FINANCIAL TIMES – MARCH-APRIL 2011 – HOW TO SPEND IT – DIARY OF A SOMEBODY

MARCH-APRIL 2011

DAY 1: MARCH 31 2011

TODAY I'M LOOKING AT CARDBOARD MODELS FOR NEW FURNITURE PIECES I'LL BE SHOWING IN LA IN DECEMBER. I HAVEN'T BEEN BACK TO LA IN EIGHT YEARS. NOT FOR ANY PARTICULAR REASON, JUST TOO BUSY AND TOO FAR. AND I'VE BEEN THERE ALREADY.

ANYWAY, I EITHER DO LIFE-SIZE SKETCHES AND HAVE A CARDBOARD MODEL BUILT, OR DO SMALLER MODELS TO PLAY WITH AN IDEA. THE ONES TODAY ARE SMALL MODELS WORKING ON THE PRINCIPAL OF THE FEWEST GEOMETRIC SHAPES SLOTTING INTO EACH OTHER TO SUPPORT A SHAPE. THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS WILL BE MADE IN BRONZE, STONE AND BLACK LUMBER. I WANT SOMETHING VERY ELEMENTAL AND PRIMITIVE, BUT HORRIBLY, MERCILESSLY MODERN. I'M THINKING OF PIECES I WOULD WANT TO FURNISH A HOUSE BY LUIGI MORETTI OR CARLO SCARPA.

THE FURNITURE AND FUR BUSINESSES ARE MY VERSION OF HAUTE COUTURE. IT'S TIME-CONSUMING, LABOUR-INTENSIVE AND RARE. AND IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE CULTIVATION OF 'THE HUN'. I'M AFRAID I DON'T HAVE THE PATIENCE TO CAJOLE RESULTS OUT OF ALL THE ARTISANS IT TAKES TO CREATE THESE PIECES – THE BRONZE FOUNDRY, THE MARBLE AND ALABASTER ATELIER, THE CARPENTER, THE FURRIER…

SHE VISITS ONE ATELIER AFTER ANOTHER AND I'VE SEEN THESE GUYS LIGHT UP WHEN SHE SWEEPS IN, IN THE JEWELLERY, VEILS AND FURS; SHE GIVES THEM MAGIC, AND THEY RECIPROCATE.

BUT FIRST, THIS MORNING I HAVE TO GO TO MY STORE IN THE PALAIS ROYAL TO TEST THE SCENT DIFFUSER THAT'S BEEN INSTALLED. I'VE HAD A PERSONAL SCENT MADE AND WANT TO HAVE IT FILL THE SHOPS, BUT FRANKLY, EVERYONE HATES IT BUT ME. IT HAS EASTER LILY, CIVET, EUCALYPTUS AND A MOTHBALL-LIKE PUNGENCY. I ADMIT IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE CHALLENGING.

THE PARIS STORE IS THE SMALLEST, SO THE DIFFUSER GOING THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING MIGHT BE TOO INTENSE AND ABSORB INTO THE CLOTHES WHICH MIGHT BE A DIRTY TRICK ONCE A CLIENT TAKES SOMETHING HOME AND WONDERS WHERE THAT AWFUL SMELL IS COMING FROM.

THE SCENT IDEA IS ONE I'VE BEEN MULLING OVER FOR A WHILE. I LIKE PERFUME. SCENT IS ONE OF THOSE MYSTERIES OF MEMORY, ALLURE AND DREAMS THAT'S SO TEMPTING TO HARNESS, MANIPULATE AND POSSESS. BUT PERFUME CAN BE A BIG BUSINESS THAT MIGHT TAKE A LABEL FURTHER THAN I'M WILLING TO GO RIGHT NOW. IF IT'S DONE WITH ONE OF THE LARGER FRAGRANCE COMPANIES, THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND PROMOTION MIGHT BE OVERLY ENTHUSIASTIC AND A BIT HARD TO RESTRAIN. NOT THAT I NEED TO LOSE SLEEP OVER IT BECAUSE NO ONE'S ASKING ME.

SO I'M JUST PRODUCING IT MYSELF WITH A MASTER PERFUMER IN PARIS WHOSE WORK I'VE FOLLOWED OVER THE YEARS. I HAVE NO DEADLINE OR BOUNDARIES AND HAVE GOTTEN EXACTLY WHAT I WANT. IT'S LIKE SINKING INTO A BEAUTIFUL, DENSE, SLIGHTLY UNHEALTHY GUSTAVE MOREAU PAINTING. WELL, TO ME AT LEAST.

