The Eye

by Nathan Williams

  1922–2012

  HELEN GURLEY BROWN

  Credited with inventing the phrase “having it all,” Helen Gurley Brown was appointed editor of Cosmopolitan in 1965—spurred, at least in part, by her 1962 book Sex and the Single Girl—and remained until 1997. Brown had previously worked as an advertising copywriter in New York, and when she pitched a new magazine to Hearst, the publisher instead offered her the job of relaunching Cosmopolitan, which had been a flailing literary periodical for married suburbanites. She overhauled the magazine, making it about life, love, work, sex, money and social life and encouraging women to not “use men to get what you want in life—get it for yourself.” ¶ Brown was born in Arkansas in 1922, and her father died in an accident when she was 10 years old. Her mother later moved the family to Los Angeles, where Brown went to secretarial school and worked at a string of jobs to support her family. In a profile with The Guardian, she said: “Why am I so driven? It seems logically to have derived from things that happened to me after my father died, but some of it must have been residual from very early.” And while her position on and in feminism remains hard to define, she was driven to forge her own path, sharing those experiences along the way.*

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  Born in Kiev in 1912, Liberman attended European boarding schools but is said to have learned more from his actress mother’s Parisian circle. As editorial director of Condé Nast publications for 30 years and mastermind of Vogue for 20 years prior, Liberman did more to change the appearance of magazines than any other designer, according to The Guardian. Alex, as he was known, was an alpha male with courtly manners and a gifted photographer.

  1912–1999

  ALEXANDER LIBERMAN

  As editorial director of Condé Nast, Alexander Liberman inspired and traumatized generations of magazine editors and art directors. Known to toss out entire issues days before deadline, if he was ever challenged, he’d respond by saying, “My friend, it’s modern.”¶ A Russian émigré who had studied and worked in Paris before leaving war-torn Europe for America in 1941, Liberman was determined to imbue Condé Nast’s publications with a sense of freedom and informality. In particular, he aimed to rid Vogue of its “Ophelias dancing through the Plaza at dawn,” as quoted in his New York Times obituary. He had an equal appreciation for high and low culture, with a colleague remarking to Vogue, “He’s the least sentimental man I have known . . . He was a modernist through and through, and he loved America’s hard edges, its planned obsolescences, its energy and vulgarity.”¶ Liberman worked with Irving Penn, Cecil Beaton, Helmut Newton and Annie Leibovitz; commissioned features on Giacometti, Matisse and Duchamp; and comfortably moved from cool minimalism to exuberant chaos on his magazine pages. He was also an artist, a painter and sculptor whose work is now held in various museum collections (though at the time wasn’t “taken seriously,” in his opinion). Liberman told the New York Times writer Barbara Rose, who went on to author a monograph of his work in 1981, “More and more I rebel, maybe even because I work in a magazine that surrounds itself with civilized behavior, taste and so forth.” Although his art was never given significant consideration by the establishment, his publishing legacy still thrives. Véronique Vienne, the first art director at Condé Nast’s Self, wrote of what Liberman had taught her in Alex Liberman: Ways of Thinking About Design: “To be willing to destroy in order to create. To make it big. To find rather than fabricate. To be very polite with assistants. To despise good taste.” *

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  Liberman preferred photographs of people doing real things and stated in the Vogue Book of Fashion Photography 1919–1979, “A fashion photograph is not a photograph of a dress but a photograph of a woman.”

  1908–1991

  CIPE PINELES

  Born to Jewish parents in Poland in 1908, Cipe Pineles immigrated to America when she was 15. While she initially struggled to get a job, potential employers being reluctant to hire a woman, she would eventually become the first female member of the Art Directors Club in 1945. A Pratt Institute graduate, she took a job as a graphic designer at Contempora, where she would later meet Condé Nast at a party. Upon seeing her work, Nast recommended her to his art director, M. F. Agha. From him, Pineles learned about typography, photography and magazine composition, and soon became art director of Glamour.¶ She would go on to art direct Seventeen, Charm and Mademoiselle, each an important magazine at the time. Seventeen’s founding editor, Helen Valentine, virtually invented the teen market, and in Charm, Valentine identified the growing interest group of working women. Pineles followed the classical tradition of layout and typography in her art direction, but inflected it with innovation—working with fine artists as illustrators and bringing modern art to the young mainstream, and commercial opportunities to modern artists. In an interview with the AIGA, she proposed: “You might say we tried to convey the attractiveness of reality, as opposed to the glitter of a never-never land.” *

  1915–1978

  BARBARA “BABE” PALEY

  Born in Boston, in 1915, Barbara Cushing— or Babe Paley, as she’s more famously known—worked as a fashion editor at Vogue from 1938 to 1948. Her life, however, was certainly larger than the page. Her father was a renowned brain surgeon, and her family moved in prestigious circles—one sister married an Astor, the other a Roosevelt and later a Whitney. Paley was known to be one of Truman Capote’s famous “Swans,” and he considered her flawless, bar one defect: “Mrs. P had only one fault,” he told Vanity Fair. “She was perfect: otherwise, she was perfect.”¶ Elegant and immaculate in “quality and serenity,” in the opinion of society decorator Billy Baldwin, Paley was also known to maintain a discreet distance from her loved ones, her children and her first and second husbands—Stanley Mortimer Jr. and William Paley. She preferred to communicate through her style, and was careful to maintain her personal reputation until her death in 1978 (though her efforts were at one point compromised by Capote’s La Côte Basque story, which skewered New York’s high society and Paley herself). Paley, a lifelong smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1974, and during her illness, she planned her own funeral, right down to the details of the lunch, and the gift-wrapping of her jewelry collection.*

