At Tommy Hilfiger last season the light was the feeling you get at 6 p.m. when you are coming from the beach and you are happy. Helmut Lang’s light is a « non light », while at the Victoria Secret show it’s part of the cinematography-it’s very there. For one Miguel Adrover show I put all the lights on the floor and the mood was like a Caravaggio painting. After the show some of the photographers were mad because they thought it was too dark, but the ones who know how to make photos thanked me-like Dan Lecca.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH THE LIGHTING FOR A PARTICULAR SHOW?
It’s a collaboration with the designer. I get the plan for the runway and I see the collection for sure. What colors are in the collection ? How transparent are the clothes ? What do the floor plan and backdrop look like ? Then I work with the designer, which can be difficult because when I say « forest » and you say « forest » we each have a different idea in our heads. But I talk about things like, « The tone of skin of the model will be like the end of summer in Morocco » not how many lamps I will use, because they don’t give a [ darn].
DO YOU WORK ON PROJECTS BESIDES FASHION SHOWS ?
I supervised all the production for Hedi Slimane’s installation at Pitti Uomo last summer. I also created an installation project at the Caisse des Depots et Consignations, a Paris bank. Most recently I’ve just created two lamps, although to me they are more objects of light, like installations.
