Helmut Lang in Vienna
We go back to Paris right after New Year’s. The next day I fly to Vienna to see Helmut Lang Séance De Travail 1986–2005, a retrospective of Helmut’s career in fashion at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK). Vogue posted an excellent piece on the exhibition week before last. Of all the shows, magazine editorials, and advertising campaigns I cast, casting for Helmut was the highlight of my career. I worked with Helmut and Melanie Ward from the late ’90s until Helmut left in 2005 following the sale to Prada. During that time, Melanie and I were, also, editors at Harper’s Bazaar. Mel’s recent death was a shock. Today, Helmut is a celebrated artist and I own one of his sculptures. I cast the model who wore the shearling that is part of the sculpture that hangs on my wall. This thought brings me great joy.
Casting Polaroids I kept from the final two HL shows, and my beloved sculpture.
:
I love those moments in fashion where the joy and memory is not about JUST the clothes, but the relationships and the output of great effort to bring creative genius to life.
Love seeing these pics- what a collection! Is that Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld, and Vanessa Traina, among other notable faces?
Yes that is Vladimir, not Traina.
What happy memories! I’m not very familiar with Helmut Lang, but your post has already made me like him. 🙂
Perhaps you have visited Vienna, but it is one of my and my family’s very top favorite cities. It is both modern and lavishly Old World at the same time. If you’ve been, you know all about the easy transit system, where to see the Klimt’s, Beethoven’s apartment, and will come home with a dirndl skirt and a little wool, fur trimmed bag. Women’s gloves and men’s pocket squares are not to be missed. Then there’s the opera, the bar at Sacher Hotel, the torte . . . it’s just a heavenly, civilized city. January sounds crisp and beautiful!
Love that sculpture! I was just reading about Helmut’s show in Editor’s at Large. Worth a trip to Vienna.