The elusive Olsens
I woke up this morning to the sound of urban construction at about 6:45 a.m.—my loft is conveniently located between the sites of two new high-rise condos. As I began checking my phone for messages, I realized my memory card was almost full and I needed to purge some useless crap I have collected over the year. I began deleting unrecognizable phone numbers, dated memos and files, only to realize that just wasn’t cutting it. It then dawned on me to check my media file. Wow! I had everything: over 200 photos, music I’ve never listened to, and a number of episodes of Jpod. As I began looking through my photos, I came across ones I took at the Fall 2008 Chanel show back in late February. There were photos of the models parading around a carousel in a very beige collection of tweeds, bouclé and tulle (original). Then I came across a series of photos I took of the Olsen twins, who were sitting next to me in the front row. Worse, I took these photos while the show was unfolding. What was I doing taking photos of these alabaster white, enigmatic twins in the middle of one of the most important collections of the season?
Along with every tabloid in North America, the fashion world has become obsessed with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, though I have to think long and hard to remember why they are so famous. The incredibly well-managed path of their celebrity—from TV darlings in an ’80s sitcom to tween movie stars and finally to product endorsement “impresarios”—has led them to an apparent net worth exceeding $100 million. Now, that is impressive, and certainly interesting enough to cover them from time to time.
But it is their mystery I find most appealing. Is it contrived to escalate our interest, or is it genuine so they can suffer some relative normality in their lives? I recalled being fascinated by what they were wearing, taking photos of their YSL shoes and their Alaïa handbags. There is something about their look and life that invokes bohemian culture, emulating the look of a young Peggy Guggenheim in a Man Ray photo. They spoke only to one another while they watched the Chanel show and took photos of the clothes as if to catalogue what they would ask for, and probably be the first to get. Once the show was done, their bodyguards escorted them out, ensuring the media would get nothing from them.
So the question for me is, if they want to lead private, undisturbed lives, why are they on almost every fashion red carpet getting photographed for the Style.coms of the world (yet never giving an interview to match their photos). At the Galliano show in Paris, the seats were filled with A-listers. I recall Lucy Liu taking hundreds of photos and being very pleasant when speaking to the fashion TV programs. As the few fashion TV journalists waited to interview Mr. Galliano backstage, there emerged one of the twins (I never know which one is which), who caused absolute mayhem. Screams of “Ashley” and “Mary-Kate” were thrown around, and seasoned journalists who have never in their lives run for an interview were chasing poor Ashley/Mary-Kate out the back door. What I found surprising (other than my beloved predecessor Tim Blanks’ ability to outrun any 21-year-old) is that when the cameras were on her, she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I mean, the woman knows what to expect and has been doing this for several years. Is it possible that it is so violating to be confronted with cameras at a major international event? That one still feels shocked by the media attention?
I recall being invited a season earlier to the Proenza Schouler after-party at the Beatrice Inn. There in the bowels of the once-exclusive club was Mary-Kate (I think?), standing and smoking a cigarette while talking to several industry insiders. She looked normal enough and, in fact, smiled and seemed at ease. There is something rather attractive about her very tiny frame and large, gazing eyes. There were no paparazzi, no crazed fans, just her bohemian downtown New York artist and fashion friends at a private party near her home. The twins had recently launched their line, The Row, and I recalled all of the clothes I had seen the two wearing over the past couple of years. This line is truly a signature of their sense of style, and for those who want to look like these girls and have the money, they need not look elsewhere. With their net worth, they can do anything they want, and it looks as though they do.
Rumours of eating disorders and drug use, and being involved in the media frenzy of the death of their friend Heath Ledger, seems to plague Mary-Kate and Ashley on a regular basis in the mainstream media; however, it seems we in the fashion world are obsessed with their commitment to high fashion, personal style and the ability to keep people wanting more. At a party at Hôtel Costes in Paris for the Fall 2008 collections, the girls were dressed to kill while entertaining guests and friends like Derek Blasberg and Olivier Zahm. Unlike some celebrities who pose front row at Fashion Week (only to collect appearance fees upwards of $75,000 from the design houses), these girls (who clearly do not need the pay cheque) are there for a real love of fashion.
