Only Carine Roitfeld Can Turn A Back Brace Into High Fashion
Leave it to famed French fashion editor and stylist Carine Roitfeld to make "hospital couture" a thing. Look no further than Karl Lagerfeld's photos of her Issue 6 of CR Fashion Book for what appears to be a sartorial-slaying (perhaps Zana Bayne?) corset, but in actuality is one-of-a-kind, custom-designed brace by...her doctor. Roitfeld was given the corset following three back surgeries due to a serious injury. But in true fashion heavyweight form, she took "suffering for fashion" to a new, seriously impressive level. See also: styling several of CR6's shoots from a wheelchair. And, just yesterday at Paris Fashion Week, photographers captured Roitfeld rocking her corset, a black fur coat and a big smile front-row at Lanvin alongside Kris Jenner. We caught up with the busy fashion icon in between shows, where she filled us in on her definition of beauty, what to expect from CR6, and her hopes of hanging up the corset for good ASAP. In the meantime, Roitfeld is teaching us how to turn your pain into pleasure -- more specifically, “Nine Ways to Wear a Corset,” with an exclusive, hospital couture-inspired photoshoot.
Yahoo Style: Can you tell us more about designing the corset?
Carine Roitfeld: Everyone thought it was a belt or an accessory, but the truth is it was from the hospital! They gave it to me after my surgery. I told them, “In black color, please!” Even if I had no choice but to wear it, I wanted to put my own spin on it. I wanted to wear it in a Helmut Newton way. Hospital couture.
YS: How are you able to work without the corset and injury getting in the way?
CR: The doctors made it custom for me so that it would fit my silhouette perfectly. It was not easy at first, but I quickly got used to it. Sometimes on set I won't even notice it’s there, and then I will take it off and all of a sudden I feel so free. Sometimes I start to dance the ballet… But only for a few minutes.
YS: Tell us more about the “Nine Ways to Wear a Corset” story.
CR: For this story, I wanted to match the corset with a few brands like Alaia, Altuzarra, Givenchy, Comme des Garcons or a cape from the Souks of Marrakech. It is how to wear a corset, in a chic way.
YS: When can you remove the corset? What will you do with it once it's off?
CR: Hopefully after the Paris collections. I will put it away in my closet.
YS: What does beauty mean to you? When do you feel most beautiful?
CR: The new issue of my magazine, CR Fashion Book, is all about Jolie Laide, which in English means "ugly beauty." This is what I find beautiful: that which is different or unique. I find traditional looks to be so boring. I myself feel the most beautiful when I stand out, when I am not looking the same as everyone else. Like every women should feel, every day.
YS: Issue 6 of CR Fashion Book features many “new” faces. How did you select them?
CR: Going with the theme of Jolie Laide, each of the new girls has something about her that is unique, whether it's the ears, the smile… or even braces, like Kitty for our cover of CR Fashion Book. That is how a girl sticks out in your mind -- when she has something truly special about her that no one else has.
CR Fashion Book Issue 6 is on sale now
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