carla sozzani, the history of an eye - 10 corso como · inimitable carla sozzani: former fashion...

21/02/17 15:47Interview: Carla Sozzani Photography Collector | Vogue Arabia

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Carla Sozzani, The History of an EyeCarla Sozzani, The History of an EyeCULTURECULTURE NOVEMBER 11, 2016NOVEMBER 11, 2016

by by EMANUELE COCCIAEMANUELE COCCIA

Carla Sozzani and Azzedine Alaïa. © Sylvie DelpechCarla Sozzani and Azzedine Alaïa. © Sylvie Delpech

Emanuele Coccia is an ItalianEmanuele Coccia is an Italian

philosopher and part of Azzedinephilosopher and part of Azzedine

Alaïa’s inner circle of intellectuals,Alaïa’s inner circle of intellectuals,

artists, thinkers, and doers. For artists, thinkers, and doers. For VogueVogue

Arabia, Coccia interviews theArabia, Coccia interviews the

inimitable Carla Sozzani: formerinimitable Carla Sozzani: former

fashion editor, fashion photographyfashion editor, fashion photography

collector, and global tastemaker (in thecollector, and global tastemaker (in the

most authentic sense). Sozzani’s fashionmost authentic sense). Sozzani’s fashion

photography collection includes worksphotography collection includes works

by the likes of photographers Sarahby the likes of photographers Sarah

Moon, Paolo Roversi, Helmut Newton,Moon, Paolo Roversi, Helmut Newton,

Irving Penn, Cecil Beaton, LouiseIrving Penn, Cecil Beaton, Louise

Dahl-Wolfe, and Bruce Weber, amongDahl-Wolfe, and Bruce Weber, among

many others. 213 photographs by 75many others. 213 photographs by 75

http://en.vogue.me/category/culture/

http://en.vogue.me/author/emanuele/



many others. 213 photographs by 75many others. 213 photographs by 75

photographers from Carla Sozzani’sphotographers from Carla Sozzani’s

personal collection go on display today,personal collection go on display today,

at the Galerie Azzedine Alaïa in Paris. at the Galerie Azzedine Alaïa in Paris.

“Like everything else, fashion has a“Like everything else, fashion has a

history. Some survive in that history;history. Some survive in that history;

others vanish from it. Carla willothers vanish from it. Carla will

survive.” (Azzedine Alaïa, survive.” (Azzedine Alaïa, Between ArtBetween Art

& Fashion, Photographs From the& Fashion, Photographs From the

Collection of Carla SozzaniCollection of Carla Sozzani))

Carla Sozzani at Azzedine Alaïa’s, Paris 2014.Carla Sozzani at Azzedine Alaïa’s, Paris 2014.

©Dominique Issermann©Dominique Issermann

Carla Sozzani is a cultural protagonistCarla Sozzani is a cultural protagonist



Carla Sozzani is a cultural protagonistCarla Sozzani is a cultural protagonist

of the XX century. Since 1968, sheof the XX century. Since 1968, she

has forged shapes and language, andhas forged shapes and language, and

has never ceased to revolutionizehas never ceased to revolutionize

fashion and culture. At the head offashion and culture. At the head of

ElleElle Italia in 1987 (its founding Italia in 1987 (its founding

editor), Sozzani directed threeeditor), Sozzani directed three

legendary issues that changed foreverlegendary issues that changed forever

—not just the visual and graphic—not just the visual and graphic

language of fashion journalismlanguage of fashion journalism

(fashion critic Cathy Horyn de!ned(fashion critic Cathy Horyn de!ned

it as, “An aesthetic break in magazineit as, “An aesthetic break in magazine

publishing that was as rare in itspublishing that was as rare in its

beauty and in"uence.”)—but the waybeauty and in"uence.”)—but the way

that fashion was communicated. Forthat fashion was communicated. For

the !rst time, a magazine was not athe !rst time, a magazine was not a

simple catalogue where clothes weresimple catalogue where clothes were

slotted, rather, it became a windowslotted, rather, it became a window

for contemplation of the artistic andfor contemplation of the artistic and

cultural world in its largest sense; acultural world in its largest sense; a

visual atlas of beauty where thingsvisual atlas of beauty where things

could bear witness. Fashion, ceased tocould bear witness. Fashion, ceased to

be purely an a#air of clothing, andbe purely an a#air of clothing, and

became an essence unto itself, onebecame an essence unto itself, one

that concerns and connects with eachthat concerns and connects with each

object we use.object we use.