  1898–1971

  ALEXEY BRODOVITCH

  Appointed art director at Harper’s Bazaar by editor Carmel Snow in 1934, Alexey Brodovitch began his role with his well-known catchphrase, “Astonish me.” It was also a challenge he’d given to his students at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, where the Russian-born designer had moved after living in Paris. Of Brodovitch’s work, Snow remarked, “I saw a fresh, new conception of layout technique that struck me like a revelation: pages that ‘bled,’ beautifully cropped photographs, typography and design that were bold and arresting.”¶ He was one of the first art directors to integrate text and image, as well as art and design, introducing and commissioning his friends Man Ray, Jean Cocteau, Raoul Dufy and Marc Chagall. Brodovitch saw rhythm as the key to magazines, and would crop and integrate features and fashion stories according to mood and dynamic, rather than legibility or commercial viability. Truman Capote told Harper’s Bazaar: “What Dom Pérignon was to champagne . . . so Brodovitch has been to photograph design and editorial layout.”¶ In 1958, after the death of his wife, Nina, Brodovitch became depressed, and a short time later, he was fired from the magazine. Over the next two years, he would regularly be in the hospital, suffering from depression and alcoholism, and although he continued to pursue new projects, they’d each be abandoned, canceled or unfulfilled. His Design Laboratory Workshops, a wide-ranging experimental lab he founded in 1933 as an extension of his teaching, continued with the help of his friend artist Harvey Lloyd. Brodovitch also lived with Lloyd and would accompany him to the workshops to speak when he was able. In 1966, Brodovitch fell and broke his hip, and soon after, he returned to France in a poor physical and financial state. Nonetheless, his legacy continued on.*

  Brodovitch’s
Ballet is easily among the most legendary photobooks of the 20th century. Shot on 35mm film and printed in a small run of only a few hundred copies in 1945, Brodovitch’s images radically disregard conventions of “good” technique. Blurred and fast-paced, they capture the motion and spirit of dance both in rehearsals and on stage. It was the director’s only book ever published.

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  Brodovitch commissioned a wide range of graphic art and specialized in showcasing the work of unknown photographers, nurturing the careers of icons such as Irving Penn and Richard Avedon.

  1903–1989

  DIANA VREELAND

  “There’s only one very good life, and that’s the one you know you want and you make it yourself.” These are the words Diana Vreeland lived by. Born in Paris in 1903, she moved with her family at the outbreak of World War I to New York, where they quickly became prominent members of the social scene.Vreeland trained as a dancer, and lived above her means as a socialite. In 1924, she married banker Thomas Reed Vreeland, and “led a wonderful life in Europe . . . having marvelous summers, studying and reading a great deal,” as she explained to Lynn Gilbert years later. ¶ Editor Carmel Snow offered Vreeland a position at Harper’s Bazaar upon her return from Europe after admiring her dancing on the roof of the St. Regis in New York. What started as an advice column—the infamous “Why don’t you . . .”—soon created a legend. After Harper’s, Vreeland went to Vogue, where she worked with Grace Mirabella. In an interview with Vanity Fair Mirabella spoke of Vreeland as a sort of divine grace: “She hooked you. We all had the feeling that we’d die for her,” she explained. “From the moment she wanted you, you were as loyal as a Labrador.” *

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  Joining Vogue in 1962, Vreeland was the perfect editor to document the decade. Gone were the white-glove spreads of the ’50s, replaced with appearances by Mick Jagger, Veruschka and Twiggy.

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  After she was fired from Vogue in 1971, Vreeland curated exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, although she often confused centuries and was the first to admit she was “terrible on facts,” according to a profile in The Guardian. Still, her work drew millions of visitors every year. The Met’s annual fashion exhibition has become her legacy.

  reading list

  1. Vogue Italia’s March 2016 issue was one of long-standing editor in chief Franca Sozzani’s last before her death.

  2. Port Magazine, under the creative direction of Kuchar Swara, has featured everyone from architect Tadao Ando to actor Ethan Hawke.

  3. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Fantastic Man released a book featuring 69 of the magazine’s most provocative subjects.

  4. Holiday, the magazine that was revived by Franck Durand after a 37-year hibernation, focuses on a new location in each issue.

  5. From editor Stefano Tonchi, W: Fashion Stories revisits 10 of the magazine’s most provocative features.

  6. All 15 issues of Acne Paper produced between 2004 and 2014 under the direction of Thomas Persson are collector’s items.

  7. As the book’s creative director, Thomas Persson celebrates Lord Snowdon’s extensive career in Snowdon: A Life In View.

