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. PC is younger, and he’s is still at the point where he’s 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."

"The Works of Three Photographers," New York City, February 2009

Marco Perego

"I learned a lot about that when I did the show in Paris with Marco. It’s true, no matter how close you are, people come to a project with different ideas, and of course, you get into a few fights. I think if you keep reminding yourself that the fights are because you and your friend both want to make the show as good as possible, then it’s easy to get past the difficulties. And when the show opens, you can feel good about having gone through the experience with someone you love. I like working that way; I like the idea that you can be hanging out with your friends and say, hey, let’s do a show, and two months later, you have one. And everyone I’m working with on this Collective Hardware opening is part of the family, you know — the person who designed the invitation, the DJ, the guy hanging the pictures."

Paris, June 2008

Nicolas Pol

"My very good friend Stavros Niarchos, who I went to school with in Los Angeles and who came from a family that appreciated art, saw what I was doing and told me about a young artist that he knew from Paris. He sent me Nicolas' work and I thought they were incredible. I went to Paris and spent some time in his studio, and we talked about what we can do together."

"Sick Atavus Of The New Blood," New York City, May 2011
“Mother of Pouacrus,” London Frieze, October 2010
“The Martus Maw,” New York City, November 2009

RETNA

"I have a fascination with street art, but I haven't only been looking for street artists. We mostly try to follow our instincts and what we like when we see the works of different artists, so of course there is going to be some continuation between them, but I think street art is becoming very big right now, and [RETNA] is one of the most talented artists I've ever seen... I wanted to give art lovers in New York a chance to see his work, and I think this is going to make a lot of noise for him. [As for the title of the show] he's always kept [the meaning] very secret. He's never even told us about it."

“The Hallelujah World Tour,” London, June 2011
“The Hallelujah World Tour,” New York City, February 2011

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld photographs © 2010, 2011 Condé Nast and © 2010 Alberto Guglielmi Photograph and courtesy of models.com, larmoiredustyliste.tumblr.com, thecobrasnake.com, and life.com. All Rights Reserved.

When asked to share the last great book he read, Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld named Annie Cohen-Solal's biography, Leo and His Circle: The Life of Leo Castelli. Of course! Being a bright young gallerist himself, naturally Vladimir is reading the inside story on the pioneer that revolutionized the New York gallery scene, arguably America’s most influential art dealer to date.

Born in Trieste, Italy, in 1907, Castelli was an art lover and collector that opened his first gallery at the age of fifty; his first show was held in his apartment and consisted largely of works that he owned by Robert Delaunay, Jean Dubuffet, Alberto Giacometti, Willem de Kooning, and Jackson Pollock. He had a gift for discovering and cultivating talent and his stable included a long list of artists: Leo Castelli by Andy Warhol (1975)Richard Artschwager, Norman Bluhm, Lee Bontecou, John Chamberlain, Christo, Hanne Darboven, Ronald Davis, Willem de Kooning, Friedel Dzubas, Dan Flavin, Edward Higgins, Jasper Johns, Donald Judd, Wassily Kandinsky, Ellsworth Kelly, Joseph Kosuth, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Morris, Bruce Nauman, Kenneth Noland, Claes Oldenburg, Jackson Pollock, Larry Poons, Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, Ed Ruscha, David Salle, Salvatore Scarpitta, Julian Schnabel, Richard Serra, Keith Sonnier, Frank Stella, James Turrell, Cy Twombly, Andy Warhol, and Lawrence Weiner among them.

I was intrigued to learn that Castelli provided his artists with monthly stipends upon which they could depend for art supplies and living expenses, what a novel concept! This brilliant move alone likely accounts for much of his success... Note also Castelli's chic attire, another likeness to Vladimir. To learn more about the fascinating life of Castelli, read "Leo the Lion: How the Castelli gallery changed the art world" in the New Yorker or his obituary in The New York Times.

Leo Castelli posing with works by Frank Stella, Jasper Johns, Lee Bontecou, Edward Higgins, and Robert Rauschenberg (1960)Leo and His Circle: The Life of Leo Castelli image courtesy of Knopf. Leo Castelli photograph © 1960 Condé Nast.