In 1991, Sozzani founded 10 CorsoIn 1991, Sozzani founded 10 Corso

Como, the world’s !rst concept storeComo, the world’s !rst concept store



Como, the world’s !rst concept storeComo, the world’s !rst concept store

that brought together a gallery,that brought together a gallery,

restaurant, boutique, library, and arestaurant, boutique, library, and a

hotel within a unique space thathotel within a unique space that

erased the frontiers between museumerased the frontiers between museum

and boutique; life and art; andand boutique; life and art; and

culture and commerce. Via herculture and commerce. Via her

choices, tastes, and ideas, Sozzanichoices, tastes, and ideas, Sozzani

created the foundations for the visualcreated the foundations for the visual

and cultural language of our time.and cultural language of our time.

$is exhibition of her collection of$is exhibition of her collection of

photographs at the Galerie Azzedinephotographs at the Galerie Azzedine

Alaïa invites us to revisit her historyAlaïa invites us to revisit her history

and aesthetic.and aesthetic.



Hands, 1941. Photo by Horst P. Horst. © Condé NastHands, 1941. Photo by Horst P. Horst. © Condé Nast

One of the most beautiful thingsOne of the most beautiful things

about this exhibition is that itabout this exhibition is that it

considers everything that you haveconsiders everything that you have

done with photography.done with photography.

We all have a passion—you write—We all have a passion—you write—

and I communicate with images.and I communicate with images.

Photographs are the only rapid wayPhotographs are the only rapid way

to communicate something. I startedto communicate something. I started

in ‘68—over 40 years of fashion—Iin ‘68—over 40 years of fashion—I

was so fortunate because photographywas so fortunate because photography

has always accompanied me, and inhas always accompanied me, and in

various ways. For me, fashionvarious ways. For me, fashion

photography is a passionate a#air.photography is a passionate a#air.

!at said, you didn’t start collecting!at said, you didn’t start collecting

until much later in your career. until much later in your career.

No, I never thought that I wouldNo, I never thought that I would

start a collection. In the ‘70s, I startedstart a collection. In the ‘70s, I started

to acquire images, and over the yearsto acquire images, and over the years

that number of images grew. Later,that number of images grew. Later,

when I was at when I was at VogueVogue [Sozzani [Sozzani

produced all of produced all of VogueVogue Italia’s special Italia’s special

issues], I worked with Bruce Weber,issues], I worked with Bruce Weber,

Herb Ritts, William Wegman, SarahHerb Ritts, William Wegman, Sarah



Herb Ritts, William Wegman, SarahHerb Ritts, William Wegman, Sarah

Moon, Robert Mapplethorpe, andMoon, Robert Mapplethorpe, and

Paolo Roversi, and through thePaolo Roversi, and through the

fashion avenue, we covered manyfashion avenue, we covered many

topics: !ne jewelry, children, bridal,topics: !ne jewelry, children, bridal,

fashion. It was such an interestingfashion. It was such an interesting

experience. I quickly learned thatexperience. I quickly learned that

fashion, design, art, cinema—fashion, design, art, cinema—

everything—was all linked and thiseverything—was all linked and this

was what excited me.was what excited me.

Paula Gellibrand, Marquise de Casa Maury, 1928.Paula Gellibrand, Marquise de Casa Maury, 1928.

Photo by Cecil Beaton. © The Cecil Beaton StudioPhoto by Cecil Beaton. © The Cecil Beaton Studio

Archive at Sotheby’sArchive at Sotheby’s

WithWith Elle Elle Italia, you revolutionized Italia, you revolutionized



WithWith Elle Elle Italia, you revolutionized Italia, you revolutionized

the way of editing and presentingthe way of editing and presenting

fashion. You gave birth to thefashion. You gave birth to the

vanguard that we see today. vanguard that we see today.

It was no longer enough to just see aIt was no longer enough to just see a

piece of clothing in a magazine—piece of clothing in a magazine—

everything is connected—and if youeverything is connected—and if you

like something, it snowballs. Also,like something, it snowballs. Also,

there was a gap to do something thatthere was a gap to do something that

—as information—was useful but—as information—was useful but

was also beautiful.was also beautiful.

I got to do what I liked. Later, II got to do what I liked. Later, I

opened a small editing house, andopened a small editing house, and

then a gallery; in reality, my worldthen a gallery; in reality, my world

revolved around photographs.revolved around photographs.

You had the desire to create a newYou had the desire to create a new

culture of communication—aculture of communication—a

universal one—through images. universal one—through images.

To me, it was a logical evolution.To me, it was a logical evolution.

And, I always worked with a lot ofAnd, I always worked with a lot of

enthusiasm. When you loveenthusiasm. When you love

something so much, there’s no limitsomething so much, there’s no limit

and you’re never closed.and you’re never closed.

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Marilyn Monroe, 1957. Photo by Richard Avedon. ©Marilyn Monroe, 1957. Photo by Richard Avedon. ©

The Richard Avedon FoundationThe Richard Avedon Foundation

From an image, you explored anFrom an image, you explored an

entire culture.entire culture.

