Her Own Universe
The magazine A Magazine Curated by has been in print for 25 years. They made an anniversary edition in which they asked all curators for a new contribution. Fashion designer Olivier Theyskens is one of those curators and together with visual artist Chantal Elisabeth Ariëns they made a beautiful story and an exciting, cinematic sequence. And I was asked to write a story for it.
1. Page from the photo series by Chantal Elisabeth Ariëns, Olivier Theyskens.
‘The choreography shows us another world, where women walk in their own sense of space. We, high up in the building feel drawn in, share the quest for beauty. We follow each beguiling emotional moment, as if we were part of it ourselves.’
From: Her Own universe, Barbara Collé 2025.
2. Cover Anniversary Edition ‘A Magazine Curated By’ 2000-2025
A conversation
Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, I had a special and very inspiring conversation with Chantal and Olivier. With a big mug of ginger tea we sat at a table with the rough photo sketches for this series spread out in front of us. Together we looked at the amazing images. We talked about the world they create together, Olivier with the designs and Chantal with the photography, and about the importance of movement, the drive to create, the irresistible attraction of layers in fabrics and etchings, craftsmanship and the mysterious.
A Story
Inspired by that conversation, I then wrote a story. It is called Her Own Universe. Read it and let yourself be carried away in the swirling and free story about ‘a woman who walks her walk’ in her own way.
- Here you can find more beautiful work by Chantal Elisabeth Ariëns
- Here you can find more beautiful work by Olivier Theyskens
- Here you can see more stories by Lune Kuipers who did the styling
- And here at Athenaeum News Centre you can order this edition
- or here at the magazine itself
Thank you both, Chantal and Olivier, for this beautiful collaboration. It makes the world a better place! (and more intuitive and instinctive ;))