DAY 2: APRIL 01 2011

LAST NIGHT WAS AN ART DECO AUCTION AT CHRISTIE'S, AND 'HUN' AND I HAD OUR EYE ON A FRANCIS BACON CARPET; ONE OF THE FEW SURVIVING EXAMPLES OF HIS EARLY DECORATING CAREER IN THE EARLY 1930S – IT WAS IN FADED BEIGES AND GREYS WITH A BLACK CUBIST MOTIF AND HAD THE SIGNATURE PARTLY CUT OFF AT THE BOTTOM.

I REASONED THAT BACON PURISTS WOULDN'T BE INTERESTED AND THAT DECO COLLECTORS WOULD FIND IT TOO CAMP – I WAS WRONG AND WE WERE OUTBID BY A MILE. AND WE HAD ALREADY FOUND THE RIGHT SPOT FOR IT IN THE HOUSE.

THIS MORNING I GOT THE PROOFS OF THE BOOK I'M DOING WITH RIZZOLI. BIG AND HEAVY. I COULDN'T BEAR HAVING ACADEMIC TEXT AS AN INTRODUCTION SO IT'S JUST SCATTERED WITH INTERVIEWS AND A FEW ANGRY BLOG CRITICS' OBSERVATIONS. MOSTLY IN BLACK AND WHITE, THERE ARE SPORADIC BURSTS OF SATURATED COLOUR TO WAKE UP THE READER. IT'S VERY VALIDATING TO BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE YOUR MISTAKES AND REWRITE HISTORY IN YOUR IDEAL WAY.

THERE ARE RELATIVELY FEW PHOTOS OF 'REAL LIFE' ME IN IT, AND ABOUT AS MANY AS THE 'UNREAL' ME. LET ME EXPLAIN.

WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT THE HOUSE WE LIVE IN IN PARIS SOME YEARS AGO, I HAD A WAX FIGURE OF MYSELF MADE AS A PERSONAL PORTRAIT OVER THE FIREPLACE EXPERIENCE. I FELT AS IF I HAD TO RECORD THE MOMENT IN A VERY CLASSICAL WAY. I WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE IMPLICATIONS INVOLVED – TRYING TO CLUTCH A MOMENT OF GLORY THAT WOULD BE ALL TOO BRIEF IN A SELF-ABSORBED MORBID EXAMINATION OF MY OWN MORTALITY. I ALSO HAD IT SHIRTLESS AND URINATING, OF COURSE.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT BECAME TIRESOME SEEING IT IN THE HOUSE AND SO I HAD IT INSTALLED IN THE PARIS STORE WHICH WAS TOO BEAUTIFUL AND NEEDED A DISTURBING ELEMENT. AS WE OPENED MORE STORES, IT BECAME WEIRDLY ESSENTIAL FOR EACH STORE TO HAVE ONE. LONDON HAS A SEVERED HEAD ON A PLINTH IN HONOUR OF OSCAR WILDE'S SALOME, KOREA'S HAS JETS OF AIR MAKING THE HAIR FLY AROUND AND JAPAN'S IS ON THE WAY.

THE STORE IN TOKYO HAS BEEN OPEN FOR TWO YEARS BUT THIS FIGURE TOOK A WHILE. FOR SOME REASON, IT TOOK THE ARTISANS A COUPLE OF TRIES TO GET THE CORRECT FACIAL TEXTURE AND THE RIGHT IRIS SIZE IN THE EYES. THE TORSO IS SHIRTLESS AND MORPHS INTO A DISTORTED MONSTER LEG ENDING IN A CLAW, INSPIRED BY GODZILLA.

OF COURSE, I'M HAVING IT RECALLED AND REGRET I EVER THOUGHT OF IT.