In the October 2010 issue of the Italian version of Style, we learned that Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld’s ideal leading lady is none other than American film royalty, Meryl Streep. Hardly surprising, as Vladimir is a man of taste... which of course runs in the family... Carine Roitfeld chose to feature Streep on two of three covers for Vogue Paris in May of 2010. Streep has been widely acclaimed as both a critically and a commercially successful actress for the duration of her career which spans more than three decades. Her greatest distinction is that of the most nominated actress in the history of both the Golden Globe and the Oscar awards.

Mary Louise (Meryl) Streep was a Vassar undergraduate and holds a Masters in Fine Arts from Yale. According to SimplyStreep.com, this German beauty is also fluent in Italian — enough to retort when Dino De Laurentiis complained in Italian about her looks during the auditioning for King Kong. I wish I’d been a fly on that wall...

She rose immediately from stage and television to a part in Julia in 1977. It was said everyone thought she was a great actress from the beginning, but her emotional range is hardly any wonder given what the young Meryl went through. Her fiancé, John Cazale, was dying from bone cancer during their filming of The Deer Hunter. They took their parts in the film to be close to each other in his last days. They filmed all his scenes first, and he would not live to see the finished film.

Streep won Oscars for Kramer vs. Kramer and Sophie's Choice, of course, as well as a slew of other awards. Her other well-regarded titles include Silkwood, The House of the Spirits, The Bridges of Madison County, Music of the Heart, and the musical hit, Mamma Mia! And who can forget A Cry in the Dark? (You may want to. Let‘s try.)

Then there’s Julie & Julia, which I could watch again and again. In fact, I do. A friend of mine was recently in Paris and she found herself standing in front of the same peeling blue shutters she had seen in the movie — a famous book store in which Meryl’s Julia Child goes rummaging for a French cookbook in English, only to find one does not yet exist. Meryl is spot on as Julia, no question, but it is Amy Adams’ adorable Julie that makes me want to throw dinner parties and tackle an aspic (ewww). You will be hard pressed to come away from Julie & Julia without wanting to pick a passion and blog about it in hopes of getting a book deal.

Most recently I wanted to be Meryl’s affair-having, weed-smoking, pastry-chefing character in It's Complicated. She’s the best woman-with-her-act-together to aspire to since Diane Keaton’s character in Something’s Gotta Give. After viewing It’s Complicated, I immediately made my own croque monsieur dripping with Gruyere and went on a late night quest for lavender ice cream. Unlike many of her early films, my quest ended well.

Speaking of which, sadly I feel the ending to Adaptation was a travesty. In fact, the only salvageable part of the film in my opinion was Chris Cooper’s character and Meryl’s partial narration. Her voice so beautifully depicts the verbally sensuous book that the movie was loosely based on, The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession. I’m not going to recommend the movie, but rather the non-fiction book that inspired it.

Other than that, Meryl Streep is usually very selective about her scripts. I’ll admit to guilty pleasure in The Devil Wears Prada, and the largely forgotten Postcards from the Edge, based on Carrie Fisher’s book, but my personal favorites from the past are her exceptional romantic period dramas, Out of Africa and The French Lieutenant's Woman.

Out of Africa is based on the 1937 autobiography of classic authoress and coffee planter, Isak Dineson (a nomme de plume), starring 1970s alpha male Robert Redford and featuring an appearance by model Iman. The tale relates an old woman’s memories of an illicit love affair. She was a young wealthy woman married to a total slacker. Naturally, she falls for a real hero and adventurer (and big game hunter, but we'll ignore that because he's dashing and handsome). Incidentally, if you’re anything like me, you put on majestic film scores before settling on the couch for a nap, and the soundtrack to Out Of Africa is ranked 15th in the American Film Institute's top twenty-five. Out of Africa won seven Oscars and was nominated for four more! Wins included writing, art direction, and cinematography. This makes me want to see it again and soon.