It’s wonderful to be able to use anIt’s wonderful to be able to use an

image to transmit something. Butimage to transmit something. But

after I opened 10 Corso Como, Iafter I opened 10 Corso Como, I

didn’t want to go back to the world ofdidn’t want to go back to the world of

publishing—even though theypublishing—even though they

o#ered—that chapter was closed foro#ered—that chapter was closed for

me. I took all my experience from allme. I took all my experience from all

those years, from everything that Ithose years, from everything that I

liked, and I took it from the pages ofliked, and I took it from the pages of

a magazine and made it a magazine and made it livelive..

At that time, there was no Internet,At that time, there was no Internet,



At that time, there was no Internet,At that time, there was no Internet,

there were no blogs, Google—eventhere were no blogs, Google—even

the use of computers was limited.the use of computers was limited.

Today’s way of communicating didn’tToday’s way of communicating didn’t

exist. $e store [10 Corso Como]exist. $e store [10 Corso Como]

became a destination, a place to meet.became a destination, a place to meet.

We held exhibitions and everyoneWe held exhibitions and everyone

came: parents, kids, lovers, oldcame: parents, kids, lovers, old

people, young people—everyone.people, young people—everyone.

10 Corso Como revolutionized10 Corso Como revolutionized

fashion and culture. You inventedfashion and culture. You invented

the concept store, which didn’t existthe concept store, which didn’t exist

at the time. It’s a strange andat the time. It’s a strange and

incredibly modernist fusion of life,incredibly modernist fusion of life,

culture, images, commerce, and aculture, images, commerce, and a

place where nothing can beplace where nothing can be

separated from anything, and oneseparated from anything, and one

that everyone connects with. Youthat everyone connects with. You

established a global taste, whichestablished a global taste, which

then expanded to Seoul, Shanghai,then expanded to Seoul, Shanghai,

Beijing, and soon New York. OfBeijing, and soon New York. Of

course, the model was then copiedcourse, the model was then copied

across the world. across the world.

Inspired, inspired (smiling).Inspired, inspired (smiling).

You nurtured the liberty of others,You nurtured the liberty of others,

of other cultures, and even if youof other cultures, and even if you



have a very speci"c taste, it ishave a very speci"c taste, it is

probably one that is also connectedprobably one that is also connected

with Italy. with Italy.

It is. I was immersed in a beautifulIt is. I was immersed in a beautiful

culture and I grew to understand itsculture and I grew to understand its

beauty. Certainly, I have a desire tobeauty. Certainly, I have a desire to

share that.share that.

Coco Chanel watching her défilé, 1958. Photo byCoco Chanel watching her défilé, 1958. Photo by

Frank Horvat. © Frank HorvatFrank Horvat. © Frank Horvat

Your aesthetic is very strong, veryYour aesthetic is very strong, very

clear, and it creates a foundation forclear, and it creates a foundation for



clear, and it creates a foundation forclear, and it creates a foundation for

speaking about fashion and culture.speaking about fashion and culture.

Curiously, black and white is veryCuriously, black and white is very

dominant in your collection. dominant in your collection.

Traditionally, photography was inTraditionally, photography was in

black and white. I also think that dueblack and white. I also think that due

to my classical Italian culturalto my classical Italian cultural

education, to me, color belongs to theeducation, to me, color belongs to the

art world. Nothing can compete withart world. Nothing can compete with

the light and color of a Caravaggiothe light and color of a Caravaggio

painting. Photography has its ownpainting. Photography has its own

language and it is one that was bornlanguage and it is one that was born

in black and white, and it expressesin black and white, and it expresses

itself better in black and white.itself better in black and white.

Taking a closer look at today’sTaking a closer look at today’s

photography culture, if you were tophotography culture, if you were to

begin your career again, wouldbegin your career again, would

photography still interest you thephotography still interest you the

way it "rst did in ‘68? way it "rst did in ‘68?

I like looking at an image that makesI like looking at an image that makes

me think of another image. Today,me think of another image. Today,

moving images are the future, and Imoving images are the future, and I

think that other people are fascinatedthink that other people are fascinated

by video, too. Today, I would startby video, too. Today, I would start

with video, it is another visualwith video, it is another visual

language, and I’ve also seen that it islanguage, and I’ve also seen that it is



VOGUE RECOMMENDSVOGUE RECOMMENDS

one that one that VogueVogue Arabia explores. Arabia explores.

“Between Art & Fashion, Photographs“Between Art & Fashion, Photographs

From the Collection of Carla Sozzani”From the Collection of Carla Sozzani”

at the Galerie Azzedine Alaïa, Paris,at the Galerie Azzedine Alaïa, Paris,

until February 26th. until February 26th.

Avril for Alaïa, 2006. Sarah Moon © Sarah MoonAvril for Alaïa, 2006. Sarah Moon © Sarah Moon

by by EMANUELEEMANUELECOCCIACOCCIA

carla sozzani, the history of an eye - 10 corso como · inimitable carla sozzani: former fashion...

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