DAY 3: APRIL 02 2011

LAST NIGHT WE WENT TO THE ARTPARIS OPENING IN THE GRAND PALAIS. IT WAS PACKED AND, OF COURSE, LOOKING AT THE ART WAS INCIDENTAL. I JUST ENJOY THE PAGEANTRY AND THE OCCASION OF BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF A CROWD IN THE GRAND PALAIS. IT'S A GROWN-UP MOSH PIT. WHAT ESPECIALLY DELIGHTS ME IS KNOWING THAT WHILE THE CROWD IS SWANNING AROUND UNDER THE GLASS DOMES, ON THE ROOF, SWARMS OF BEES ARE MAKING HONEY IN THE HIVES THAT ARE INSTALLED THERE. BEEHIVES ARE ALSO INSTALLED ON THE ROOF OF THE OPÉRA GARNIER. ISN'T THAT KIND OF ENCHANTING?

TODAY, HUN AND I WENT TO THE MUSÉE BOURDELLE TO SEE THE MADAME GRÈS EXHIBIT BEING SHOWN THERE. GOOD IDEA, SHOWING ALL THOSE DRAPED GODDESS DRESSES IN MUTED AND FRAGILE SILK JERSEY IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THOSE MONUMENTAL HEROIC BRONZE FIGURES. CAROLINA HERRERA WAS THERE AS WELL, LOOKING VERY LOVELY AND ELEGANT.

THE LAST TIME WE WERE AT THE MUSÉE BOURDELLE WAS FOR THE REVILLON SHOW I DID IN 2004. I REMEMBER THE RUNWAY CIRCULATION BEING A BIT TRICKY AND A LOT OF THREADBARE CORDUROY AND FOX. AND SUICIDE DOING CHEREE AS THE SOUNDTRACK. OH, AND REALLY GREAT ALLIGATOR BOOTS. BEING THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AT REVILLON, THE FRENCH FUR MAISON FOUNDED IN 1723, WAS A WONDERFUL LARK THAT JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH HORSEPOWER TO LAST. I LEARNED A LOT, THOUGH, AND LOOKING BACK, IT SEEMS TO HAVE GIVEN ME CREDIBILITY WITH PARISIANS THAT A YOUNG AMERICAN DESIGNER DECIDING TO SHOW IN PARIS OUT OF THE BLUE MIGHT NOT HAVE GOTTEN OTHERWISE.

THE MUSÉE BOURDELLE IS IN THE 15TH ARRONDISEMENT HOUSED IN THE ATELIER AND GARDENS THAT ANTOINE BOURDELLE LIVED AND WORKED IN. MENTORED BY RODIN, HE IN TURN MENTORED GIACOMETTI. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW SOMEONE WHO WAS DOING NAKED WARRIORS ON TWO-STOREY-HIGH REARING STALLIONS WITH TESTICLES THE SIZE OF YOUR HEAD COULD SLEEP IN THE TINY FURNITURE THAT FURNISHED THE LIVING AREA THAT THEY KEEP PRESERVED THERE. IT WAS A DRIZZLY MORNING AND WE WALKED THROUGH THE SHAGGY GARDEN WITH HUGE MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES PLANTED IN BETWEEN THE OLD, RANDOMLY PLANTED BUDDING TREES. BEAUTIFUL.

THIS MORNING I DID AN INTERVIEW WITH GERT JONKERS, THE CREATOR OF BUTT MAGAZINE, FANTASTIC MAN AND THE GENTLEWOMAN MAGAZINE. I ASKED IF HE WAS AWARE OF A NEW E-COMMERCE WEBSITE (THAT I SELL TO, INCIDENTALLY) WHOSE FORMAT SEEMED TO ECHO THE FORMAT OF FANTASTIC MAN. HE WAS AWARE AND NOT SO PLEASED. I CAN IMAGINE. BUT IF YOU PROPOSE A STYLE THAT YOU THINK IS A GOOD IDEA AND IT BECOMES INFLUENTIAL, YOU'VE SUCCEEDED, RIGHT? AND IT MIGHT BE UNCOMFORTABLE IF YOU SEE YOUR REINTERPRETED IDEA NOT UP TO YOUR STANDARDS, BUT WOULDN'T IT BE EXCRUCIATING IF IT SURPASSED THEM? HAVING YOUR AUTHORSHIP IGNORED WOULD BE DEPRESSING, BUT IF YOU'RE ACKNOWLEDGED AS THE ORIGINATOR, A GOOD IDEA SPREADING IS JUST INEVITABLE ANYWAY, RIGHT? INSISTENT AS I WAS, I'M NOT SO SURE I CONVINCED HIM.

