Family ties: Violeta Sanchez and her daughter Luz pull together for a living sculpture show
The term 'iconic' is a tag recycled by the fashion industry with great gusto and little thought. Handbags, shoes, skirts and coats are labeled as such but quickly forgotten, along with the women who are paid to wear them. So what makes a model an icon? Immortalised by Helmut Newton, adored by Yves Saint Laurent and cloned as a mannequin by Adel Rootstein, the Spanish-born, Parisian-bred Violeta Sanchez is the genuine article and also the subject of our March Style Issue's (W* 192) 'Family Ties' story with her daughter Luz.
Sanchez first met Newton and Saint Laurent at the premiere of her first play Succès in 1979. Photographer and designer - both having established the Le Smoking style in 1966 - were immediately drawn to Sanchez, who was wearing a mannish three-piece suit ordered from a men's tailor. She went on to captivate Thierry Mugler, Jean-Paul Gaultier, the illustrator Tony Viramontes, contemporary artist Guy De Cointet and most recently Alber Elbaz.
After 30 years in the business, Sanchez opened Lanvin's 125th anniversary show and now stars alongside her 15-year old offspring in the label's spring/summer 2015 campaign. For the March Style Issue they appear in a performative fashion shoot, lensed by Brigitte Niedermair.
The organic, anamorphic nature of the pictures evokes the great tension between a mother and daughter. 'We are in that conflictive adolescent phase. Very irritating but highly formative for both of us…' says Sanchez whose other daughter Una is studying at the Sorbonne. 'I have been used to modeling with great input, photographically or in other ways. The experience here was challenging and rewarding. Brigitte, as I have often encountered with talented photographers, was relentless in her demands, which were often physically difficult.'
Of the challenging poses Niedermair explains, 'For me when we started talking, we thought it would be interesting to physically show a psychological problem between a mother and a daughter. The idea came from when you have a couple so close to each other; on one side you have a nice loving feeling, and other side you have problems. So we tried to show these problems in a funny way through abstract poses with the chairs. These tensions are between a mother and daughter but could be with tensions with anybody.' With the help of a third party contortionist to aid the story's composition and assist with plausible positions, the photographer adds, 'the challenge was to find interesting ways to be on a chair.'
Not that Sanchez is unfamiliar with performance art. Last year she collaborated with Musée Galliera's Olivier Saillard on the theatrical production Models Never Talk presented at New York Fashion Week. The costume curator invited seven models to re-enact their experiences of working with legendary designers. 'Today there is this overwhelming plethora of styles. If the models had to interpret that, it would be manic,' she reflects. Rather than icons, models have become blank canvases. 'For my generation 'brand' was not yet a concept per se, clothes were naturally and foremost, totally inhabited, incarnated and worn by a performer.' Just as they are here.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
London based writer Dal Chodha is editor-in-chief of Archivist Addendum — a publishing project that explores the gap between fashion editorial and academe. He writes for various international titles and journals on fashion, art and culture and is a contributing editor at Wallpaper*. Chodha has been working in academic institutions for more than a decade and is Stage 1 Leader of the BA Fashion Communication and Promotion course at Central Saint Martins. In 2020 he published his first book SHOW NOTES, an original hybrid of journalism, poetry and provocation.
-
Fashionable Christmas baubles to accessorise this year’s tree, from Bottega Veneta to Loewe
Selected by the Wallpaper* style team, a gleaming array of Christmas baubles for fashion fans featuring fantastical designs from Bottega Veneta, Loewe, Prada and more
By Jack Moss Published
-
Discover South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island: food, fun and beachside bliss
With natural splendour and a balmy, subtropical climate, Hilton Head Island beckons beach-goers, gourmets and golf fans alike
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
A look inside the home of George Homsey, one of the fathers of pioneering California modernist community Sea Ranch
George Homsey's home opens for the first time since his death, in 2019; see where the architect behind some of the designs for Sea Ranch, the pioneering California modernist community, lived
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Olfactory Art Keller: the New York gallery exhibiting the smell of vintage perfume, blossoming lilacs and last night’s shame
Olfactory Art Keller is a Manhattan-based gallery space dedicated to exhibiting scent as art. Founder Dr Andreas Keller speaks with Lara Johnson-Wheeler about the project, which doesn’t shy away from the ‘unpleasant’
By Lara Johnson-Wheeler Published
-
Lanvin’s new artistic director is British designer Peter Copping
Announced by Lanvin today, new artistic director Peter Copping comes with a wealth of industry experience, including creative director roles at Nina Ricci and Oscar de la Renta
By Jack Moss Published
-
Lanvin embraces the absurd in new collaboration with artist Erwin Wurm
Austrian artist Erwin Wurm is the latest participant in Lanvin Lab, the French house’s ongoing ’dialogue’ with creatives across disciplines, creating a large-scale sculpture featuring Lanvin’s ’Cat’ bag
By Jack Moss Published
-
Best women’s beachwear for turning up the heat
Celine, Saint Laurent, Chanel, Fendi and Lanvin serve up scintillating ensembles for a scorching summer break
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Standout men's suits for stepping into spring
Stylish men's suits for springtime events, including lightweight, naturally hued styles by Loro Piana, Brunello Cucinelli and Bottega Veneta
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Women's jackets: how to stand out in style this spring
We present the women's jackets for making a style statement this season. Button up and buckle in
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Cub culture: Michael Comte’s platinum edition Breuni-Bear
The storied German department store has created a luxuriously sleek version of its fluffy mascot
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Best in shows: our standouts of the spring/summer 2018 collections
Photography: Melaine + Ramon. Fashion: Isabelle Kountoure and Jérôme André. Writer: Laura Hawkins
By Laura Hawkins Published