The latest Vogue Paris is all about Vanessa Paradis, the French singer, actress and model. Paradis was also  Johnny Depp’s partner for many years and is how she is probably best known out of the French universe. In France however she is a big star and came to fame with the single Joe Le Taxi when she was  fourteen. Paradis reveals a few details on the beautiful ad campaign for the perfume Coco (one of my favourite Chanel perfumes) with the creative Jean – Paul Goude. Goude also filmed the classic Egoiste advertisement for Chanel and is the photographer behind many iconic images of Grace Jones.

“LE FILM COCO DE CHANEL PAR JEAN – PAUL – GOUDE. Un moment clé dans ma carriere. J’ai fait ça juste avant d’aller enregistrer mon album à New York avec Lenny. J’avais 18 ans, je rêvais de musique et de cinéma et la mode ne m’attirait pas vraiment. Je me souviens avoir hésité. Heureusement que mon agent Marceline et mes parents m’ont décidée. J’ai pris une semaine intensive de cours de trapèze, puis on a enchaîné une semaine de tournage dans le hangar d’un camp militaire à Villacoublay où ils avaient construit cette cage hallucinante de dix mètres de haut. Je me suis éclatée. Il faut dire que j’étais complètement sous le charme de Jean-Paul Goude, que je trouvais irrésistiblement beau et artistiquement génial. Le synopsis, l’idée de départ à savoir la petite cage qui trônait dans l’appartement de Mademoiselle Chanel, l’inspiration de Titi, les sifflements, la musique de Stormy Weather … Il a réalisé un petit chef-d’oeuvre. Un grand spectacle.”

And my rough translation!

“The film Coco Chanel by Jean – Paul Goude. A crucial moment in my career. I had just filmed it before going to record my album in New York with Lenny (Kravitz). I was 18 years old, I was dreaming of  music and film, and fashion did not really attract me. I remember hesitating. Fortunately my agent Marceline and my parents helped me decide. I took an intensive week of trapeze lessons, then we followed this with a week in a military camp warehouse in Villacoublay where they had built this amazing ten meter high cage. I had a ball. I will say that I was completely under the charm of Jean-Paul Goude, who I found irresistibly handsome and artistically gifted. The synopsis, the original idea was the little cage that was in  Mademoiselle Chanel’s appartment, the inspiration of Tweety Pie, the whistling, the music of Stormy Weather.  He directed a little masterpiece. A big show.”

And here’s the advertisement.

Notes : Images from Vogue Paris December 2015 / January 2016