DAY 4: APRIL 04 2011

WEEKENDS ARE USUALLY THE TIME WHEN I CAN REALLY FOCUS. IF THE SUN IS EVEN VAGUELY OUT, I'M ON THE TERRACE, WHICH IS SPECTACULAR RIGHT NOW WITH BLOOMING TREES AND MY FAVOURITE WISTERIA JUST WAKING UP. THE BLACKBIRDS THAT NEST IN THE ROSE VINES UNDER MY OFFICE WINDOW HAVE RETURNED AND TAKEN UP RESIDENCE IN THE SAME NEST THEY USE EVERY SPRING.

THIS IS THE TIME THAT I HAVE TO SPREAD OUT ALL MY NOTES AND SKETCHES AND EDIT WHAT HAPPENED THE WEEK BEFORE, AND PLAN FOR THE WEEK AHEAD. IT'S A CHANCE TO HAVE THE DAY TO REARRANGE AND PLAY WITH ELEMENTS OF THE WHOLE PICTURE INSTEAD OF WORKING ON DETAILS AND TECHNICALITIES ONE BY ONE, ONE ON ONE, ALL WEEK. MY 'SKETCHES' ARE ACTUALLY BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES OF TOILES THAT I'VE DRAPED ON A MANNEQUIN WITH A FEW BLACK MARKER SLASHES TO SUGGEST THE LINE OR VOLUME THAT I'M GOING TO ADD. I GROUP THEM ON TWO BIG TABLES IN MY OFFICE, ALONG WITH BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES OF THE SHOES, BAGS, FURS, DENIMS AND FURNITURE.

THE REASON ALL THE IMAGES ARE BLACK AND WHITE IS FOR A PLEASING UNITY AND TO FOCUS JUST ON SHAPE AND SILHOUETTE. I'M NOT THE GUY YOU REALLY GO TO FOR COLOUR ANYWAY. IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE EVERYTHING TOGETHER ALL AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE WORKING ON ONE GROUP STIMULATES AND SUGGESTS AN IDEA FOR ANOTHER. AND I WANT THERE TO BE A CONSISTENT THREAD TO ALL THE GROUPS AND, EVEN MORE, THROUGH TO ALL THE YEARS. I DON'T HAVE ANY IMAGES ON THE WALLS AND WHEN I HAVE A GOOD EDITING SESSION THAT LASTS ALL WEEKEND, EACH GROUP GOES INTO A SEPARATE FILE, AND THE FILES ARE LAID OUT ON THE TABLES TO REFER TO ALL THE NEXT WEEK.

ON SATURDAYS, HUN USUALLY HAS HER WEEKLY LUNCH AT GALERIE JOUSSE, THE GALLERY THAT REPRESENTS THE FURNITURE. THEY REVIEW WHICH PIECES WILL BE GOING TO WHICH COLLECTORS OR WHICH PIECES NEED TO BE READY FOR WHAT SHOWS THAT ARE COMING UP – ART BASEL, THE HONG KONG ART FAIR, ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH, FIAC IN PARIS, AND FINALLY LA IN NOVEMBER. FRANKLY, I LOVE THE SLOWER PACE OF FURNITURE.

AFTER HER LUNCH, SHE USUALLY GOES FOR A BOXING SESSION WITH HER TRAINER. I'M FAIRLY STRONG WITH WEIGHTS, BUT IF I HAD TO DO HALF OF HER BOXING SESSION, I'D COLLAPSE IN A SILLY LITTLE HEAP. SHE'S VERY RAGING BULL.

TODAY WE GAVE A BRUNCH WITH FRIENDS THAT INCLUDED THE EDITORS OF THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL, SOME/THINGS. THEY DO BEAUTIFULLY BOUND DENSE VOLUMES STUFFED WITH SMART BEAUTY THAT THEY USUALLY GAIN A SURPRISINGLY INTIMATE ACCESS TO. AFTER GETTING TO KNOW THEM AND THEIR INTEGRITY, I AGREED TO GIVE THEM ACCESS TO MY STUDIOS AND FACTORIES, DESPITE SOME RESERVATIONS FROM MY TEAM. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE SHY ONES AVOIDED BEING PHOTOGRAPHED, I'M CONFIDENT THAT HAVING RECORDED THIS TIME TOGETHER WILL MEAN A LOT TO US ALL LATER ON. AND IT WAS DONE WITH SUCH AFFECTION AND RESPECT, IT FELT LIKE A GIFT. AND IT WAS.