Going back to why I—a person who never takes personal photos of anyone, including my own friends and family—was compelled to take photos of these elusive girls: I guess perhaps I was trying to capture them or something about them that would make them less elusive. Or perhaps I just wanted to get a picture of their fantastic shoes and bags.
Click here to see Adrian’s photos.
. Then I came across a series of photos I took of the Olsen twins, who were sitting next to me in the front row. Worse, I took these photos while the show was unfolding. What was I doing taking photos of these alabaster white, enigmatic twins in the middle of one of the most important collections of the season?Along with every tabloid in North America, the fashion world has become obsessed with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, though I have to think long and hard to remember why they are so famous. The incredibly well-managed path of their celebrity—from TV darlings in an ’80s sitcom to tween movie stars and finally to product endorsement “impresarios”—has led them to an apparent net worth exceeding $100 million. Now, that is impressive, and certainly interesting enough to cover them from time to time. But it is their mystery I find most appealing. Is it contrived to escalate our interest, or is it genuine so they can suffer some relative normality in their lives? I recalled being fascinated by what they were wearing, taking photos of their YSL shoes and their Alaïa handbags. There is something about their look and life that invokes bohemian culture, emulating the look of a young Peggy Guggenheim in a Man Ray photo. They spoke only to one another while they watched the Chanel show and took photos of the clothes as if to catalogue what they would ask for, and probably be the first to get. Once the show was done, their bodyguards escorted them out, ensuring the media would get nothing from them.So the question for me is, if they want to lead private, undisturbed lives, why are they on almost every fashion red carpet getting photographed for the Style.coms of the world (yet never giving an interview to match their photos). At the Galliano show in Paris, the seats were filled with A-listers. I recall Lucy Liu taking hundreds of photos and being very pleasant when speaking to the fashion TV programs. As the few fashion TV journalists waited to interview Mr. Galliano backstage, there emerged one of the twins (I never know which one is which), who caused absolute mayhem. Screams of “Ashley” and “Mary-Kate” were thrown around, and seasoned journalists who have never in their lives run for an interview were chasing poor Ashley/Mary-Kate out the back door. What I found surprising (other than my beloved predecessor Tim Blanks’ ability to outrun any 21-year-old) is that when the cameras were on her, she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I mean, the woman knows what to expect and has been doing this for several years. Is it possible that it is so violating to be confronted with cameras at a major international event? That one still feels shocked by the media attention?I recall being invited a season earlier to the Proenza Schouler after-party at the Beatrice Inn. There in the bowels of the once-exclusive club was Mary-Kate (I think?), standing and smoking a cigarette while talking to several industry insiders. She looked normal enough and, in fact, smiled and seemed at ease. There is something rather attractive about her very tiny frame and large, gazing eyes. There were no paparazzi, no crazed fans, just her bohemian downtown New York artist and fashion friends at a private party near her home. The twins had recently launched their line, The Row, and I recalled all of the clothes I had seen the two wearing over the past couple of years. This line is truly a signature of their sense of style, and for those who want to look like these girls and have the money, they need not look elsewhere. With their net worth, they can do anything they want, and it looks as though they do.Rumours of eating disorders and drug use, and being involved in the media frenzy of the death of their friend Heath Ledger, seems to plague Mary-Kate and Ashley on a regular basis in the mainstream media; however, it seems we in the fashion world are obsessed with their commitment to high fashion, personal style and the ability to keep people wanting more. At a party at Hôtel Costes in Paris for the Fall 2008 collections, the girls were dressed to kill while entertaining guests and friends like Derek Blasberg and Olivier Zahm. Unlike some celebrities who pose front row at Fashion Week (only to collect appearance fees upwards of $75,000 from the design houses), these girls (who clearly do not need the pay cheque) are there for a real love of fashion.Going back to why I—a person who never takes personal photos of anyone, including my own friends and family—was compelled to take photos of these elusive girls: I guess perhaps I was trying to capture them or something about them that would make them less elusive. Or perhaps I just wanted to get a picture of their fantastic shoes and bags.Click here to see Adrian's photos.){kind=link}