The French Lieutenant’s Woman was close behind with five Oscar wins. Meryl herself received a nod for Best Actress but who could compete with an ancient Kate Hepburn in On Golden Pond? The film is based on the eponymous novel by John Fowles. Set in the Victorian era, the novel only relates the story of one couple, but because of certain narration challenges, the screenwriter introduces a second, parallel story — that of actors staging the aforementioned Victorian romance, a device that was not original but worked to great effect. In this story, the actors’ lives do not imitate their art, however. The dual story is a chance to use alternate endings written by the original author. Meryl’s mysterious fallen woman creates an iconic image, standing on the wave-swept quay of the gloomy English seaside town that has ostracized her. This film makes me want to trot down to the dock wearing a hooded cloak... I’d give passing strangers my best haunting, heartbroken stare, only to magically disappear into thin air (if I could) and leave them wanting (and not a little freaked out).

That brings us to Meryl’s latest project... Everybody knows you can tell the quality of an actress by how ugly she’s willing to get. Let’s not miss the legendary Meryl Streep as none other than Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, to be released later this year. If you’d like to read more about the life of this talented star, check out The Kindle Book of Meryl Streep by Celebrity Books, or The Meryl Streep Handbook by Donna Beech. For a more in depth look at her early years, try The Meryl Streep Story by Nick Smurthwaite.

Meryl Streep photographs © 2010 Condé Nast and courtesy of suicideblonde.tumblr.com, thecomedyoferas.tumblr.com, kingtartous.com, tarotquest.wordpress.com, instyle.com, imstars.aufeminin.com, littlegoldenguy.com, dailymail.co.uk, listal.com, examiner.com, purepeople.com, nummynims.wordpress.com, fanpop.com, last.fm, julianstark-moviesandotherthings.blogspot.com, and smh.com.au

If clothes make the man, then what are the sartorial choices of a handsome, young, New York-based gallerist with one foot in the world of fashion and the other in the world of modern art? Let's consult the opinion of Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld on the matter. Vladimir is a man who smartly recognizes the long love affair that exists between the worlds of art and fashion and he has deftly secured sponsorship from luxury fashion labels for his free-spirited brand of art promotion in which museum-style art exhibitions pop up in industrial spaces around the globe. Most recently sponsorship has come from Giorgio Armani for a global tour of the famed 1980s street artist, Richard Hambleton.

Vladimir wears primarily black, chic, minimalist, fitted, high quality staples. Think Hedi Slimane for Dior black jeans and American Apparel tshirts for day, Armani suits and Martin Margiela coats for night. Like his mother, Carine Roitfeld, whose personal style reflects a brilliant twist of two extremes, the bourgeois and the provocative, Vladimir likes to wear classic clothes with an edgy twist. This would explain his penchant for the designer, Rei Kawakubo. It all makes perfect sense. Rei Kawakubo established the fashion label Comme des Garçons (or “like the boys” in English) in 1973 in Tokyo, starting with womenswear and then adding a menswear line in 1978. Her designs first enjoyed a surge in popularity in the 1980s. With her strong, austere silhouettes, dark color palette, asymmetry, and frayed, unfinished edges, Rei Kawakubo became recognized for challenging established notions of beauty. The Barneys woman had been deconstructed… and she liked it.

The Comme des Garçons success has grown steadily ever since. Much of Rei Kawakubo’s work has been described as avant-garde, and upon viewing many of her collections — most notably her notorious 1997 “Lumps & Bumps,” in which swollen goosedown-filled Quasimodo-like bumps distorted the body shape and shocked even the most jaded fashion mavens — no one would disagree. In fact, we could describe Rei Kawakubo’s work as the bleeding edge of avant-garde, at times, and no one would disagree.

However, Rei Kawakubo also designs more commercial garments, not exactly mainstream, but commercial. And while Vladimir will probably never don a Quasimodo jacket, we can expect to see him in a more subtly edgy Comme des Garçons piece, including many of the garments shown on the runway for Spring 2012. The menswear theme for Spring is “tailoring for punks.” Sharp tailoring, classic houndstooth, and Prince of Wales check is rendered punk with biker zips and slashes. The collection is conceptual and idiosyncratic with subtle, unexpected touches to suit a nonconformist gallerist with a penchant for modern art.

Rei Kawakubo photographs courtesy of Flickr, Tumblr, Comme des Garçons, and Opening Ceremony. All Rights Reserved.

