Hedi Slimane, Rock Star

Hedi Slimane, Parisian menswear genius and former Dior Homme demigod, has been spotted around Los Angeles recently looking simultaneously morose and secretive. Everyone's been wondering what he's up to -- and now the answer's finally come to light. The modern-day renaissance man has done everything from design furniture to create installations to photograph rock stars -- and now he's looking to join their ranks, having just signed to Los Angeles-based record label Dim Mak. Cornered recently in a surf shop while fondling wetsuits ("Their proportions are so marvelous"), Slimane admitted to his long-dormant desire to become a rock star. "I have photographed them all this time. Most of them are passed out. I think to myself, This is an easy occupation. I think to myself, Why not me?" With his customary single-mindedness, Slimane called in a few favors and found himself in possession of a record contract, booking himself some studio time for later this month. Calls and emails to Dim Mak were not returned, although one flack admitted that they hadn't actually heard a note of Slimane's music. But such prosaic matters as songs do not perturb Slimane, who prefers to think of this phase of his career "more like conceptual art." He looks forward to designing record covers more than anything, and says he will only press vinyl for his recordings -- no digital downloads or even CDs allowed. "They are so ghastly," he says. "I prefer the, how do you say, aspect ratio of records. The scale." When asked about his look as a rock star, Slimane looks modestly down at his feet. "I begin with the shoe," he says thoughtfully, looking down at his high-heeled boots. "I do not know if these evoke Bowie in quite the way I wish for this project. Perhaps these are too Prince-like for this." And about the music he wishes to make? "It is an adventure," he says simply. "We all have to begin somewhere." Somewhere must be an interesting place: a few weeks later, Slimane sent out an email with an MP3 attached, consisting of a single drumbeat played on a loop for 22 minutes and 22 seconds. The email stated simply: "I thought 22:22 looked like a good running time." However, the track remains untitled.

(PS - Have a happy April Fool's Day! And we love you, Hedi, we really do.)

Posted by Kat in Pop Culture
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