KO.FASHION BLOG

KO.FASHION produced a new video for THE AVANT GARDE DIARIES Valentin Beaucourt works as a pastry chef in Paris, but he really lives for his music. Together with his friends Quentin Nicolle-Charlot, Victor Fièvre and Pierre-Oliver Chenu he forms French pop wave band D’Austerlitz. The quartet has made quite an impression on the indie scene with their debut EP Gold, featuring lyrics with dark undertones, paired with cheery melodies.

In the beautiful setting of the band’s hometown guitarist Valentin Beaucourt shared his very personal view on avant-garde with us, introducing Detroit-based photographer Matthew Franklin Jenkins, whose work he was immediately stuck by. “I define Matthew's work as avant-garde because of the fact that it's rarely seen elsewhere,” Beaucourt told us. By browsing the Internet, he came across Jenkin’s work; strong photographs that often feature single objects in wide-open spaces, evoking a particular sense of loneliness. “He manages to do what I actually feel. But I could never do it.” Right after Beaucourt discovered Jenkins, he contacted him out of curiosity. We hope to see a collaboration of these two young artists some day.

Find out more about Valentin Beaucourt and his band D'Austerlitz and the work ofMatthew Franklin Jenkins

Production Katharina Kowalewski / Filming & Photos Juan Sebastian Torales / Editing KO Fashion / Music D'Austerlitz / Photographs courtesy of Matthew Franklin Jenkins

From graffiti to fame: André Saraiva or his alter ego Mr. A doesn’t really need an introduction. The man who started tagging Paris at a very young age managed the transition to become an established artist, club owner and now art director of L’Officiel homme. This success is probably due to André’s warm personality and an open and positive attitude to live. “There is nothing to be afraid of and everything can be explored.“ 
If you are looking for a trendy hang out in Paris, you will probably end up in one of André’s clubs or restaurants – from the cozy ‘Hotel Amour’, to ‘La Fidelité’, and ‘Le Baron’ or ‘Montana’. These places have transformed the Paris nightlife. Currently André is opening a ‘Baron’ in NYC and London. 
We met André in his apartment (with a 360° view over Paris) during a photo shoot with his best friend Olivier Zahm. The photographer and face behind Purple magazine is for André a constant source of inspiration and the incarnation of avant-garde. Olivier started as an art curator and André admired Olivier’s eclectic taste and vision. When you open the bi annual publication Purple or brows through Purple Diary you will understand – Olivier is different, instinctive and almost inhibited. The ‘Purple’ magazine became a platform for photographers like Juergen Teller, Terry Richardson, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Mario Sorrenti. He showed their anti Photoshop sleek high-end fashion aesthetics and developed a new movement and counterculture in fashion.
With his sunglasses and cigar he may at first appear arrogant and difficult to approach – but Olivier is a free spirit with a vision bigger than his ego. He publishes a fashion magazine, yet his projects and mission is more cultural. He works constantly and most preferably with his friends – like André or Carine Roitfeld (Olivier published her book IRREVELANT) and is always ready to capture a special and real moment with his camera. (Olivier Zahm photographed our black and white portrait of André.)

Production Katharina Kowalewski / Filming Julien Véron & Ludovic Zuili / Photos Olivier Zahm / Editing KO Fashion / Music BUNNYSTRIPES