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld has inherited his mother's eye for quality clothing that defies the passing of trends, pictured below wearing Blazer 15 from BLK DNM at their flagship store at 237 Lafayette Street in New York. BLK DNM by Johan Lindeberg rejects the typical tenets of the fashion world, choosing to focus on a few timeless basics rather than doggedly following the changing seasons of fashion. Centered primarily around denim in black, white, grey, or blue, this androgynous line is noted for its minimalism and its anonymity — the emphasis is on the person, not the garment or the label. Prior to launching BLK DNM, Lindeberg worked with Diesel and William Rast in addition to his own label, J. Lindeberg.

Vladimir's choice, Blazer 15, is a six-button double-breasted jacket created in Croatia using two-ply Italian wool in charcoal grey for the outer layer and Bemberg cotton for the inner lining. The meticulous attention to detail can be seen in the cut, the stitching, and small touches such as the six corozo buttons and the functioning cuffs. Not everyone can work this six-button look but thankfully Vlad has the torso to carry the jacket with ease. Now I would like to see him in one of BLK DNM's custom leather jackets tailored to that torso...

Read the Nowness interview with Johan Lindeberg to learn more about BLK DNM.

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld and BLK DNM photographs courtesy of blkdnm.com and nytimes.com

“Cinema is a matter of what’s in the frame and what’s out.”

— Martin Scorsese

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld has let it be known in interviews that Martin Scorsese is one of his favorite directors. Widely considered one of the greatest American filmmakers of his time, Scorsese grew up in New York City and his parents made their living in the Garment District. When one thinks of NYC and movies, the next thought is Martin Scorsese (well it’s mine at least). Who knows, maybe one of the reasons Vlad currently resides in Manhattan is due to Scorsese’s many NYC-centered films. Vladimir seems to fit right into the Big Apple and with his art exhibits and ties to the fashion world I wouldn’t be surprised if he and Marty attended many of the same parties.

Currently Scorsese is working on yet another film that takes place in New York, The Wolf of Wall Street. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio and sounds a bit like an update of Oliver Stone’s Wall Street. Here is a photo of Leo looking very dapper on the set of The Wolf of Wall Street (perhaps taking a fashion cue from Vladimir in the double-breasted suit?).

While it is true that many of Scorsese’s best pictures take place in New York — Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Mean Streets — surprisingly the only movie for which he has won the Academy Award for Best Director was filmed in my backyard, The Departed. On a side note, one can’t but wonder if the director Fabien Constant utilized any of Scorsese’s techniques when filming his Carine Roitfeld documentary, Mademoiselle C.; Scorsese did direct the famous The Last Waltz and films in a documentary style. There is no question, Marty assuredly knows what’s in the frame and what’s out...

Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Matt Damon on location for The Departed (2006)Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro filming Raging Bull (1980)Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro on the set of Taxi Driver (1976)Martin Scorsese and the cast of Mean Streets (1973)

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio photographs courtesy of interviewmagazine.com, reelists.com, and flicksandbits.com.

When faced with the question, "Who's your favorite living artist?" Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld responded, "So MANY — Tom Sachs and George Condo are a few of my favorites." According to The New York Times, Vladimir even took time out from installing an exhibit by RETNA to accompany the artist to see "George Condo: Mental States" at the New Museum in February 2011. Born in rural New England in 1957, George Condo was drawn to New York City at a young age, gravitating naturally to the East Village circle of artists that included William Burroughs, Keith Haring, Julian Schnabel, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, and spending time as a printer in Andy Warhol's Factory. Today Condo is renowned for his fine skill in handling paint like an Old Master with a focus on fantastical portraiture; he is also an accomplished sculptor. 

George Condo talks about his vision: "There was a time when I realized that the central focal point of portraiture did not have to be representational in any way. You don't need to paint the body to show the truth about a character. All you need is the head and the hands." The artist lives in an Upper East Side townhouse with wife, Anna, and daughters, Eleonore and Raphaelle, and travels seven blocks to paint in another UES townhouse which serves as his studio. I love the ways in which Condo's work touches popular culture: his paintings served as cover art for Kanye West’s album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and his partnership with Supreme to create a line of skateboard decks, to name just two examples.

