Purple Magazine
— F/W 2007 issue 8
André
photographed by TERRY RICHARDSON
art direction by OLIVIER ZAHM
styled by BENJAMIN GALOPIN
Generally speaking, people start up nightclubs for the money, not withstanding those rare cases in the history of clubbing life — Le Palace in Paris, say, circa 1984. Otherwise, we must look to films for examples — see The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. But certain people are in it for more than the money. People whose dreams fly on wings of another nature and always take the night flight. ANDRÉ is one of those people.
For years he spent his nights as Mr. A, tagging Paris and other European cities, not making a dime. Then in 2004, with the help of a few close friends, he opened Le Baron, the only club in Paris with no VIP room, no guest list, no shitty music, no lousy parties, and no crummy style. By retaining the old world charm of the former whorehouse that he transformed into a trendy, classy, confidential mirco-club for a certain elite, André keeps them lined up around the block. Building on success, he opened a sister club in Toyko, designed by Mark Newson, and then, with his friend Paul Sevigny, he launchedThe Beatrice Inn in New York. Now all the world’s jetsetters want the thirty four-year old impresario to host their parties.
But André is less an entrepreneur carving out his empire than an artist whose true medium is nightlife itself. From a palette of the art, fashion, film, and music worlds, he paints a portrait of artistic democracy, bound by friendship and sex, on the canvas of the night. When André casts his spell, egos instantly dissolve, and walls between people magically disappear.
André has been photographed a thousand times, but always wanted to pose for Terry Richardson, one of his favorite New York artists. This is his first fashion shoot, and Terry catches him in his element, as he really is, night after sizzling night.
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Leather bomber jacket with sheepskin collar A.P.C., oversized cashmere cardigan YVES SAINT LAURENT
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Pinstripe jacket DIOR HOMME BY HEDI SLIMANE, T-shirt JUNK FOOD FOR COLETTE, gray jeans ACNE, Collier de Chien bracelet HERMES, Andre's boots
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Black merino wool cardigan GUCCI, glasses MARC LE BIHAN FOR CUTLER & GROSS
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Black jacket and shirt DIOR HOMME BY HEDI SLIMANE, Andre's work jeans and boots
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Leather, fox fur and curly shearling jacket GUCCI
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Black leather pants JEAN CLAUDE JITROIS, Collier de Chien bracelet HERMES, Vintage RAYBANS
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Jeans A.P.C., scarf worn as belt CHARVET, Andre's leather jacket and T-shirt
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Leather bomber jacket with sheepskin collar A.P.C., Olympia Le-Tan's customized jean jacket
