Purple Magazine
— Purple 76 Index issue #29 S/S 2018

Bidault-waddington camille

styling with attitude
protestantism and perversion
brilliance and nonchalance

photography by HEJI SHIN
style by CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON
interview by OLIVIER ZAHM

OLIVIER ZAHM — How would you define your own style?

CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON — My style is psychoanalytical and autobiographical. It is based on emotions and reactions, on my life, my loves, my doubts, and my disgusts. Usually, I am more inspired by something that disturbs me or the absurdity of certain thoughts than by something I know I love. I can be fascinated by a color I deeply hate. My love life is also very important — happiness and sadness are both in each look, but I will be the only one to notice it.

OLIVIER ZAHM — You seem to prefer to give a twist to something unexpected, or doing something that looks “off,” rather than using the “cool” pieces of designers of the moment. Does something unexpected still exist in fashion?

CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON — I don’t find so many things unexpected. I like the “off” vibe, which gives me trouble in professional life because it can be seen as anti-commercial. I love to experiment, not for art’s sake, just for me. I have a problem with obeying, and when someone pushes a “cool” piece, I kind of retract. I don’t mind using a piece with less impact, with more poetry.

OLIVIER ZAHM — What is your main source of inspiration? It seems to be old books of photography, if I correctly judge from your Instagram.

CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON — Of course I’m inspired by old books, but also by new books, music, record sleeves, art, life, people, or a feeling.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Are you nostalgic?

CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON — I am not nostalgic, but it is important to use the past as a tool, as an alphabet to distort. I don’t specifically think it was nicer before, but if I were a student nowadays I might do something different, something more radical or political.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Which stylists, past or present, do you admire?

CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON — The one and only stylist that I totally admire is Anna Cockburn; she quit a long time ago. Caroline Baker at Nova magazine must have been interesting, too, but it might be because the magazine itself was so strong. And obviously, Diana Vreeland.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Do you find ideas on Instagram?

CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON — No, I discover artists, whom I explore myself after. Sometimes a person’s  Instagram is inspiring, and I mix their attitude with something else. Instagram is actually a bit predictable. There is a lot of crap, so it is not really the best thing. The idea that I might see the same things as the whole world gives me the creeps. That totally scares me.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Your Instagram is successful. Are you unafraid of giving away ideas?

CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON — Yes, my Instagram is successful. I have lots of followers, but you will notice I don’t have many likes, and I don’t care. The hunt for likes is very disturbing to me. I am happy with the love of my kids, dear friends, and amazing boyfriend, and I don’t understand why other people have to approve of what you do.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Your style has been qualified as a subversion of French bon goût, combining second-hand and couture. Are you incarnating the French style?

CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON — I have heard so many things about my style! That I love tackiness, that I’m a bizarre aristocrat. I just love fashion, and there is a mix of Protestantism and perversion in my taste.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Your best quality?

CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON — A form of jackass purity.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Your worst quality?

CAMILLE BIDAULT-WADDINGTON — A total lack of diplomacy, and a huge problem with talking before thinking — except to my shrink.

END

 

Rudi Lewis, hair — Stéphanie Kunz, make-up — Fabienne Eisenstein, set designer — Arturo Astorino and Maya Zardi, photographer’s assistants — Sinead Allen Shea and Berenger Pelc, stylist’s assistants — Jean-Francois Ollivier, producer — Mariam De Vinzelle, model

[Table of contents]

Purple 76 Index issue #29 S/S 2018

Table of contents

Purple Index 76

© Purple Institute

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