"Abstract Conversations," George Condo (2012)
W, January 2013, "Art Meets Fashion" issue
Stylist: Felicia Garcia-Rivera; Model: Jessica Chastain; Photographer: Max Vadukul 

George Condo was one of the four artists chosen by W Magazine to render Jessica Chastain for the covers of their "Art Meets Fashion" issue in January 2013. I love Condo's vision for the work so much that I have copied it here in its entirety: "'I love the idea of two incompatible worlds brought together — opposing forces harmonically melded.' When he met Chastain, his plan was to create two artworks — and cast her not as their subject but as a character in them. 'I wanted Jessica to become part of the painting and then appear to come off it, as if she were breaking free and leaving behind an empty space… I liked that the paintings were 3-D.' To achieve that effect, Condo designed two simple canvas dresses for Chastain, taping them to the canvas and painting over them so that when they were removed, they would leave a blank space but appear to be a fragment of the piece. Standing in front of Condo's Abstract Conversations, 2012, with her red hair teased to eternity, Chastain blended into the cacophony of line and color, a member of the loopy crew. As Condo studied Chastain posing next to the other figures in the work, he began drawing a cluster of noisy characters close to her head to give the impression 'that they were yelling into her ear.' While Chastain was having white makeup applied to half her face, Condo grabbed a scrap of paper and created an eye for her to use as a prop. 'I thought if she just held it in front of her, it would give a real sort of Stanley Kubrick feel to the experience.' The result, of course, is suitably schizoid, just as Condo envisioned. 'With that popped-out eye, there are two different sides to her face: one hysterical and the other soulful… Multiple emotions at the same time.'”

View the creation of the cover by George Condo and Jessica Chastain for W

The exhibit that attracted the attention of Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld, RETNA, and many other discerning art lovers was George Condo: Mental States, a survey of the work of the artist from 1982 to 2011. With 125 color photographs of Condo's work plus 16 additional plates exclusive to the exhibit, the catalog makes a fine consolation for anyone that missed the show.

View the exhibit "George Condo: Mental States" at the New Museum

George Condo, "The Manhattan Strip Club" (2010) recently sold at Christie's for $1.3 million.

George Condo photograph © 1989 Marianne Haas."George Condo: Mental States" poster courtesy of newmuseum.org. W cover image by George Condo © 2013 Condé Nast. George Condo work © George Condo and courtesy of Christie's.

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld likes to stay in good shape. I would suggest that this is a requirement given his busy life and the need to fit into all those swank suits. He currently works out at Equinox near his home in New York City. Yes, our spies have seen Vlad coming and going at Equinox and even working out! Monsieur Restoin-Roitfeld prefers kickboxing and typically wears RVCA gear for his sessions.

Equinox boasts nearly twenty locations throughout Manhattan with the options for exercise that you might expect such as yoga, Pilates, cardio, martial arts, and boxing, all in a hip urban setting. In case you need to pick up a new gym outfit, they also sell designer gym wear including the brands Splendid and Stella McCartney. Equinox has clubs all over the United States as well as one in London and a soon to be opened site in Toronto. They pride themselves on attention to detail and having the most sought after fitness instructors and personal trainers.

Equinox also leads the way in the latest fitness programs. No, these people are not auditioning for the circus, it’s a form of fitness called Jukari Fit to Fly, a joint development by Reebok and Cirque du Soleil. After your workout, you can grab a shower in the Equinox locker room, luxuriously outfitted with Kiehl's products, or enjoy a massage or body treatment at their spa. Of course, all these cutting-edge classes and uber-talented fitness instructors, not to mention the luxurious setting, come at a hefty price — the membership fee of $150 per month.

One wonders if workouts at Equinox helped Vladimir's big sister Julia Restoin-Roitfeld take off all the baby fat after the birth of her daughter, Romy. Our insider has yet to spy Julia sweating on the flying trapeze…

We are also waiting to spot Carine Roitfeld wearing an Adidas tracksuit... For now Vladimir certainly looks sporty chic in his!

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld and Equinox photos courtesy of equinox.com, Fashion Spot, and © 2010 New York Media LLC.