  8. Thomas Persson collaborates with Frances von Hofmannsthal to produce Luncheon, a magazine that draws inspiration from midday meals.

  9. A longtime collaborator with the Bavarian State Opera, Mirko Borsche helps to shape its image with print collateral like this season guide.

  10. Mirko Borsche’s creative direction for ZEITMAGAZIN leans on up-and-coming photographers, illustrators and artists.

  11. The Gentlewoman, art directed by Veronica Ditting, is a magazine that celebrates the international modern woman.

  12. Fabien Baron’s creative direction helped bring Madonna’s erotic fantasies to the printed page in Sex.

  13. Under Fabien Baron’s editorial direction, Interview magazine features conversations with some of the most well-known personalities in fields from fashion to film.

  14. Lee Miller, published by Hatje Cantz, offers insight into one of the 20th century’s most prolific photographers.

  15. Herb Ritts explores the human form in Men/Women, a collection of black-and-white photographs from the first decade of his career.

  16. Fashion icon Marie-Amélie Sauvé releases Mastermind, her glossy style biannual, on the first day of each New York Fashion Week.

  17. A portrait of a visionary, It’s Modern dives into the professional and private life of Alexander Liberman.

  18. First published in 1952, The Decisive Moment is a compilation of European master Henri Cartier-Bresson’s most influential work.

  19. Forget genre and style-specific volumes; Allure reveals the breadth of photography from the 1920s to the present.

  20. Grace looks back at the first 30 years of flame-haired Coddington’s career at Vogue.

  21. Best known for his black-and-white work, Lartigue: Life In Color highlights a different, more vibrant side of the “amateur” photographer.

  22. In 2003, Vogue Paris witnessed a redesign at the hands of Fabien Baron, who served as the magazine’s art director until 2008.

  23. From Fabien Baron and Moss herself, the retrospective Kate tracks the career of a model from unknown to international icon.

  24. For multiple seasons, Thomas Persson collaborated with Hermès to create inserts showcasing the latest collection. The publications are distributed in their stores globally.

  ENTERTAINMENT

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  McGregor’s intellectual, often scientific approach to choreography is balanced by his deep respect for the creative process of “physical thinking.”

  wayne mcgregor

  Studio Wayne McGregor

  The Royal Ballet

  “I’m not sure that I looked for a career in dance,” choreographer Wayne McGregor reflects. “But, dance found me.” While most of his peers had classical ballet training, McGregor cites his early influences as ballroom, Latin and disco dancing—and movies like Grease and Saturday Night Fever. A very active child, he found dance to be a release for his tremendous physical and creative energy.

  Today, he swims, and though he doesn’t perform anymore, he stresses the importance of participating in rehearsals. “I’m not just sitting on a chair directing,” McGregor says. “For five to six hours, I’m dancing and moving my body. The process is very physical.”

  McGregor’s interest in the body extends beyond the obvious connection to his profession. “The relationship between science and the body seems like a natural conversation to me,” he says. The choreographer regularly reads New Scientist and Prospect, and though this might seem like it wouldn’t directly connect to his work, it does. For a show called Autobiography, for example, McGregor collaborated with scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and used his genetic code as inspiration.

  “Science and technology have allowed us to see inside the body, to unpeel layers and start to understand it differently,” he explains. “Rather than think about the body from the outside, we can think about it from the inside. We can get a sense of what actually is happening cognitively when we are working creatively.” McGregor attributes his fascination with science and technology to being a part of the first generation with home computers. “I used to spend time doing really rudimentary coding, and the Internet has also been a massive reference point in my life.”

  Yet science and technology are far from his only influences: he reads copiously, is frequently listening to and hunting for music and considers architecture “a hobby.” His home is a restored 1930s Bauhaus construction in Devon, England, and with his partner, he built a house and studio in Lamu, Kenya. “I’m always looking for a building project,” he laughs.

  So when his company, Studio Wayne McGregor, which he founded at age 21 under the name Random Dance, celebrated its 25th anniversary, it was time for a new headquarters. McGregor chos
e the former Broadcast Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games in East London as the company’s new home, and the finished product, designed by architects We Not I, is a radical redefinition of the dance studio. “We wanted to build a series of studios in London that was refreshing and evocative but that also allowed you to be in those spaces in very resourceful and exciting ways,” he says. “When you’re in an inspiring and open space, where there is room to think and to move, it elicits different primers in the brain and body.” McGregor, for example, removed the ballet barres from all of the studios. “Dancers do ballet class for an hour and 10 minutes,” he says. “Why, then, for the rest of the day do we have these ballet barres intersecting the body?” In addition to the studios, there is a gym, a meditation room and a panoramic view of East London alongside a rooftop meeting room housed in an Airstream trailer. Its design was inspired by visits to Marfa, Texas, and McGregor’s overall love of minimalism, and he has infused the space with various artworks. There is a bespoke floor based on Bauhaus artist Anni Albers’ study for Camino Real and pieces by Haroon Mirza and Tatsuo Miyajima on loan from Lisson Gallery.